Proceedings and Presentations

Day 1 Wednesday 24th September

SESSION 1 – INTRODUCTION: SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT IN WA

Session 1 set the scene for the Symposium. An overview of sustainability assessment processes and principles were presented and the Western Australian situation reviewed, leading into a discussion of strategic planning applications of sustainability assessment.

Keynote Speakers:

Jenny Pope, Integral Sustainability

Angus Morrison-Saunders, Murdoch University

Strategic sustainability assessment:

Mark Leathersich, Water Corporation

SESSION 2 – APPROACHES TO PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT

Session 2 focused on project sustainability assessment, for which Western Australia is internationally recognised. Elements of good practice, and challenges faced, were discussed in the context of a range of case studies demonstrating different approaches to sustainability assessment.

Session Chair: Angus Morrison-Saunders

Peter Elliott, URS

Lisa Crossing, Strategen

Ronlyn Duncan, University of Tasmania

Sanela Pilav-Savic, SKM – W2W Alliance

SESSION 3 – MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION ANALYSIS: A TOOL FOR SA

Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) techniques are increasingly being applied as a tool for sustainability assessment to facilitate integration and assist in selecting between options – but how do we choose the right technique and ensure we apply it correctly? Session 3 provided an opportunity to ask the experts everything you’ve ever wanted to know about MCDA!

Session Chair: Jenny Pope

John Morrell, Western Power

Des Klass, Curtin University Graduate School of Business
Multi-criteria decision analysis: Principles and models

Panel discussion
The effective use of MCDA for sustainability assessment.

Panel members:
• Des Klass, Curtin University
• John Morrell, Western Power
• Janine Barrow, SKM
• Jim Singleton, GHD

1530-1700
SESSION 4 – FOCUS ON PEOPLE: SOCIAL IMPACTS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Session 4 explored the human side of sustainability assessment, focusing on social sustainability and community engagement. This is often the most challenging aspect of sustainability assessment, but also arguably the most important. Following two presentations, participants were invited to share their experiences and debate the issues in a roundtable discussion.

Session Chair: Sally Paulin

Nicole Hodgson, Murdoch University

Sally Paulin, Murdoch University

SYMPOSIUM SUNDOWNER
Photo gallery

DAY 2 THURSDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER

SESSION 5 – ALTERNATIVE TOOLS AND APPROACHES

Leading on from the discussion of MCDA techniques in Session 3, Session 5 presented two further (very different) approaches to sustainability assessment. The advantages and disadvantages of different tools were discussed and compared.

Session Chair: Angus Morrison-Saunders

Nick Houldsworth, WorleyParsons

Jim Singleton, GHD

SESSION 6 –SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT FOR LAND PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Session 6 focused on the application of sustainability assessment to land planning, exploring emerging approaches from different perspectives and considering what Western Australia could learn from other jurisdictions with a longer tradition in this area.

Session Chair: Caroline Raphael

Sarah Gautrey, DPI

Janine Barrow, SKM

David Beyer, Active Sustainability

Caroline Raphael, Murdoch University

SESSION 7 – INTERACTIVE SESSION: OPEN SPACE

Facilitators: Jenny Pope and Robyn Williams

Using the Open Space approach, an emerging and potentially powerful technique for facilitating engagement and deliberation, participants self-organised into groups to discuss topics of particular interest towards progressing sustainability assessment practice in Western Australia and beyond. This was an opportunity to go deep, drawing on the discussions from the previous sessions and paticipants’ own views and experiences to focus on topics most relevant to them. It was also a chance to experience Open Space first hand, learn how to convene an Open Space session, and consider the value of this technique to sustainability assessment.

SESSION 8 – CLOSING PLENARY ROUNDTABLE

Facilitator: Jenny Pope

Drawing on the Open Space discussions and the whole Symposium programme, we collectively identified the main strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities for sustainability assessment practice in Western Australia through a facilitated discussion. We asked: Are we making a difference? What can we do to continue to progress practice within our own areas? Where to from here? Having laid the foundations over the past two days, Sustainability Assessment Symposium facilitator Jenny Pope closed proceedings by inviting all to take the next step…