Understanding community support

A claim that a project has community support needs to identify whose views it describes, which proposal they considered and any conditions attached to their support. The term social licence is often used for this question, but it does not establish a legal permission or a single measure of community opinion. SCA uses community support because the term directs attention to whose views are being described and what they support.

## An Australian policy context

In its response of 2 February 2024 the Australian Government accepted in principle all nine recommendations of the Community Engagement Review, and its current guidance describes that acceptance as in full or in principle. The review concerned engagement in renewable energy infrastructure, including the relationship between project development and affected communities.

That policy response establishes that the quality of engagement is a public concern. It does not establish support for any individual project; that requires evidence about the proposal and the people affected.

## Describe the evidence and its limits

An attendance record establishes participation in a meeting, while a signed agreement records the parties’ agreement on its terms. Neither on its own describes the views of everyone in the area. A consultation report should explain who participated, how views were gathered and which groups may be missing.

Support may also depend on a particular design, mitigation measure or delivery promise. Reporting should retain those conditions rather than turning a qualified position into an unconditional endorsement. Differences within a community need to remain visible, including the views of people most directly affected.

## Respond through the project

Where concerns relate to access, noise, traffic or visual effects, the response requires evidence and decisions from the responsible project specialists. Engagement can identify the concern, test possible responses and explain the decision, but cannot substitute for the work required to address an impact.

Community benefits and compensation arrangements also need to be explained on their own terms. Their existence does not establish that unrelated concerns have been resolved or that other people support the proposal.

## Keep the assessment current

Changes to a proposal or its delivery can change people’s views. The team should record the date and basis of any statement about support, and review that statement when the design, effects or evidence changes.

For the transfer of agreed commitments between teams, use the engagement handover guide. For the separate question of permissions, see infrastructure approvals and community support.