As Australians, we are often thought of as an isolated nation, removed far away from global conflicts. However, events such as fuel shortages can fundamentally change the way we plan, deliver, and interact with communities.
Regional Australia is often the first to experience these impacts. Representing 9.9 million Australians, regional communities make up more than a third of the population (37%).
Here are three ways to adapt and remain flexible with consultation while continuing to engage with communities during these challenging times.
- Go online, but not the way we’re used to.
Let’s make virtual engagement more exciting and move beyond simple online workshops and interactive features.
Consider adopting online community pop-ins to create the joy of experiencing something new. Community members could select a time from an agreed schedule and join virtual pop-ins that provide opportunities to discuss the project, ask questions, and address potential project concerns while creating an online space that fosters a sense of welcome and showcases the project’s commitment to listening.
- Go where the people are.
Fuel shortages impact communities differently, with regional and rural areas often being the first to experience such disruptions. It’s essential to engage with communities; it’s equally important to do so without wasting their limited resources.
Be bold and explore opportunities to either co-host, co-partner, or collaborate. Share venues and align activities to centralise community participation, allowing people to address multiple priorities in one place.
Consider who else may be wanting to engage with the same community. Is there another government department consulting at the same time? Are other corporations planning community activities? Is the local council looking to host an event?
Make your engagement activities compelling and valuable, something the community will want to attend, not easily decline or de-prioritise.
- Remember radio? Yes, it’s still a thing.
Kyle and Jackie O’s recent breakup has reminded us that plenty of audiences still heavily engage in radio. Did you know 5 million regional Aussies tune into commercial radio weekly, yet regional radio accounts for only about 18% of commercial media spend (according to the Commercial Radio & Audio 2025 analysis). In 2025, more than 3 million Queenslanders engaged with some type of radio (commercial, ABC, or community radio). Those who primarily engaged were aged 25-39 and had an average listening time of 14 hours per week [stats from CBAA Audience Summary 2025].
Why not use radio for consultation purposes beyond advertisement? Reach out to your target region’s radio station and propose to do a segment featuring your project and engage openly and authentically with the community. Additionally, radio remains one of the more trusted sources of news and current affairs, with results from Deloitte’s 2023 connecting communities report identifying that 59% of Australians trusted radio.
Radio stations do screen those who call in, particularly with talk radio. Stations do this to ensure callers are coherent, sober, and are calling to engage with the relevant topic. Stations take steps to protect from profanity and ensure compliance with legislation and the Radio Code of Practice, often by using “delay technology” using a 5-10 second delay. If you are interested in adopting this approach but concerned about engaging with the media, consider looking at Articulous media training.
During times of conflict, that is when community needs to be engaged with and communicated with. Never hesitate to seek out Articulous; we thrive on solving the problems that keep you up at night. What is interrupting your sleep?
