Pacific Partnerships' community engagement team attended an Industry Roundtable on Tuesday 17 September 2024 with over 20 representatives from the renewable energy industry to collaboratively provide input into the exploration of a Regional Benefit Sharing program for the Western Downs region.
This early opportunity is an exciting first step to learn more about the purpose, structure and governance of regional benefit sharing that complements direct, positive relationships with our immediate neighbours and local communities.
We also attended the Western Downs Futures Group forum on Tuesday 24 September and took part in supporting the development of a ten-year strategy for the region's place-based initiative led by community and industry, enabled by government.
Hopeland Solar continues to learn about the evolving benefit sharing landscape of the Western Downs and remains in contact with Council and other critical stakeholders as progress is made on establishing a regional benefit sharing approach. In the meantime, we will continue to build genuine relationships with our neighbours and the local Dalby and Chinchilla communities.
As we plan towards construction in mid-2025, we are committed to developing pathways to share benefits with the local and regional community through local and social procurement, employment and training opportunities that can deliver positive social and local economic outcomes for the region.
We encourage local organisations to reach out and discuss benefit sharing ideas with us via our contact us page.