Sustainability Report 2006/07Overview
Melbourne Water recognises that our success in creating a sustainable water future depends on our success in working with others.
We place a high priority on building strong partnerships and relationships with the community and our stakeholders, which include the Victorian Government, retail water businesses, other water authorities, councils and the land development industry.
We strive to keep local communities, councils and industry informed about the planning and scope of our operations and infrastructure works by providing timely and factual information (which is translated into community languages where necessary).
We also provide information about how community members can contact Melbourne Water employees or contractors if they require information or wish to raise concerns. Where it is possible and practical, we try to provide community members and local stakeholders with input into our decision-making processes. This is done through consultative committees at our major facilities such as the Eastern and Western sewage treatment plants.
We have developed a community engagement plan with Gippsland Water and the local council to ensure the community is effectively engaged in the planned reconnection of the Tarago Reservoir. Regular contact is continuing with key stakeholders including the Neerim and District Landcare Group and South East Water.
Benchmarking our performance
Melbourne Water strives to be consistent, open, trustworthy and easy to work with; clear about roles and responsibilities, including our role in the policy context; and, working to create greater value and benefit for all stakeholders.
Through the year we have sought to benchmark our performance in relationship management as a result of consultation with our stakeholders and feedback from them on aspects of our business and the way we interact with them.
Through continued discussion and dialogue we intend to measure the effectiveness and perceptions of these relationships and use this to inform business practice and approach.
Melbourne Water understands that some relationships will be complex due to the breadth of issues or projects around which the relationships are based. Other relationships, where we are engaging on a single issue or project, will be simpler and clear-cut.
Understanding this, and taking it into account, is a key driver to helping our people work most effectively in the best of interests of Melbourne Water and our stakeholders.