Project: HumeLink - Social Impact Assessment
Ensuring appropriate consideration and engagement of affected project stakeholders.
Client: Transgrid
Project Dates: July - October 2022
Services Delivered:
Social impact assessment
Action plan development
Stakeholder mapping
Survey tool and methodology development
Analysis and reporting
Project Background:
HumeLink is a new 500kV transmission line which will connect Wagga Wagga, Bannaby and Maragle. It is one of the state’s largest energy infrastructure projects, with about 360km of proposed new transmission lines, and new or upgraded infrastructure at the three substation locations. The project will increase the amount of electricity that can be delivered to customers across the National Electricity Market, assisting the transition to a greater mix of low-emission renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar.
The Challenge:
To support the overall objective of improving project engagement and to ensure meaningful dialogue with all affected stakeholders, there was a need for wider Social Impact Assessment consultation to develop a robust and targeted stakeholder list appropriate to the requirements of Social Impact Assessment.
Our Approach:
Social Atlas, in partnership with Aurecon and Transgrid, conducted Social Impact Assessment consultation which involved comprehensive stakeholder mapping and gap analysis to ensure affected project stakeholders were appropriately considered during project development. This included development of the consultation action plan, survey tool and methodology, stakeholder interviews and formal report submission as a direct input to the SIA for the project.
Our team managed all aspects of the delivery of the SIA consultation project, including action plan development, desktop and in person mapping, overseeing collateral and survey development, engagement delivery and the production, analysis, review, and finalisation of the engagement report as per requirements of the EIS.
With internal engagement for the project focused on impacted landowners, stakeholder mapping and gap analysis was required to develop a targeted stakeholder list appropriate to the requirements of the SIA. Our approach encompassed the following considerations:
Assessment of impacted stakeholder groups, distinguishing between direct impacts and those that may be less transformative but still significant, such as increased visitors to an area
Recognition of broader regional impacts, such as tourism, workforce planning and access to local services
Nuances of each local government area
Many of the stakeholders identified through this process had not been engaged previously by the project and this led to additional complexity, with a general lack of base knowledge required to input into the process meaningfully. To overcome this limitation, a range of support collateral was developed and made available prior to interviews to ensure a transparent, respectful, and effective process.
Project Outcomes:
This mapping exercise provided a robust foundation for the SIA and effective future stakeholder engagement, ensuring that resources and messaging were prioritised and tailored effectively, to facilitate meaningful relationships and promote transparency, collaboration, and trust.