Time is running out to take part in Port Waratah’s Local Voices Community ‘Pulse’ Survey, open until 13 October.
The survey invites local residents to share their views on the impacts, benefits and opportunities of Port Waratah’s operations and its contributions to the Newcastle community.
The quick Pulse survey takes only five minutes to complete. It’s a check-in with the community on topics that are important to local people including employment, environmental management and economic contributions by Port Waratah.
In this survey there is a focus on understanding if the community feels they are receiving a fair share of the benefits of Port Waratah’s operations.
Feedback from the community helps Port Waratah to improve the way it operates and to develop informed communications and strategic plans to address the needs of stakeholders and the local community.
Local Voices has been part of Port Waratah’s community engagement program since 2018, strengthening relationships and providing meaningful two-way communication between Port Waratah and local people, especially residents in portside suburbs.
Port Waratah values community views on complex issues and in return is open and transparent with communications and results, including the most recent survey on attitudes towards coal export.
Dr Kieren Moffat says that the Newcastle community presents a sophisticated understanding of the coal industry and the progress of energy transition.“The Newcastle community showed they can hold the current global market needs, economic contributions, new energy options and time needed for transition, in balance,” Dr Moffat said.
“Almost 60 per cent of participants thought that there are viable alternatives that could replace coal however, only 23 per cent thought that Australia should stop exporting coal immediately to address climate change. The majority of participants, 85 per cent, thought the transition away from coal will take time and needs a balanced approach.”
As part of Port Waratah’s commitment to transparency of the Local Voices results, more than 60 past participants, members of the Community Working Group, community partners and industry stakeholders came together at an event last month to share the latest results and discuss notable data trends that have emerged over the last six years.
John Thacker, resident of Newcastle West and Community Working Group Member, says one of the takeaways from the Local Voices event was the value of community feedback to Port Waratah.
