Community and Community Engagement in Australian Local Government

Abstract

The concept of community is one that is intrinsically associated with local government. However, the concept is also central to political writing and has been defined—and profoundly so—in a variety of ways. This chapter argues that we should acknowledge these views when we approach the topic of community in local government, particularly where the putative shift from “government” to “governance” is heralded as an intrinsically good thing. We examine the theory and practice of community engagement, both generally and in the specific context of local government in Australia, before outlining the legislative frameworks and adjacent mechanisms for community engagement as an element to local government practice across Australia’s jurisdictions. We then present a case study of community engagement in the City of Greater Geraldton from 2011, an example of successful, locally-led regionalism against a backdrop of economic change and threatened structural reform to local government. Despite its growing importance as an element of the work that local government does, we argue that the normative tensions surrounding engagement ought to be recognised.