According to the Stakeholder Engagement and Communications Strategy:
“Public engagement and consultation activities will be required to facilitate Federal and State approval processes associated with a variety of relevant legislation including EPBC Act 1999 – (Strategic assessment and program report development) Biological Act 1984 and its mirrored state legislation, Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Act 1994.
It is proposed to align timing of the mandatory public consultation for each piece of legislation to minimise the potential for ‘consultation fatigue’ across interested stakeholders and the broader community. (See EPBC Strategic Assessment Process Appendix A, Mandatory public consultation required under legislation – Appendix B).
In addition to the required mandatory public consultation, the FRDC project team will be engaging in a rigorous round of stakeholder engagement and consultation throughout the development of the plan, to ensure it delivers the best possible environmental outcomes.
The aim of the plan is to maximise the long-term cost effective reduction of carp populations while minimising disruption to industries, communities and the environment should a carp herpesvirus release go ahead.”
Critical to the public engagement and consultation activity will be an effective and targeted communications program which can underpin all activity and garner the community and industry’s support and endorsement of the recommendations contained in the final report.