Snapshot

Project Scope

Our multi-perspectival approach to understanding the socio-political landscape and drivers and interactions of stakeholders focused on the Carmichael Coal Mine as an empirical exemplar of a mine with complex stakeholder interactions.​

In line with the aims, our research questions focused on understanding stakeholder perceptions of:​

  • the key drivers as to why this case was considered to be contentious,
  • the interactions amongst diverse stakeholders, and importantly,
  • what might constitute good mining.

Stage 1

Involved substantive desktop identification, collation and analysis of public documents, submissions, and news & social media, to identify social and political drivers of key mining stakeholder groups involved in debate around the mine. ​

Stage 2

Centred on the conduct and analysis of 42 semi-structured interviews with identified stakeholders active in the Carmichael Coal Mine case.​

Stage 3

Encompassed the development of tools identified in the research process to distil research learnings and enable nuanced navigation of the social and political environment.​

The project delivered a suite of three tools: Interactive Timeline; ANT Stakeholder Action Mapping Tool; and the PREDICT Principles of Good Mining.

Project Outcomes and Learnings

Analysis across Stages 1 and 2 demonstrated:

  • Disruption of business-centric stakeholder engagement, and substantial influence on the part of stakeholders that were not initially identified by the company.
  • A dynamic hierarchy of stakeholder drivers in terms of influence and emphasis, and divergences at the regional, state and national levels.
  • Limitations associated with the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process play a key role in shaping debate around mining operation.
  • There is growing polarisation of stakeholders, and limited communication across ideological divides.
  • A strong perception of the role of public media in shaping (mis)understandings of mining operations.​

Good mining – as perceived across the spectrum of stakeholder interviewed – encompasses an interconnected and dynamic set of best practices involving both industry and government spanning:

  • Increased transparency and trust;
  • Improved engagement;
  • Accessible information; and
  • Processes/spaces to facilitate conversations among stakeholders with who may not recognise shared values.

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