Landcare input to review of MCMA community consultation/communication

You will remember I sent an email around last week about the review of MCMA community consultation that is currently underway.

I have investigated this further because it seemed to me that it was pretty important that landcare had a significant input, and more input than might be possible with only three people attending a small focus group.

I have spoken directly with Kate Roberts who is the head of the consulting company conducting the review. The review itself has not come from any particular external pressure and is apparently just one of the normal review processes that the MCMA is required to undergo.

I stressed to Kate that as the MCMA has had such a big impact on the landcare movement, it was important that we (Landcare and ML) had more opportunity for input. It transpires that Kate was already thinking (from what she was already hearing) that more needed to be heard from landcare. So, we have now managed to organise for a full afternoon workshop dedicated to landcare, landcarers and landcare issues with the MCMA. I think this is a real coup and I hope that we can get enough people there to really have some useful input.

The landcarers workshop will be held on the afternoon of Wednesday 2nd May from 1.30pm. It will be held at the Riverine Club, Sturt St, Wagga. No MCMA staff will be present and landcarers will be encouraged to have a free and frank discussion about communications with the MCMA. Kate is a professional facilitator and following this initial discussion she will then move the workshop to consider 'where to from here.'

I think this is a significant opportunity, and I feel it may be as useful as the workshops we held last year. Whilst it will have to focus on landcare and the MCMA I think it will be useful for us to consider 'where to from here' and think about how much can or cannot be achieved in our relationship with the MCMA