Help shape how we engage with our community

We’re updating our Community Engagement Policy – and we want to hear from you.

This policy explains how and when we ask for your input, and how we use it to guide the decisions that we make. It also shows our commitment to working with the community in line with the Local Government Act 2020.

Our current policy was created four years ago and is due to expire in 2025. Now is the time to refresh it so it reflects what our community needs and expects.

We want the new policy to be clear, practical and easy for everyone to understand and use. Most importantly, we want it to support meaningful and respectful conversations between the City and our community.

This is your chance to tell us what works and what doesn’t.

We are currently seeking feedback as part of Stage 1 of the project. Insights collected will inform a draft document, which will be shared for further community input during Stage 2 later in 2025.

Your feedback will help shape the Community Engagement Policy for 2025–2029.

Let’s work together to make sure everyone’s voice counts.

How can the community influence this policy?

  • How we make it easier for our community to share feedback on decisions that impact them.
  • How the document looks and feels.
  • How we put the five principles of community engagement into practice.

  • The definition of community engagement
  • The principles of community engagement
  • The use of deliberative community engagement: Councils must, at a minimum, apply their community engagement policy in the development of the following:
    • community vision
    • council plan
    • financial plan
    • asset plan.
  • Compliance with relevant legislation.

This policy will not include detailed procedures around how we implement the policy.

Our current Community Engagement Policy

It's time to have your say

Please provide feedback in one of the following ways:

  • Our online surveys - by completing the full survey you can go in the draw to win a $200 gift card.
    • Full survey (10–15 minutes). Read our engagement policy and share your thoughts in detail.
    • Short survey (3–5 minutes). Don't have time to read the engagement policy? Just tell us your general thoughts on community engagement.

You can request a hard copy of either survey by contacting the officer listed in the 'Who's Listening' section of this page.

Keep scrolling to explore other ways to share your thoughts.

Complete a survey

By completing our full survey you can enter our competition to win a $200 gift card.

  • What does community engagement mean to you?

    Conversation Wall

    Briefly describe how you would define community engagement.

    Click through to share your thoughts, and vote for any comments you like.

    Share your thoughts here 

  • Quick Poll

    No feedback or happy with the policy? Let us know by taking our quick poll. It only takes a few seconds!

    Take our Quick Poll 

  • Ask a question

    If you would like to ask a question or need more information about community engagement or the policy, please submit a question using the link below.

    Ask your question here 

  • Thanks for joining us!

    Thank you to everyone who attended our recent events and took the time to speak with the Community Engagement Team about our Community Engagement Policy.

    All the feedback shared will be carefully reviewed and collated to help shape our policy.