emPOWER: Voices of the Regional Energy Shift

Wendy Agar
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Join us as we share insights, stories, and strategies from stakeholders and experts about the unique dynamics, opportunities, and challenges of engaging in regional Australia. emPOWER’s goal is to support respectful and effective engagement during the energy transition.

  1. 2 days ago

    Are You Avoiding Harm or Creating Benefit? Exploring Social Licence, Social Risk and Social Value

    When major projects are proposed, a lot of attention is given to managing risk and avoiding harm, and while those things matter, they're only part of the picture. What if we asked a different question? What does it look like to create genuine value for communities? In this episode of emPOWER, Wendy Agar speaks with Professor Sara Bice from the Australian National University and social impact specialist Richard Parsons about the relationship between social licence, social risk, social impact and social value and why the language we use matters. Together, they explore whether projects can become so focused on managing what could go wrong that they miss opportunities to create meaningful and lasting benefits for communities. Wendy, Sara and Richard unpack: The difference between social licence, social risk, social impact and social value • Why social value is about far more than community benefit funds • The relationship between community engagement and social impact assessment • Why trust, participation and legitimacy matter • How projects can move beyond risk management to creating genuine community value • What good practice looks like across the life of a project This conversation challenges some of the most common assumptions in project development and offers practical insights for people working in renewable energy, infrastructure, government, mining, community engagement and social impact. This episode is part of our Working in the Middle: Engagement on the Ground During the Energy Transition series, proudly supported by Powerlink Queensland.   Produced at ⁠The Podcast Boss⁠ ⁠podcast studio in Brisbane

    46 min

  2. 8 June

    Can Regions Shape Their Own Energy Future? Lessons from the Central-West Orana

    At its heart, this conversation explores a simple but important idea: Every region has the right to shape its own pathway through the energy transition. In the Central-West Orana region of New South Wales - home to Australia’s first declared Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) - communities are navigating large-scale renewable energy development, transmission infrastructure, workforce pressures and major regional change in real time. In this episode of emPOWER, Wendy Agar speaks with Justine Campbell, CEO of Regional Development Australia Orana, and Brooke Watts, founder of Business with Brooke, about what it takes to genuinely work alongside regional communities during times of significant change. Drawing on their lived experience across the region, they explore why trust, local leadership and meaningful engagement matter so deeply,  and why regional communities want to help shape the future, not simply have change happen to them. Together, Wendy, Justine and Brooke unpack: • Why no region can be treated as “one voice” • The importance of trust, consistency and genuine relationships • Why young people need to be part of shaping regional futures • What communities are really asking for when it comes to legacy benefits • And what other regions can learn from the Central-West Orana experience This episode is part of the Regions at the Helm series, supported by The Energy Charter, exploring how regional communities can help shape better outcomes through the energy transition. If you work in renewable energy, engagement, regional development, government, land access or community leadership, this conversation offers practical insights into how regions can navigate complex change in ways that build trust, strengthen participation and support long-term regional futures. Produced at ⁠The Podcast Boss⁠ ⁠podcast studio in Brisbane

    34 min

  3. 25 May

    Communicating Across Difference During the Energy Transition

    We often assume that if people just had more information, they’d understand, but in contested environments, communication is rarely just about the facts. Across the energy transition, many conversations are shaped by something much deeper — trust, identity, social dynamics, lived experience and whether people feel there’s an “us and them” divide. In this episode of emPOWER, Wendy Agar speaks with Dr Rebecca Colvin from Australian National University about what’s really happening underneath community responses to change, and why even well-intentioned communication can land very differently depending on who’s hearing it. Drawing on her research into the social dynamics of renewable energy conflict, Rebecca explores why people can look at the exact same landscape and see completely different things, how group identity shapes trust and decision-making, and why relationships matter far more than “perfect messaging.” Together, Wendy and Rebecca unpack: Why conflict around renewable energy is often about far more than infrastructure The hidden role of identity, belonging and “us vs them” dynamics Why you can’t “out-data outrage” The communication mistakes organisations often make, even with good intentions What it means to “communicate like a cubist” Four practical strategies for communicating across difference in contested environments Why trust is built through relationships, not collateral This episode is part of our Working in the Middle: Engagement on the Ground During the Energy Transition series, proudly supported by Powerlink Queensland. If you work in engagement, government, renewable energy, infrastructure, leadership or community development, this conversation offers practical insights into how we navigate complexity, conflict and communication in a more human way. Produced at ⁠The Podcast Boss⁠ ⁠podcast studio in Brisbane

    35 min

  4. 11 May

    From Policy to Place: How the Energy Transition Is Playing Out in the Murray Riverina Region

    The energy transition is more than policy, it’s people, place and the future of regional Australia. At its core, this episode is about connectio: between policy and place, between national ambition and local reality, and between the decisions being made now and the generations who will live with them. In the Riverina Murray, this is playing out in real time across agriculture, regional industries and local communities, each navigating change in different ways. In this episode of emPOWER, Wendy Agar speaks with Sarimah Hellyar (CEO, Regional Development Australia Murray) and Jessie Armstrong (AGRISHIFT), bringing together both a systems lens and on-the-ground experience. Together, they explore how the energy transition connects with industrial policy, sovereign capability and the future of regional economies and what that means for communities navigating change in real time. In this episode, we cover: What the energy transition looks like on the ground in the Riverina Murray The opportunities and trade-offs communities are navigating as change accelerates Why language and narrative shape how regional communities engage How to move beyond consultation to genuine participation The role of young people — and what helps them step into decision-making If you work in renewable energy, transmission, agriculture, government or community engagement, this episode offers practical insight into how to better connect strategy with lived experience and why that matters. This episode is part of the Regions at the Helm series, supported by The Energy Charter — a national collaboration working with communities, industry and government to deliver better outcomes through the energy transition. Produced at ⁠The Podcast Boss⁠ ⁠podcast studio in Brisbane

    40 min

  5. 27 Apr

    The Quiet Majority, the Loud Minority: What We Get Wrong in Community Engagement

    Are we hearing from the community,  or just the people most motivated to speak? In this episode of emPOWER, Wendy Agar is joined by Dr Kieren Moffat (CEO and Co-founder of Voconiq) to unpack a question many of us grapple with in regional Australia: Who is actually shaping the conversation? Because while meetings, submissions and media can make it feel like communities are deeply divided, the data tells a different story.  Research from Powerlink Queensland shows most people don’t participate in engagement at all, while a small group shows up again and again. So what does that mean for how we interpret “community sentiment”? And what if the way we design engagement is part of the problem? This conversation challenges a core assumption:  Engagement doesn’t just capture community views, it can shape what we hear. In this episode, we cover: Why the “loud minority” can dominate — and what that means for decision-making How common engagement approaches can unintentionally skew what we hear The impact of engagement fatigue when multiple projects hit a region at once What better engagement design looks like in practice  If you work in renewable energy, transmission, stakeholder engagement, land access or project development in regional Australia, this episode offers a clear, practical lens on how to design engagement that reflects the full community — not just the voices we hear most often. This episode is part of the Working in the Middle: Engagement on the Ground During the Energy Transition series, supported by Powerlink Queensland. Produced at ⁠The Podcast Boss⁠ ⁠podcast studio in Brisbane

    36 min

  6. 13 Apr

    Can Regions Shape Their Own Energy Future? Lessons from the New England REZ

    What happens when a region doesn’t speak with one voice,  but still has to make decisions about its future? We often talk about “the regions” as if they’re one place - one voice - but on the ground, that’s just not the reality. In the New England region of New South Wales, the energy transition is playing out every day across farming communities, regional centres and local councils,with each navigating change in different ways. Some people are leaning in.  Some are pushing back.  Most are somewhere in the middle, weighing opportunity, disruption and what this means for the long-term future of their region. So what does it actually take for a region to shape its own pathway through the energy transition? Designated as a Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) and home to a growing pipeline of renewable and transmission projects, New England is right in the middle of this shift. In this episode of emPOWER, host Wendy Agar speaks with Councillor Sam Coupland (Mayor of Armidale Regional Council and Chair of the Coalition of Renewable Energy Mayors) about what the transition actually looks like from inside a region working through it in real time. This conversation goes beyond the headlines to explore what’s really happening as communities balance opportunity, uncertainty and long-term legacy. In this episode, we cover: What the New England REZ actually means for communities on the ground Why most people sit in the middle — not for or against, but weighing trade-offs The growing tension between policy ambition and lived experience Why benefits are often promised but not yet landing in communities The reality of consultation fatigue — and what meaningful engagement looks like instead How councils are working together through the Coalition of Renewable Energy Mayors What regional leaders need from industry and government right now At its heart, this conversation explores a simple idea:  Every region has the right to shape its own pathway through the energy transition. For developers, engagement professionals, land access teams and policymakers working in regional Australia, this episode offers insight into what it takes to partner thoughtfully with communities in ways that support their aspirations, priorities and identity. This episode is part of the Regions at the Helm series, supported by The Energy Charter — a national collaboration working with communities, industry and government to deliver better outcomes through the energy transition.   Produced at our The Podcast Boss podcast studio in Brisbane

    36 min

  7. 30 Mar

    Balancing the Scales for Women in Energy

    Women make up around 3% of on-site trades roles in the energy sector. At the same time, Australia’s energy transition is facing one of the largest workforce challenges in its history. So what needs to change if the industry is serious about attracting, and keeping, women in energy? In this episode of emPOWER, Wendy Agar brings listeners inside the conversations from the PowerUp International Women’s Day event in Kingaroy, where more than 150 women in high-vis and their allies came together to share their experiences of working across the energy sector. Joining Wendy are two women helping drive change across the industry: Mel Street — electrical tradie, founder of Lady Tradies and Rocking Chicks, and co-founder of the PowerUp network. Dr Liz Beavis — engineer working in asset and risk management in renewables and co-chair of the Clean Energy Council’s Onshore Wind and Utility Scale Solar Directorate. Together they unpack the real issues raised by women working across regional and site-based energy roles, including: Supporting boots-on-the-ground women in energy • Why mentoring and leadership pathways matter • Practical barriers still affecting women on site • Why the energy transition needs to actively welcome women into the workforce • What industry leaders, project managers and colleagues can do tomorrow to help balance the scales At its heart, this conversation comes back to one idea: The energy transition will require a massive workforce, and the industry cannot afford to overlook half the talent available to it. If you work in renewables, engagement, land access, community relations or project development in regional Australia, this episode offers practical insight into building a stronger, safer and more inclusive energy sector. The energy transition isn’t just about infrastructure.  It’s about people.   Produced at our The Podcast Boss podcast studio in Brisbane

    35 min

  8. 15 Mar

    Can You Rate Trust? The Developer Rating Scheme Explained

    Across regional Australia, communities are increasingly asking a simple question: how do we know which energy developers we can trust? As renewable energy and transmission projects accelerate, trust between industry and regional communities has become one of the defining issues of the energy transition. One of the most significant responses to that challenge is the Developer Rating Scheme (DRS) — a new initiative designed to lift standards, improve transparency, and help communities understand how developers are performing. In this episode of emPOWER, host Wendy Agar speaks with three people closely involved in shaping the scheme: Tony Maher, Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner • Charlie Prell, retired farmer and Chair of the Landholder Lived Experience Panel • Tracy Lefroy, grain grower and former Shire President from Western Australia Together they unpack the purpose, opportunities and real-world challenges of the Developer Rating Scheme, including: Why trust has become such a defining issue in the energy transition • What landholders and communities are experiencing on the ground • How the Developer Rating Scheme will actually work • Why transparency matters for landholders, neighbours and regional communities • The opportunities — and challenges — as the scheme prepares to launch • What developers should be doing now to build trust and position themselves well At its heart, this conversation comes back to three things: trust, transparency and accountability. It also raises an important idea — that communities themselves may play a powerful role in demanding and driving the success of the Developer Rating Scheme. This episode of emPOWER is supported by The Energy Charter, a national collaboration working with communities, industry and government to deliver better outcomes through the energy transition. If you work in renewables, transmission, land access, stakeholder engagement or regional development, this conversation will help you understand one of the most important new initiatives shaping how energy projects are developed in regional Australia. Because the success of the energy transition won’t just depend on infrastructure. It will depend on trust.   Produced by The Podcast Boss

    37 min
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Join us as we share insights, stories, and strategies from stakeholders and experts about the unique dynamics, opportunities, and challenges of engaging in regional Australia. emPOWER’s goal is to support respectful and effective engagement during the energy transition.

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