The Human Face Behind Community Consultation
Community engagement processes often appear as bureaucratic exercises filled with forms, meetings, and technical language that can feel impersonal to residents. However, the reality is quite different according to City of Newcastle's executive manager Nick Kaiser, who has spoken out about the human effort behind these consultations.
Behind every survey, consultation session, and community briefing are real people committed to ensuring community voices are properly heard, Kaiser emphasized in his statement published on November 22, 2025. The City of Newcastle team works diligently to deliver engagement that maintains transparency, effectiveness, and follows established best practices.
Navigating the Complexities of Public Consultation
Despite these efforts, Kaiser acknowledges that criticism has become a constant companion to their work. While welcoming constructive feedback that helps improve processes, he notes that public discussions often miss the complexity of engagement and the principles guiding it.
When council staff explain what's 'in scope' and 'out of scope' - or in simpler terms, what can be negotiated versus what cannot - they're not attempting to shut down dialogue. This approach represents honesty and setting clear expectations to ensure community members' time and input receive proper respect.
The terminology frequently questioned - including 'engagement spectrum', 'opt-in bias', and 'non-negotiable' - aren't invented by local council staff. These represent industry-standard concepts documented and used by any organisation with mature community engagement practices.
Engagement without boundaries becomes misleading, Kaiser argues. When everything appears open for debate despite certain fixed parameters, that creates false hope rather than genuine consultation.
Principles of Inclusive Community Reach
Recent backlash, sparked by a notice of motion unrelated to the Newcastle Ocean Baths project, has reignited debate about engagement methods. However, Kaiser stresses that Newcastle's processes build upon internationally recognised best practice.
These systems aim to give all community members a genuine voice where it matters most, while being transparent about operational constraints - whether legislative, environmental, financial, or technical.
Another crucial principle often overlooked involves reach - the commitment to connect with those potentially impacted by decisions. This philosophical point embeds itself in the council's Engagement Strategy, which commits to inclusivity and accessibility in every consultation.
Reach extends beyond mere numbers; it serves as a measure of equity indicating whether the council connects with the full spectrum of community voices, including harder-to-reach groups and those less likely to opt in voluntarily.
Without actively monitoring and improving reach, engagement risks domination by the loudest voices. The strategy outlines practical steps to broaden participation through diverse channels, plain language, and targeted outreach.
When measuring reach, the council checks whether it has upheld its responsibility to create fair and inclusive processes rather than chasing vanity metrics.
The Human Element in Public Scrutiny
Kaiser highlights a rarely acknowledged reality: everyone's definition of 'good engagement' differs significantly. What one person considers thorough, another views as excessive. What some call transparent, others describe as bureaucratic.
Navigating these expectations presents daily challenges for council staff, who prepare technical experts to present their work for community scrutiny by approximately 170,000 residents.
The situation becomes more complicated when feedback turns personal, particularly on online platforms. Kaiser reminds residents that council staff are community members too - fellow citizens doing their best under intense scrutiny who want what's best for the place everyone calls home.
Despite understanding that declaring certain project elements as fixed can frustrate residents, the council prioritizes transparency over pretending everything remains negotiable. This honest approach represents what genuine trust looks like in practice.
Despite facing criticism, Kaiser confirms the City of Newcastle team will continue showing up, listening, and striving to make engagement meaningful because that's what the community deserves.
