Across Ozwater 2026, three consistent insights emerged on community and engagement.
The first – that trust is foundational—it determines acceptance of infrastructure, policy, and investment decisions. Secondly, the sector is clearly and notably moving toward shared governance and co-delivery, particularly with First Nations communities. And thirdly, we are seeing a shift beyond traditional engagement toward system-level partnership models that reframes First Nations communities as partners in water system design, delivery, and stewardship.
In other words, partnerships where communities, utilities, governments, and other stakeholders are jointly involved in shaping priorities, decision-making, and delivery of outcomes across the full water system, rather than being consulted on individual projects. These models:
- operate across multiple scales (local communities to catchments and regions)
- integrate social, cultural, environmental, and economic outcomes
- involve shared responsibility, co-investment, and long-term relationship structures
- embed community perspectives into governance, not just engagement processes
First Nations leadership, co-design, and community partnerships
A dominant theme across the sessions, which encompassed “country-led design”, community partnerships, and supporting remote First Nations communities, was the convergence toward place-based, First Nations-led partnership models.
There is a strong shift from consultation to co-design grounded in Country and lived experience, supported by tools such as mapping First Nations values and embedding them into planning processes. Effective engagement requires long-term relationship building, often involving sustained time in communities to establish readiness and trust before projects begin.
The principle of “nothing for us, without us” underpins expectations that communities have a decision-making role, not just participatory input. Cultural capability within organisations is critical; without it, engagement risks remaining superficial or extractive. Successful partnership models extend beyond water outcomes to employment, training, and social justice pathways, including programs targeting youth and people transitioning from the justice system.
In remote contexts, issues are amplified because:
- Challenges are systemic—spanning infrastructure, workforce, governance, and service delivery.
- Sustainable outcomes depend on local capability-building, including accredited training pathways and community-based operators.
- Partnerships must replace “fly-in/fly-out” models with embedded, community-led approaches.
There is a clear research need for scalable co-design and partnership frameworks for water service providers and water managers working with First nations communities, and for methods to evaluate cultural, social and service outcomes based on First nations values. Also important are models for remote service delivery that integrate governance, workforce and infrastructure.
Social licence, trust, and contested water solutions (Desalination)
The “You can’t ask that” desalination discussions at Ozwater’26 highlighted trust and social licence as central constraints, often more significant than technical or economic barriers.
Community concerns focus on environmental impacts, costs, and perceived transparency of decision-making. Poor engagement approaches we have seen in the past risk eroding trust rather than building it, and engagement that occurs late in project cycles undermines legitimacy. Early, transparent dialogue about trade-offs is essential.
The fact that desalination is now increasingly framed as one component of a portfolio of supply options, reinforces the need to engage communities on system-wide trade-offs.
There is a need to focus on risk communication and trust-building strategies, and understanding how transparency and participation influence social licence over time, as well as better understanding community acceptance across supply options.
All in all, Ozwater provided strong insights into the importance of community at the heart of what we do – requiring trust, true engagement, and partnership.
Dr Emma Yuen
Research Manager, WaterRA
Pictured: Opening plenary keynote speaker Cameron Costello, a Quandamooka Traditional Owner. Picture credit: Australian Water Association.