Community support is crucial for major infrastructure projects in Australia, and this is never more true than when we are talking about facilities to manage hazardous materials in remote Australia.
Last month, Tellus announced an agreement with the Titjikala Native Title Group and the NT Central Land Council to continue to develop the Chandler Project, a deep geological repository near Alice Springs.
Across years of engagement with the Titjikala Native Title Group, Tellus has developed relationship with Indigenous community as partners, rather than simply stakeholders. Their values, beliefs and knowledge will be embedded in the project as it develops.
Earlier this month, using Chandler as his case-study, Tellus CEO Nate Smith outlined the essentials of this “consent-based siting approach” at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conference in Vienna.
Nate told the conference that, despite the importance of technical, economic and other drivers in siting, “It’s the driver of people that will allow these facilities to be launched.”
He said listening, trust and clear language were the key elements in consent-based siting discussions.
“We want to create a partnership. And if you want to create a partnership, you need to listen to what’s important,” he said.
One result of Tellus listening to the local community was a major change to Chandler, so drilling would not commence at a mountain that has spiritual significance for the Titjikala Native Title Group.
Nate said reams of “dry” technical data would not likely lead to a successful engagement.
“You have to connect something the community understands with your technical data,”
he said, citing an example where he described the depth of the proposed repository in multiples of Chambers Pillar, an important Titjikala landmark.
Nate closed by quoting Titjikala Native Title holder Reggie Kenny on the Tellus approach:
“This mob here has given us the time to think and do everything. That’s what we want and they want.”
See more of Nate’s presentation here