KEY BUSINESS AREAS
Community Comms Australia
CCA is a specialised and experienced community engagement group, which delivers face-to-face solutions.
CCA - COMMUNITY CONSULTATION
CCA is a specifically formed community engagement service provider; bringing together experienced communicators who specialise in the delivery of proactive community engagement, in support of major construction activity at a grass-roots level.
We understand that when organisations introduce change it is a sensitive issue that can represent a potential threat to some people, especially when it has impacts on where and how they live and work.
We address this by personifying messages of change to stakeholders and we strive to increase stakeholder trust and open the door for meaningful on-going negotiations.
What CCA is really all about is quality interaction with stakeholders at the front-line.
This personal face-to-face engagement approach is a learned skill – our ability to deliver it, consistently, is what sets us apart from other communication providers.
We provide quality, no-fuss expertise, through smart ideas that are well executed, using targeted activities tailored to deliver specific stakeholder and community outcomes.
Our team has what it takes to effectively develop and implement comprehensive, value-for-money, stakeholder and community engagement plans and activities during all construction phases.
CCA offers a wealth of communication knowledge and experience through its two principals, Paul Galea and Peter McCall and the association with McCalls' PR, one of Queensland's longest established public relations consultancies.
In addition, we bring to the table the experience of one of the industry's leading community engagement practitioners, Jim Cavaye. He has an extensive history working with communities across Australia and overseas in the areas of community capacity building, community engagement, natural resource management and infrastructure projects.
All CCA senior staff are experienced communicators with a superior understanding of project management functions, allowing clients to tap into our experience and utilise our skills at the level they require.
We present ourselves as part of your stakeholder and community engagement department, working with you, rather than as an external consultant – committed to achieving the goals and milestones your organisation is striving for.
Community Comms Australia specialises in:
- Construction and Infrastructure Projects
- Development applications
- Environmental and social impact assessment consultation
- Dilapidation surveys and land access consultation management
- Issues and crisis management
- Legacy and sponsorship development.
Community Comms Australia (CCA) McCalls' community consultation's company, are specialists in face to face communications.
We offer a complete Community Consultation service to clients. We have the multi-skilled talent and experience to deliver results whatever the challenge. Our commitment is to develop and deliver a cost effective community consultation response on time and within budget.
Our approach features:
- 24/7 team commitment
- Use of world's best practice Community Consultation methodology
- Compliance to Project Management principals and standards.
CCA provides the community with:
- Access to relevant information
- The opportunity for input and feedback.
CCA Points of Difference in delivering community engagement
- We believe in working in-the-field
- We are active alliancing participants
- We target face-to-face relationships
- We are a dedicated community engagement company providing specialist services
- We adopt a 24/7 approach to work
- We have strong senior management understanding and experience in major project development and delivery.
COMMUNITY CONSULTATION EXPERIENCE
The Western Corridor Recycled Water Project
CCA/McCalls' was a partner in the Eastern Pipeline Alliance, one of five alliances involved in the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project. The Eastern Pipeline component of the WCRW Project involved construction of a network of more than 100km of recycled water pipelines and associated infrastructure such as pump stations that traversed some of Ipswich and Brisbane's most densely populated areas.
The project required the community relations team to manage a broad range of community issues resulting from the various construction activities, including traffic impacts and road closures, 24-hour works and night works, major civil construction, environmental concerns and impacts on community and government facilities. The major challenge was managing community relations with pipeline work fronts moving rapidly along the corridor, as well as numerous static work sites with different activities and impacts.
The situation also required dealing with a fast tracked project environment, alliance culture and high levels of scrutiny from the media. With 110,000 houses within 1km of the pipeline corridor, more than 200 land lots directly impacted, more than 80 crossings of road, rail or waterways and more than 25 work fronts during its peak, managing community relations successfully in this section of the project was a significant challenge for the Alliance and the WCRW Project.
The team developed and implemented a community engagement plan aimed at facilitating a two-way communication process between property owners, residents, stakeholders, the community, WCRW Pty Ltd. and Eastern Pipeline Alliance. Specifically, the plan aimed to minimise disruption to the community by creating awareness of construction timetables, expected impacts and points of contact for enquiries or concerns and to provide an effective issue and complaint management function.
The team maintained an effective 24-hour, seven days a week issue and complaint management function throughout the project. The SCR team ensure minimum response times and consulted with an extensive list of stakeholders. Over the course of the 20-month construction program, all issues and complaints were resolved successfully and the perception of the project remained positive within the community.
The key successes from the project included:
- A proactive and consistent information and awareness campaign that successfully created awareness of construction impacts and timelines
- Direct and personal engagement with stakeholders including local community organisations and elected representatives, enabling issues identification and resolution, as well as building positive personal relationships
- Highly effective issues and complaint management, with quick responses focused on solutions to issues or complaints
- Extensive promotion of the project through goodwill gestures, site tours and effective media relations
- A successful program of strategic internal communications and culture building.
The Boyne Smelter Expansion was a public consultation and strategic communications project involving the planning and construction of the $1.5b project (1996-1999). McCalls' provided issues management, publication development and event coordination for this client. The Expansion opening involved a grand opening for VIPs and workers, community activities and the coordination of memorabilia to mark this significant event. The communications program developed by McCalls' responded to a range of issues with strong cross-overs into the local and State Government, the media, local business and community groups.
This project required the development and implementation of transport strategies for major road haulage disruption on highways leading to Gladstone from Brisbane and Ipswich and along the Gladstone Boyne Island Road. The management of key stakeholders, especially the local authority representatives, local community groups, residents and the media was a challenge for the 33 months of the project. Strategic communication strategies developed an ownership responsibility of the project, which was bringing new development, opportunities and wealth to the region.
Comalco Alumina Refinery (CAR)
In 2002, McCalls' received a Public Relations Institute of Queensland Award for its community communication strategy for the Comalco Alumina Refinery (CAR). Comalco now trades as Rio Tinto Aluminum.
McCalls' developed a community consultation strategy and program for Comalco as part of the company's $1.4 billion alumina refinery development in Gladstone. The aim of the program was to proactively provide information to, and raise awareness within, a passionate community to ensure the reputation of CAR, from construction to future operations, was measurably enhanced.
The first phase of the communications strategy has proved highly successful, delivering a strong initial community program and establishing the footing for the community engagement policy for construction and future operations.
McCalls' delivered a comprehensive information program to the Mackay community in two stages for the Eastpoint project. The program set out to inform and provide a range of engagement opportunities to ensure that the people of Mackay understood dully the extent of the project that was planned for the former Harbour land at the mouth of the Pioneer River.
The program involved the development of broad community information campaign, which included the development of a comprehensive newsletter circulated to every Mackay Household and follow-up information programs.
To further involve the community a comprehensive model of the project was developed. This information program involved manned public displays and public consultation at Mackay's two largest shopping centres, the Mackay Surf Lifesaving Club, and the two Council libraries.
This community engagement program won a PRIA Industry Award.