The location of a new cemetery is a challenging conversation for communities, made harder as it was undertaken during the Covid pandemic.
The establishment of a new cemetery in the Queanbeyan area is a controversial and challenging issue, however confronted with limited capacity in existing facilities it was important to have this hard conversation with the community.
As the timing required the conversion to occur during the pandemic, Communication Link facilitated a unique online community workshop. This workshop incorporated a listening period, where local Councillors and decision-makers heard from self-nominated community members in a 'reverse town hall' type forum.
Representatives of the Queanbeyan- Palerang Regional Council were provided an opportunity to listen carefully to community and near neighbour concerns. The session also provided an opportunity to share information with the community and answer questions, providing information to assist community understanding.
A powerful post-session report provided a platform for continuing discussions between community and the local council.
Feedback from participants acknowledged that the session was a unique and powerful opportunity to meaningfully exchange views.