FINAL REPORT OCTOBER 2006 Peel Sustainability Strategy Report 2 CONTENTS 1. SUMMARY ...........................................................................................................................4 2. BACKGROUND....................................................................................................................9 3. PEEL 2020 PARTNERSHIP ...............................................................................................12 4. PROJECT SCOPE .............................................................................................................13 4.1 ‘Oregon Model’ of community visioning ........................................................................14 4.2 Reference to other strategies .......................................................................................16 5. PROJECT STRUCTURE....................................................................................................17 5.1 Peel 2020 Partnership – project leadership..................................................................17 5.2 Peel 2020 Taskforce – project management ................................................................19 6. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT...........................................................................................19 6.1 Participation Matrix and Timeline..................................................................................21 7. WHAT THE REGION TOLD US .........................................................................................22 7.1 Regional Community Profile - Where are we now? ......................................................22 7.2 Community Values Telephone Survey .........................................................................24 7.3 Community Values Photo Dialogue ..............................................................................26 7.4 Vision Forum – adding to the debate............................................................................27 7.5 Trends - Where are we going? .....................................................................................28 7.6 A Postcard to my Children – primary school children paint a story...............................30 7.7 Dare to Dream 2020 Forum.........................................................................................31 7.8 zero $ sound - Youth Gig..............................................................................................32 7.9 Pitstop Music Festival ...................................................................................................34 7.10 Dialogue With The Region..........................................................................................34 7.11 Community Aspirations...............................................................................................35 7.12 Peel 2020 Partnership – developing the way forward ................................................39 8. PEEL 2020 SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIES....................................................................41 9. IMPLEMENTING PEEL 2020 .............................................................................................43 10. CONCLUSION..................................................................................................................47 Appendix A COMMUNITY VISIONING RESEARCH PROJECT Appendix B WHERE ARE WE NOW? Appendix C COMMUNITY TELEPHONE SURVEY Appendix D WHERE ARE WE GOING? Appendix E ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Peel Sustainability Strategy Report 3 1. SUMMARY The Peel Region encompasses the area within the boundaries of the City of Mandurah and the Shires of Boddington, Murray, Serpentine Jarrahdale and Waroona. At just over 5,500 square kilometres, it is WA’s smallest region but has the second highest population. The Peel Region is WA’s, and one of Australia’s fastest growing regions. It has the advantages and challenges associated with its location starting at around 70 kilometres from a rapidly-growing capital city, Perth, while also holding some of Australia’s major mineral deposits. The Region is characterised by its beautiful and much-loved waterways. It includes over 137 square kilometres of estuary and inland waterways, much of which is included as a ‘Wetland of International Significance’ under the international Ramsar Convention. Since 1993, the Region has benefited from the development of a unique network of partnerships between government, industry, and community. This network provided the foundation, and the engine, for the Peel 2020 Sustainability Strategy. In 2002, a small group of individuals, agencies and industry representatives came together to begin a long-range plan for the Peel Region. The group was chaired by David Templeman MLA, Member for Mandurah. A landmark study of social conditions in the Peel Region, Peel Away the Mask (2001) had painted a picture of a region with many strengths, but with parts of its population experiencing social and economic stresses that could be masked by the rapid new development and changing demography. The group, and their partners, determined that they would work together to develop a strategy for a strong community, solid economy, and healthy environment in the Peel Region. This was the beginning of Peel 2020 Sustainability Strategy. By 2003 it was clear that this was an essential, but daunting, challenge. The small group grew to include many more partners, all of whom were committed to working together and bringing the strength of their own networks to make the Region’s future great. The “Peel 2020 Partnership” was formed. It included senior representation from all sectors of the Region with membership made up of the Peel Economic Development Unit, Peel Community Development Group, Peel-Harvey Catchment Council, Peel Development Commission, Shire of Boddington, Shire of Murray, Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale, Shire of Waroona, City of Mandurah, Department for Community Development, Department of Environment and Conservation, Department for Planning Peel Sustainability Strategy Report 4 and Infrastructure, Main Roads Department, Department of Health, Department of Education and Training, Police Department, Disability Services Commission, Murdoch and Curtin Universities, Challenger TAFE, Mandurah Senior College, Alcoa World Alumina Australia, Mandurah Peel Chamber of Commerce, Chamber of Minerals and Energy, the Small Business Centre Peel, Iluka Resources Ltd, Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA), Peel Area Consultative Committee, Department of Families Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Peel Health Campus, Fairbridge and a number of community representatives. The Peel 2020 Partnership elected a community-based chairperson and Peel 2020 Partnership members committed considerable time to the process. Peel Development Commission supported the entire process and extra assistance including additional funding support was provided from Main Roads WA. The Peel 2020 Partnership drew on local, national and international research. It was initially informed by a series of seminars about various models of community planning, organised by Peel Development Commission throughout 2003 and 2004. Steven Ames, Principal of Steven Ames Planning based in Portland Oregon USA, provided direction, consultation and guidance throughout the development of the Peel 2020 Sustainability Strategy. An adapted version of the Oregon Model of community visioning was used, recognising that Peel was unique, in establishing a long-range vision and plan for the entire Region that encompassed a number of local government authorities, each of whom had their own plans and visions. From the outset the Partners determined that this would be a representational process, primarily drawing on the vast networks of the Partners themselves for input and information. At three key points along the journey, broad community consultation processes would be used: at the beginning to help determine the Region’s values, in the middle when determining the Region’s vision, and at the end to confirm the direction of the strategy. The Partners committed to ensuring that specific actions would be taken to hear the voices of those not normally heard at those three key points. Extensive formal research was undertaken by Peel Development Commission to inform the strategy. The first document, “Where are we now?” defined the current status of the Region across economic, social, environmental and infrastructure components. Peel Sustainability Strategy Report 5 The second, “Where are we going?” identified trends for the future. An independent survey of the community was also undertaken at this stage to define the Region’s values, i.e. those things considered most important. This survey told the Partners that the Region’s community valued a safe, healthy community, their environment and waterways, the rural lifestyle of the Region, well planned infrastructure and accessible services. An intensive workshop was also held, featuring three national speakers and a scenario planner who successfully provoked new thinking about possible directions and opportunities for the Region’s future. Workshops and events were also held with children, young people, people with disabilities and Indigenous people throughout the process. Some of the more creative opportunities for community input included distributing disposable cameras throughout the Region so people could submit photos of what they valued, and encouraging children to write postcards defining their vision for the future. All of the research and community input