Our community
LISTENING TO OUR COMMUNITY
Ballarat Gold Mine will continue to communicate with members of the community in any areas that are to be impacted upon by our operations.
Ballarat Gold Mine is committed to:
- Contributing to the social, economic and institutional development of the communities in which we operate; and
- Implementing and maintaining effective and transparent engagement, communication and reporting arrangements with our stakeholders.
We have built and developed constructive relationships with the community in Ballarat and other stakeholders by engaging them in frequent consultation and dialogue.
Listening closely to the residents in the area around our mine and working to resolve any issues that arise has helped us to establish mutual support, understanding and trust.
The Ballarat Gold Mine has adopted the following Community Engagement principles:
- Commitment – Is demonstrated when the need to understand, engage and identify the community is undertaken early in the process
- Integrity – Occurs when engagement is conducted in a manner that fosters mutual respect and trust
- Respect – Is created when the rights, cultural beliefs, values and interests of the community within or surrounding the mining project area are recognised
- Transparency – Is demonstrated when community concerns are responded to in a timely, open and effective manner
- Inclusiveness – Is achieved when a diverse representation of community and broad participation is encouraged and supported by appropriate participation opportunities
- Trusting relationships – are built through exploring community values and interests and finding common ground
- Good Communication – is achieved when open and meaningful dialogue is carried out and processes established to allow this to occur
- Build Trust – by establishing processes to record and disseminate information on how community feedback contributes to decision making and actions.
contact us
All complaints and enquiries received from the community regarding the construction and operation of the Ballarat Gold Mine, will be taken seriously.
Enquiries, compliments and complaints can be directed to Ballarat Gold Mine.
Environmental Review Committee
It is a condition of the licence that the Ballarat Gold Mine Environmental Review Committee (ERC) is convened and includes a group of stakeholders who review environmental and social performance relating to the mining operation.
The ERC aims to:
- Provide a transparent, representative and open forum to address issues of community interest related to the mine’s operation;
- Engage with the community to ensure the timely;
- Identification and response to community issues, concerns and suggestions in relation to the mine’s operations
- Dissemination of operational information
- Ensure issues and concerns raised by the community are addressed effectively by Ballarat Gold Mine.
The ERC is chaired by a Ward Councillor, City of Ballarat. It includes 4 -6 representatives from community and neighbours, special interest groups, Earth Resources Regulation, City of Ballarat, Corangamite CMA, EPA Vic, Central Highlands Water and Hancock Victoria Plantations.
The ERC is an open meeting where visitors can attend as observers; an observer may request an agenda item via their nominated ERC representative prior to the meeting. Observers do not have an active role in the committee and must adhere to the ERC Terms of Reference.