Stakeholder Engagement and Consultation

Genuine engagement takes more time upfront but saves years of conflict down the track.

Building trust through genuine co-design

Policies designed in isolation from the people they affect face resistance at implementation. Consultation that presents predetermined solutions and gathers feedback you don’t intend to use erodes trust. Genuine engagement takes more time upfront but saves years of conflict down the track.

I facilitate stakeholder engagement and consultation on water reform, ensuring processes are inclusive and outcomes reflect a wide range of perspectives.

Working with Colton Consulting

What I do

  • Design engagement strategies with deliberative methods, risk management and fair processes for shaping policy directions.
  • Lead co-design of policy and regulatory solutions with agencies and communities.
  • Facilitate multi-stakeholder dialogue and co-design, using futures thinking, backcasting and divergent–convergent approaches to unlock insight and build trust.
  • Run collaborative forums for government, including problem-solving, strategic planning and team-building sessions.
  • Create clear engagement materials—plain-English summaries and visuals that make complex issues and technical information accessible.
  • Build capability so stakeholders can participate meaningfully and government can listen and respond effectively.
  • Document insights and outcomes to support transparent, fair decision-making.

When you need this

You need stakeholder engagement and consultation when:

  • Previous consultation hasn’t built trust, clarity or shared understanding.
  • Policy issues involve difficult trade-offs or require collective problem-solving.
  • You need skilled, independent facilitation to shift us-and-them dynamics and build credibility.
  • Strategic positioning or policy development requires deliberative processes, not one-way consultation.
  • Internal capacity, time or expertise limits your ability to design and lead effective engagement.
  • Government agencies need support to collaborate, align or focus effort through structured forums.

What you get

  • Engagement processes that are genuinely participatory, building trust and shared understanding.
  • Co-design approaches that give stakeholders real influence over outcomes, strengthen legitimacy and buy-in on policy outcomes.
  • Clear communication products adapted to diverse audiences.
  • Documented engagement outcomes that show how perspectives shaped decisions and clear next steps.
  • Independent facilitation that builds trust and credibility, helps manage complex or contested discussions constructively and supports fair, transparent processes.
  • Approach that draws on specialist training in facilitation, learning experience design, Liberating Structures and creative engagement methods to design and lead collaborative online and in-person processes that maintain energy, encourage participation and support constructive discussion.

Relevant experience

Facilitating interjurisdictional engagement on Schedule F and G reform (Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, 2026)

Planned and facilitated interjurisdictional advisory body engagement to support proposed amendments to Schedule F and G of the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement, including tailored pre-engagement, facilitation planning and online workshops that helped jurisdictions assess proposed changes, raise implementation issues, capture actions and support clear next steps.

Trade Working Group engagement for Schedule D reform (Murray-Darling Basin Authority, 2026)

Planned and facilitated Trade Working Group engagement to support adoption of amendments to Schedule D of the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement and associated protocols. Prepared facilitation plans and structured agendas to support constructive interjurisdictional discussion, helping connect technical content to reform outcomes and clarify policy and implementation issues. Facilitated online workshops, captured issues and actions in real time, and supported clear pathways for follow-up and agreement across jurisdictions.

Fairness Implementation Guide (Watertrust, 2025-26)

Prepared practical guidance for policy makers to support fair, transparent and community-aligned water reform, including guidance on fair process and fair decision-making outcomes, while drawing on stakeholder engagement to ensure the guidance was practical, implementable and responsive to real-world implementation considerations.

Vietnam stakeholder capacity-building (Australian Water Partnership, 2022–24)

Delivered workshops, study tours and collaborative engagement processes with Vietnamese policy makers and legislative drafters to support water law reform and implementation planning. Supported knowledge transfer through practical, policy-focused discussions and accessible reform materials.

Schedule D interjurisdictional trade review (Murray-Darling Basin Authority, 2021–24)

Facilitated multi-year engagement with Basin governments to support review of interstate trade arrangements under Schedule D of the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement. Helped build shared understanding across jurisdictions, manage complex technical and policy discussions, and support development of an agreed reform package.

Landscape SA Act Reform (South Australian Department for Environment and Water, 2018–20)

Led stakeholder engagement on reform directions and coordinated working and governance groups to implement regulatory and policy changes to the Landscape South Australia Act and regulations.

South Australian Water Register Reform (South Australian Department for Environment and Water, 2016–18)

Led engagement with stakeholders on reform priorities and managed working and governance groups to deliver regulatory improvements to strengthen water entitlement security and water register administration.

Native Vegetation Act Reform (South Australian Department for Environment and Water, 2023–24)

Prepared stakeholder engagement materials to support legislative reform, translating complex legislative issues into clear, accessible content for consultation.

Let's discuss your engagement challenge

Contact me to discuss how stakeholder engagement and co-design can support your water management objectives.

Yvette Colton
yvette@coltonconsulting.com.au
+61 411 302 977

Contact Colton Consulting