Molonglo

“I particularly value conversations which are meetings on the borderline of what I understand and what I don’t, with people who are different from myself.” ―Theodore Zeldin

Put simply, consultation is the practice of seeking and facilitating the involvement of people in decisions that stand to affect them. At its best, it is a nuanced, democratic process with a chameleon-like adaptability to context. At its worst, it’s lip service. We believe consultation in the context of development should only be done when it genuinely benefits the individual participating, the community, the development and the developer; when public consultation is an opportunity to be invested in, not a threat.

Make Good Neighbourhood was a public exhibition and series of events on neighbourhood building generally, but also a forum for community input into the future of the Dairy Road neighbourhood in Canberra. It sought to better understand the wants and needs of all Canberrans by having as many conversations as possible.

The program’s methodology included an exhibition, survey, public events, roundtables, commissions and drop-in sessions. There was an Ngunnawal-led walk in the area surrounding Dairy Road, a provocative discussion about the complex relationship between artists and developers, a discussion on what prevents people from accessing urban spaces, a conversation with and about women working in various areas of light industry and construction, sound recordings across the site and more. Learnings were recorded and are accessible to everyone here.