Region’s first Citizens’ Panel ready to guide future

The Sunshine Coast’s first Citizens’ Panel has now been formed, bringing together 53 residents who will meet later this month to start shaping advice on important issues facing our region.

Sunshine Coast Council established the panel to hear directly from a broad cross section of the community, including voices that are often under-represented in traditional consultation.

Mayor Rosanna Natoli said the panel marked an important new way for Council to listen, learn and make better-informed decisions.

“This Council really wants to listen to our community in a genuine way,” Mayor Natoli said.

“By creating a panel that reflects the diversity of our community, across criteria like age, gender and geography, we make space for perspectives that might not otherwise be heard.

“It is a fresh and fair approach that ensures we hear the real experiences of people across the Sunshine Coast.

“I would like to thank everyone who put their hand up to be involved.”

How the panel was formed

• 10,000 households across the region were randomly invited to register.
• More than 340 residents responded.
• Registrations were sorted by demographic information such as age, location, education and housing tenure.
• The final panel of 53 members was then selected by lottery to reflect the makeup of the region’s population.
• Recruitment was managed independently by the Sortition Foundation, experts in citizens’ panel processes.

What happens next

Panel members will come together for the first time at a meet and greet on 17 September, before beginning their first deliberative session in October.

Their first task will be to explore one of the biggest and most complex issues for Council: budget and services.

Over the coming months, the panel will receive detailed briefings, consider evidence, discuss trade-offs and then provide advice for Council to consider.

That advice will be considered alongside feedback from other consultation activities, including Council’s Have your Say Sunshine Coast website and community pop-ups.

Mayor Natoli said this process would give Council high-quality insights that could not be achieved through other consultation activities.

“When people from different walks of life learn together, weigh up information and share experiences, the advice they produce is thoughtful, balanced and incredibly valuable,” Mayor Natoli said.

“I am looking forward to the Citizens’ Panel’s deliberations on budget and services, a challenging topic!”

The Citizens’ Panel will continue to meet regularly over the coming months.