Community consultation and the 'Hard to Reach': Nillumbik Shire Council case study report: council plan and strategic resource plan 2005-06

This report is part of a series of case study reports for the Community Consultation and the Hard to Reach research project. The project is investigating how community consultation is currently practised by Victorian councils, especially in relation to multiple publics and groups that councils can find hard to reach. The Hard to Reach project is a collaborative research venture, with eight Victorian local councils, the Victorian Local Governance Association, and researchers from Swinburne University. The three year project is jointly funded by the Australian Research Council and the Cities of Boroondara, Darebin, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, Moreland, Nillumbik, Port Phillip and Whittlesea. The eight participating councils comprise inner city as well as city fringe locations, homogenous and highly ethnically and culturally diverse populations, economically advantaged and disadvantaged areas, well established and newly developing areas, municipalities with a longstanding commitment to community consultation as well as those which are still developing their policies and practices. While the councils chosen may not be statistically representative, the range of contexts and sociodemographic characteristics reflect the attitudes and practice of community consultation as it is currently taking place in Victoria