Consultation Flashcards
Stakeholders
People or organisations who have a direct or indirect interest in a proposal.
Consultation methods
Variety of methods: information release, public meeting, workshop
Variety of objectives: inform stakeholders, generate options, resolve conflict
Variety of implications: proposal change, high cost, long time
Successful Consultation
Successful consultation builds trust
- Start early
- Devote time and money
- Clarify expectations
- Have honest intentions
- Be a good listener
- Learn from mistakes
Maori Consultation
- Special historical and cultural relationship with water
- Engineers need to be careful of: vegetation clearance, contamination of water, mixing of waters, discharge of ‘used’ waters
- Be clear of the level of consultation that is appropriate: national, tribal, runanga
Maori term Kaitiakitanga
Food-guardian-customs
- Desire to serve as guardians for natural resources and ensure continuance for future generations
Maori term Wai tapu
Sacred water
- Maori likely to seek absolute protection
Maori term Wai tonga
Treasured water
- Maori likely to protect quality and quantity
Maori term Rahui
Prohibition, often tempory, on use of a natural resource
Maori and Pre-Industrial Peoples Perspectives
- A need for reciprocity between people and nature
- A view of time as a circular rather than a linear concept (life cycles)
- A spiritual belief that spirits and natural forces influence natural events and human thought and communication
- Profound empathy with other forms of life
How to avoid bad consulation
- Do not be too helpful
- Do not withhold information
- Do not dominate public gatherings
- Do not overconsult with squeaky wheels
- Do not try to solve problems before understanding the issues
- Do not ask people how much money they would accept to settle
- Do not use anti-consultation ploys
Anti-Consultation Ploy: Faster is Safer
The simplest and best ploy which means to do everything as quickly and quietly as possible so that your opponents won’t find out until its too late.
Anti-Consultation Ploy: The Stone Wall
If someone does find out about the project before it is finished look for excuses that will get the project done before objectors realise what’s up.
Anti Consultation Ploy: Divide and Rule
One manifestation is the “Choose a Route” trick for new highways, designed to split up highway objectors into three or four little camps, all at one another’s throats.
Anti Consultation Ploy: The Bogus Choice
Take all the possible options and eliminate the ones you don’t want people to think about and add a few dummy ones to make up the numbers
Anti Consultation Ploy: Markmanship
Give long-winded speeches and write verbose prose, being careful to say nothing of substance.
Anti Consultation Ploy: Misdirection
Similar to Markmanship but involves a long, detailed, specific responses that are almost (but not quite) the ones the objector has raised. Make the objector feel guilty and think they had an unclear question.
Anti Consultation Ploy: Pass the Buck
1) Crude buckpassing - blaming responsibility on someone else.
2) Refined buckpassing - employ staff to advise and staff blame elected representatives
Anti Consultation Ploy: Jam Tomorrow, Jam Yesterday, but Never Jam Today
Participator should have said something earlier or it is too early for comments. Thus the moment for participation is always in the past or future.
Anti Consultation Ploy: Lullaby Letter
Assuring indignant householders of anything that will make them forget about it
Anti Consultation Ploy: Cotton-wool wall
If lullaby letter doesn’t work meet with objectors and treat them well supply with them with information and listen to them but go ahead as if nothing has happened
Anti Consultation Ploy: Wave a Red Flag
Send a letter to objector saying “We always listen to responsible comments, but we are less likely to do so when they are accompanied by insinuations of the kind contained in your letter” in hopes that send a rude letter back that you can use to discredit them.
Anti Consultation Ploy: I’m-your-friend Bluff
Say it is in their interest to withdraw their objections otherwise they’ll become a laughing-stock.
Anti Consultation Ploy: Have-pity-on-me Bluff
Tell objectors that your career or health will suffer if they do not withdraw their objections.
Anti Consultation Ploys
- Avoid using these as a proponent as the loss of trust will add great risk to the project
- Be prepared for others to use these when you are a stakeholder
Franklin’s Fulcrum
“Although there are no guarantees, the potential for public acceptance of your project is directly proportional to the amount of control you are willing to relinquish, and inversely proportional to the walls behind which you try to hide.”
Key Points of Consultation
- Stakeholders become involved in consultation when they are potentially affected, are interested in the proposal, have relevant information, or represent people.
- Consultation can be used for various objectives
- Consultation is more effective if begun early, properly resourced, and conducted sincerely.
Proposed developments are more likely to be accepted by the public when developers develop trust and relinquish some control - Consultation is a response to a need to build trust and relates to the history of past events
