Next generation engagement: Setting a research agenda for community engagement in Australia's infrastructure sector

Abstract

The global infrastructure sector is thriving. But communityopposition to major projects is also rising. Australian exam-ples demonstrate the policy backflips, reputational pitfalls,and financial costs of project delays and cancellations.Failures to engage communities are surprising, given thewidespread adoption of community engagement (CE) prin-ciples and the increasing professionalization of CE roles.If acceptance of the need for CE in infrastructure is morewidespread than ever, why are we not seeing smootherproject delivery, reduced protest, and cost savings? Thisparadox is the driving force behind the Next GenerationEngagement project. This article offers a practitioners’perspective to introduce the project and present keyfindings from its 12-month pilot study aiming to establisha transdisciplinary, industry-led research agenda for CE inAustralia's infrastructure sector. The article contributes toour understanding of CE literature and research codesign.It maps out the top five priority themes for future researchto support infrastructure selection, planning and delivery.