Frequently asked questions

As required by the Greater Sydney Parklands Trust Act 2022 (the Act), Greater Sydney Parklands must have an approved Consultation and Engagement Framework for the Parklands Estate. Therefore, the Draft Consultation and Engagement Framework has been prepared to meet our requirements under the Greater Sydney Parklands Trust Act 2022 - but it goes well beyond this.

We believe that clear communications and effective engagement are critical to the work we do and to support the realisation of Sydney as a city within a park. The purpose of the Consultation and Engagement Framework is to provide guidance about how Greater Sydney Parklands will consult and engage with park users and visitors, and the community more generally on matters relating to the Parklands Estate including particular parks.

It also discusses our aspirations to communicate and engage using innovative and leading practice approaches that build on existing approaches, to reach wider and more diverse audiences.

This Draft Consultation and Engagement Framework has been designed to ensure it meets the following engagement objectives: 

• Achieve positive outcomes and solutions working with the community and stakeholders
• Understand parkland communities and enhance the experience of current and future parkland users
• Inform planning and delivery of specific projects and everyday operations
• Drive the development of robust partnerships
• Reach a wide range of people and ensure people with diverse needs and interests have a voice on Sydney’s open spaces and parklands 
• Gather and celebrate the stories of our parklands and the people who love them
• Continually refine our approach to ensure we are conversing with stakeholders and communities on topics and in ways that are relevant to them, using effective tools and platforms.

Engaging with the community and other stakeholders is a way of describing the relationships and conversations we have with a wide range of individuals, groups and organisations. 

Greater Sydney Parklands engages in three ways:

• We communicate with people and communities – at the local level, across Greater Sydney and beyond
• We engage with people and communities – including consulting about policies, projects and programs, and co-designing places and spaces
• We advocate for open spaces and parklands city-wide.

The Framework was finalised in February 2023.

Before the Consultation and Engagement Framework could take effect, it was provided to the Minister for Infrastructure, Cities and Active Transport for approval. Greater Sydney Parklands is pleased to announce it was approved on 28 February 2023. Any subsequent change to the approved Framework would be made in consultation with the community and relevant stakeholders.

Greater Sydney Parklands must review the approved Consultation and Engagement Framework at least every five years, under the Act.

One of the requirements of the Greater Sydney Parklands Trust Act 2022 (the Act) is the establishment and operation of community trustee boards. As per the requirements of the Act, five community trustee boards are planned to be established in 2022 and commence operation in 2023. 

The Minister must establish a community trustee board for each of the parks within the Parklands Estate being: 

• Callan Park
• Centennial Park (including Moore Park and Queens Park)
• Parramatta Park, and
• Western Sydney Parklands.

A community trustee board will also be established for Fernhill Estate.

The role of the community trustee boards is to provide advice, input and recommendations to support the Greater Sydney Parklands Trust Board (GSPT) in decision making and actions, in alignment with Greater Sydney Parklands’ Consultation and Engagement Framework. As per the Act, community trustee boards do not have delegation or decision making powers but will provide valuable local advice to inform decisions about the parklands.

In performing this role, the community trustee board will:

• Provide informed strategic advice to the GSPT Board on matters relating to the park
• Advise, share information and facilitate partnerships that assist Greater Sydney Parklands to develop its plans and increase community connections
• Advocate on behalf of and promote understanding of the needs of and issues affecting the local community, ensuring inclusion and equity of access for community members
• Contribute local knowledge on relevant issues, emerging trends, opportunities and community needs.

Each community trustee board will have at least seven members including a Chair, and the members will be appointed by the NSW Minister for Infrastructure, Cities and Active Transport on the recommendation of Greater Sydney Parklands.

Each community trustee board should:

• Be representative of community diversity including in relation to gender, age and cultural background
• Include a community representative nominated by each relevant local council
• Include representation for local First Nations peoples
• Include a representative who has experience or skills in heritage or heritage management.

We have prepared snapshots for each parkland based on 2021 Census, parkland visitation and human movement data to understand the diversity of the local community and members will be chosen to ensure the community trustee boards are reflective of this diversity. These snapshots can be found in the appendices of the Draft Consultation and Engagement Framework.

Recommendations by Greater Sydney Parklands to appoint members will consider the individual:

• Having sound knowledge of the relevant parkland including activities carried out in the parkland
• Being able to communicate effectively with local residents, local community groups and other persons who use the relevant parkland
• The overall membership of the board being reflective of the broad range of views and interests of the community and persons who use the relevant parkland.

Members will be expected to participate in at least four meetings per year. They may be asked to provide further advice from time to time. Members must agree to the Code of Conduct.

Under the Act, participation by community trustee board members is voluntary. This role will not be remunerated. This is not a reflection of the value we place on community participation, cultural capital and expertise. It is a requirement of the Act.

Community trustee boards will provide local advice on park management and local community issues. As advisory boards, members will be invited to provide advice on a range of parkland matters to contribute to strategic decision making by Greater Sydney Parklands, but will not be decision making bodies themselves. 

Boards may be asked to provide advice on park stewardship, usage, activities, and heritage, environmental and cultural issues. Examples may include priorities for parks, master plans, landscape plans, capital works and other projects. Community trustee boards will also approve plans of management.

A direct feedback loop will be established from community trustee boards to the leadership team and GSPT Board – by way of open dialogue and sharing of meeting summary reports to the GSPT Board. In turn, a summary of the Board response to community trustee board feedback will be provided to community trustee board members at their next meeting.

Community members are invited to nominate for a community trustee board. 

Members are selected by a panel and appointed by the NSW Minister for Infrastructure, Cities and Active Transport, in accordance with the approved Consultation and Engagement Framework, on the recommendation of the Trust. The selection panel will include two GSPT board members, one Greater Sydney Parklands agency staff member, and an independent panel member. The panel will include two males and two females.

The Minister appoints the Chair to the community trustee board, noting that the Chair must have the demonstrated skills and experience to fulfil their role which includes running meetings, communicating effectively and providing recommendations.

The community trustee board may grant permission for non-member attendees to be present on the recommendation of the GSPT Board - for example, when additional or expert advice is required.

NSW Government MPs are welcomed and encouraged to attend meetings if the relevant parkland is adjacent to their electorate; however, they are not eligible to propose motions or vote on recommendations.

In the case of parklands with more than three relevant local councils, a person nominated by a relevant local council as a community representative, but not chosen by the Minister as a member of the community trustee board, may attend meetings of the board. However, they are not members of the board, and are not entitled to participate or vote at a meeting of the board.

Community trustee boards will provide openness, accountability and transparency to the public. All members of the community will have access to meeting agendas and summary reports for community trustee board meetings. These will be published on the Greater Sydney Parklands webpage, as part of our commitment to open dialogue and transparency.

Greater Sydney Parklands also reports the outcomes of engagement activities to its Board, leadership team and staff, for a transparent approach to reporting on listening and engaging.

You can read the Act here.

Members are expected to: 

• Participate in discussions and offer opinions and knowledge
• Treat others with respect and have due regard to the opinions, rights and responsibilities of others 
• Act with integrity 
• Attend each meeting where practical 
• Disclose any pecuniary interests and declare any conflicts of interest, and
• Maintain the confidentiality of information.

A community trustee board member holds office for a period not exceeding five years. Members will be appointed for two years in the first instance. 

Members are eligible (if otherwise qualified) for re-appointment. However, a member cannot hold office for more than two consecutive terms. 

Terms of individual members may be staggered to support board continuity and knowledge exchange.

The community trustee boards were established by legislation under the Act on 1 July 2022. 

The community trustee boards are expected to commence operation from 1 January 2023, with the first meeting expected to be held in early 2023.

Members will be appointed for two years in the first instance. 

The community trustee boards are expected to be re-established by the end of 2024.

A vacant position on a community trustee board is required to be filled, as per the Act. Greater Sydney Parklands would appoint someone to fill the vacancy, with a view to appointing previous nominees who missed out on a position on the board.

Greater Sydney Parklands is working closely with relevant local councils to support their nomination of a community representative to the community trustee board. A council nomination is required by the Act, however councils can choose to nominate in a way they see fit, and this may be different across councils.

Greater Sydney Parklands will provide guidance to councils around the types of people they should consider nominating, such as a community member who can speak for and is reflective of the local community. Ultimately, this decision is up to the council.

The Terms of Reference is a living document and may be changed as needed over time, so long as any changes do not conflict with the legislation. Any significant changes may require ministerial approval.

No. Greater Sydney Parklands is committed to understanding and responding to the needs and aspirations of all those with a passion for Greater Sydney’s open spaces and parklands. 

A wide range of opportunities to find out more about and have your say on parkland matters is outlined in our Draft Consultation and Engagement Framework. 

The Framework provides guidance about how Greater Sydney Parklands will consult and engage with park users and visitors, and the community more generally on matters relating to the Parklands Estate including particular parks.

The consultation on the Draft Framework and period of nomination for the community trustee boards is a robust and complex process. Greater Sydney Parklands is following the one month standard consultation time, which may be amended as required to meet NSW Government requirements.

We encourage you to provide feedback and nominate in the four week period as there are tight deadlines to meet NSW Government probity, governance and Cabinet requirements, including Ministerial appointments by the end of this year.