Community consultation on the long-term shared vision for Norfolk Island will begin next week with an Island-wide survey, followed by on-Island community and stakeholder consultation.
Last month, after discussions with our Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories, Nola Marino, in Canberra, I announced the development of a community-led Strategic Plan for Norfolk Island, to identify agreed community priorities for the Island's future.
The purpose of the Strategic Plan is for you to establish the medium to long-term vision for Norfolk Island, and to map priorities in areas of your choosing, for example, economic development, social and community needs, culture, and the environment.
Your vision would then be used by the Australian Government, in partnership with the Norfolk Island Regional Council, business sector, and community, to guide future goals and investment.
I am pleased to announce that Vanessa Bennett, from C Change Sustainable Solutions, and Leon Mills, from Stump Jump Solutions, will guide the process.
Led by myself, they will carry out comprehensive community consultations, and stakeholder engagement, to develop a plan which incorporates and builds on the long-term vision of the Council and the community captured in the Norfolk Island Regional Council—Strategic Plan.
Both Mrs Bennet and Mr Mills have extensive expertise in regional development strategies, including their recent delivery of the strategic plans for both Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
The community survey will be distributed from Monday, 16 March online through the Survey Monkey platform (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Norfolk2030) and will also be available by hard copy at the Office of the Administrator. On-island consultations will take place from 30 March to 9 April, with further details on how you can get involved communicated in the next fortnight.
If you do not receive a request to complete the survey and would like to do so, or if you have further questions, please contact the Office of the Administrator on office.administrator@regional.gov.au or phone 22152.
Eric Hutchinson
Administrator of Norfolk Island
March 2020