10. Create clear leadership

Overview

A big project needs clear leadership. The plan to make the river swimmable again was sponsored by 11 councils and three state government agencies. It also draws on Aboriginal knowledge and culture and collaboration with the community to bring a big mix of experience and opinions to the table. Sydney Water has been identified as the best placed body to lead this coalition via a collaborative governance structure that sets and delivers on clear targets.

We all need to work together to deliver the outcomes in the Masterplan. A collaborative framework, depicted in the diagram below, provides clarity on the roles of each stakeholder.

The Sydney Water Delivery Engine team work in collaboration with the Parramatta River Catchment Group (PRCG) team. The Delivery Engine takes guidance from the Masterplan Reference Group made up of senior agency executives. The PRCG is guided by the PRCG Executive.

The PRCG Full Group are the ultimate decision makers for all activities. The group consist of both officer level and executive staff representing councils, NSW government agencies and community groups. Financial members have one vote per organisation. The Full Group meets quarterly.

In some cases, smaller sub-committees or working groups have been established to deliver on specific Masterplan actions, particularly where a range of technical staff is required to work together to deliver projects. It is proposed that a separate working group be established for this project.

The PRCG plays an important role in coordination and facilitating joint decision making through collaboration, planning and research, advocacy, monitoring and evaluation and communication and engagement.

Recommendation

• Establish a more effective whole-of-government approach to the governance of the Parramatta River Masterplan, led by Sydney Water as the lead coordinating agency.
• Engage with Aboriginal leaders across the catchment to support the implementation of Aboriginal values, protection of cultural heritage and preservation of cultural development, respecting Aboriginal knowledge of biodiversity and river management and ensuring their direct involvement in the planning, design and implementation of actions within the Masterplan.

Timeframe

Now.

Lead Agency

Parramatta River Catchment Group.

Current Measure

• Number of financial PRCG members
• New Memorandum of Understanding developed and in place
• Total number of associate members
• Number of Full-group meetings held and attendance by members

Status Update

1. Continually monitor and reflect on whole-of-government collaborative approach to PRCG coordination and Parramatta River Masterplan implementation with Sydney Water as lead agency to ensure Masterplan objectives are met.
2. Implement recommendations from Parramatta River Aboriginal Leadership: Community Engagement Report prepared by Shared Path Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation.
   1. Meet with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and organisations to develop guiding principles for future engagement.
   2. Further investigate and engage with local Aboriginal communities on the current proposed swimming areas, including a walk through of sites with proposed infrastructure (parking, access, toilets and showers and swimming structures) and gaining feedback into the designs and protective infrastructure.
   3. Identify opportunities to incorporate Aboriginal names for locations, projects and policies to strengthen and promote Aboriginal representation and priorities in Parramatta River Masterplan implementation.
   4. Continue to collaborate with the Murama Healing Space at Sydney Olympic Park and develop more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community relationships to investigate Indigenous procurement and business opportunities based along the Parramatta River and at proposed site locations to develop greater depth of Aboriginal representation in the Our Living River Project.
   5. Activate citizen scientist programs within the Aboriginal community to gather data to implement, measure and report on Aboriginal practices, priorities and perspectives.

Progress Timeline

Useful Links

• Parramatta River Waterway Governance Review 2017
• Parramatta River Aboriginal Leadership: Community Engagement Report
• Reconciliation Australia