With nine deliberative processes in planning or underway, plus two standing panels in operation, it’s a proper panel 'palooza' over here at MosaicLab! This work spans across three states of Australia and involves the energy, water, local government and state government sectors.
We’re privileged to partner with leaders and decision-makers invested in tackling what’s hard and making better decisions - decisions that truly reflect the needs and priorities of their customers, stakeholders and communities. Congratulations to all those organisations taking this leap again or for the first time.
We’re also privileged to work with the diverse range of people from many walks of life that take part in these deliberations. These citizens put their hands up to tackle tough issues and shape important plans that impact the future of their community.
Let’s explore some of the deliberative engagement adventures ahead! Sneak peek incoming …
DELIBERATIVE PANELS in the WATER, PLANNING & ENERGY sectors
Every four years, TasWater prepares a detailed plan that outlines the services they will deliver and the prices customers will pay. As part of this, TasWater is undertaking their first statewide deliberative engagement process to seek the views and preferences of customers and community, to ensure their views are reflected in the plan.
This extensive project began with a codesign process 12 months ago and has now progressed to the panel recruitment phase.
The 45-member panel, once appointed, will consider this important question:
How do we prepare for tomorrow while being fair to customers today?
Over 3 months, the panel will learn about the challenges TasWater is facing, consider a range of issues relating to pricing and services, and consider options for the future. TasWater will use the panel’s recommendations to ensure that their customers and community are at the heart of shaping the next Price and Service Plan. The Plan will be submitted to the Tasmanian Economic Regulator to set water and sewerage prices in Tasmania from 2026.
Learn more about the process here.
The Victorian Government is defining the focus of long-term development in Victoria through its 2050 Vision. From February to August this year, significant wider engagement was undertaken by the department to gather insights from Victorian community members, focusing on four main pillars: housing affordability and choice, equity and jobs, liveable and thriving neighbourhoods, and sustainable environments and climate action.
Recognising that everyone has a role in shaping Victoria's future, a people's panel will be formed to represent the state's diverse communities and develop a vision. The panel of 50 randomly selected Victorians will meet five times in September to consider this important question:
what DO YOU WANT victoria to be like in 2050?
The vision for Victoria, will further inform the four main pillars that will support the Plan Victoria.
Learn more here.
Jemena Electricity Network has been implementing a comprehensive engagement program for the organisation's 2026-2031 Regulatory Proposal, employing a multi-dimensional approach to allow customers direct influence over proposed future pricing and services.
The process, that included a people’s panel brought together diverse perspectives to address the question:
How should Jemena prepare for a sustainable energy future while meeting current customer and community needs?
The panel will reconvene in August to review the feedback and draft proposal, providing further recommendations on other focus areas, such as customer service incentives. The proposal will be finalised with these insights and submitted to the AER in January 2025.
Learn more here.
“It seemed in the beginning a daunting process, but it’s actually really amazing to see the diversity of ideas that came out, and also where there were so many ideas that were very similar, there seems to be a number of themes which are quite centralised, which is interesting because we’re such a diverse group of people.”
Image credit: Jemena
LOCAL COUNCIL deliberative panels
Following a broad community engagement phase - including targeted workshops aimed at often unheard groups, training of community ‘champions’ from culturally diverse backgrounds (who will co-facilitate the wider engagement workshops alongside MosaicLab and the council), and staff capacity building, the City of Greater Dandenong will establish the ‘Our City, Our Future’ Community Panel.
This 40-member panel will meet from October to November to review and discuss the outcomes of the community engagement activities and address the following question:
We have a diverse community, expanding needs and limited resources so cannot do everything. With these challenges in mind - How can we make our city a home to all?
The insights gathered through these engagements will directly influence the creation of the Council’s Community Vision and Council Plan for 2025-2029, ensuring that these documents reflect the community’s true priorities.
In early August, 8,000 randomly selected households across Manningham received invitations to express interest in participating in their upcoming community panel.
40 people representing the diversity of the community will be chosen. This panel will engage in in-depth discussions to shape key strategic documents, deliberating on the following question:
Council has a limited budget and we can't do everything and need to make hard choices. We need to know what services you value most to help us create a new Council Plan, Asset Plan, and Financial Plan to guide our activities for the next four years, aligned with the Community Vision. It will inform what the community pays and what it receives in return.
What range and level of services are you prepared to pay for?
Once developed, these plans will guide the council's activities over the next four years, ensuring trusted decisions and long-term benefits for the community.
Learn more here.
STANDING PANELS
Standing panels bring residents with a rich diversity of lived experiences together over a longer period than a project or one-off panel process. They offer an informed group of citizens’ that can contribute effectively to decision-making, providing a more robust approach to governance.
Currently, we have the privilege of designing and facilitating standing panels for City of Kingston and the Mornington Peninsula Shire.
Following discussions on topics like playgrounds, active recreation and net zero initiatives in 2023, the City of Kingston Community Engagement Group reconvened this year.
After a session focused on the Council's Arts, Events, and Library Strategy, the 40-member panel is participating in a deliberative engagement process to generate recommendations that will shape the Council's key strategic plans.
As part of this process, the panel has deepened their understanding of the Council's inner workings, listened to staff and expert speakers about the challenges of balancing growing community needs with financial constraints, and engaged in discussions to draft recommendations that will guide the Council's direction over the next four years.
“It’s just nice to be more involved and to have a say, and we are confident that our say matters”
The panel will hand over their report to the CEO in late August and celebrate the two years with a wrap-up event in October.
Learn more about the CEG.
The 2024 Mornington Peninsula Shire Standing Panel is building on the foundation established by the previous panels from 2022 and 2023.
To date, the panel has participated in both online and in-person sessions, offering feedback and advice to Council on key initiatives such as the Open Space Strategy, Our Coast Our Future Coastal Strategy, and the Affordable Housing Strategy.
Recently, they held a productive mid-year check-in with community leaders, including the Mayor, CEO, and Councillors.
Learn more about the MPS Citizens’ Panel.
Images: Mornington Peninsula Shire
WANT TO TALK TO SOMEONE ABOUT DELIBeration IDEAS AND OPTIONS?
We’re here to help, and ready to chat to you about how a deliberative process could work for your community and organisation, and what form it could take.
We can help you navigate the options and find a way to more effectively tackle tricky topics and big decisions, setting you on the path to success before you start heading off on your engagement journey.
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