Students
GEOP462 – Social Impact Assessment
2019 – S2 Day
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Unit Convenor
Alison Ziller
Contact via alison.ziller@mq.edu.au
Building 6 First Walk Room 428
by appointment
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
3
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
39cp at 100 level or above
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
Social impact assessment (SIA) is an important assessment tool with wide application – to land use planning and related public policy areas such as public health. The unit provides an introduction to and broad overview of SIA in urban and regional environments, and addresses both the processes needed to accomplish a diligent assessment and the resources available to inform the assessment process. Through the use of case studies, the unit provides an insight into practical difficulties, common mistakes and ethical issues that are frequently encountered.
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Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- On successful completion of this unit students will be able to : 1 Demonstrate an understanding of the practices and requirements of social impact assessment as a tool in planning systems and as a tool for community and regional development;
- 2 Demonstrate a knowledge of social impact issues in key planning procedures;
- 3 Apply knowledge and key concepts from social impact assessment to critical evaluation of planning decisions;
- 4 Identify and discuss different ways of integrating social issues into planning discourses and practices;
- 5 Express and discuss complex ideas about social change, social process and the evaluation, monitoring and mitigation of negative social impacts and enhancement of positive impacts arising from planning decisions;
- 6 Recognise ethical issues in planning procedures and articulate a reasoned and reflective position on appropriate standards of impact assessment in planning.
General Assessment Information
You must submit all three assignments to pass this course.
Unless a special consideration request https://ask.mq.edu.au/account/forms/display/special_consideration has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline.
Class attendance is critical – so is your active participation in class activities. Paid outside work commitments is not a legitimate reason for missing class. The roll will be called at each class.
Assignments should be submitted via Turn-it-in and in hard copy in class on the due date.
Use a reference list to correctly list all sources cited in your text. Note that failure to cite sources - including unpublished lecture material etc. - will be considered as plagiarism and will result in severe penalties, up to and including failure of the whole unit.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIA issues identification | 30% | No | 29 Aug 2019 |
| Critique of an SIA | 40% | No | 10 Oct 2019 |
| Presenting SIA issues visually | 30% | No | 7 Nov 2019 |
SIA issues identification
Due: 29 Aug 2019
Weighting: 30%
Description.
You will be provided with an EIS and the accompanying SIA from a DA tracker source. Reviewing the information provided and examining the proposal using desktop research, make a list of likely social impact issues raised by this DA.
Assessment criteria
1 The assignment comprises a well-structured list of likely social impact issues
2 Key concerns are appropriately footnoted
3 Good written expression
On successful completion you will be able to:
- On successful completion of this unit students will be able to : 1 Demonstrate an understanding of the practices and requirements of social impact assessment as a tool in planning systems and as a tool for community and regional development;
- 2 Demonstrate a knowledge of social impact issues in key planning procedures;
- 3 Apply knowledge and key concepts from social impact assessment to critical evaluation of planning decisions;
- 4 Identify and discuss different ways of integrating social issues into planning discourses and practices;
- 5 Express and discuss complex ideas about social change, social process and the evaluation, monitoring and mitigation of negative social impacts and enhancement of positive impacts arising from planning decisions;
- 6 Recognise ethical issues in planning procedures and articulate a reasoned and reflective position on appropriate standards of impact assessment in planning.
Critique of an SIA
Due: 10 Oct 2019
Weighting: 40%
You will be provided with an SIA. Based on what you have learned so far in this course, provide a critique of this SIA taking account of the scope of the SIA, the analysis provided, the ways in which data has been used and any explicit or implicit assumptions.
Assessment criteria
1 Identification of omissions in the SIA
2 Critical assessment of the content of the SIA
3 Well-structured and well written review report
On successful completion you will be able to:
- On successful completion of this unit students will be able to : 1 Demonstrate an understanding of the practices and requirements of social impact assessment as a tool in planning systems and as a tool for community and regional development;
- 2 Demonstrate a knowledge of social impact issues in key planning procedures;
- 3 Apply knowledge and key concepts from social impact assessment to critical evaluation of planning decisions;
- 4 Identify and discuss different ways of integrating social issues into planning discourses and practices;
- 5 Express and discuss complex ideas about social change, social process and the evaluation, monitoring and mitigation of negative social impacts and enhancement of positive impacts arising from planning decisions;
- 6 Recognise ethical issues in planning procedures and articulate a reasoned and reflective position on appropriate standards of impact assessment in planning.
Presenting SIA issues visually
Due: 7 Nov 2019
Weighting: 30%
Invariably SIAs are presented to and assessed by non-SIA specialists. They are also presented as one of a large number of documents. Making the point about social impact issues visually is often an effective short cut. This assignment provides an opportunity to explore ways of doing this.
Tasks
i This assignment requires the student to select a planning proposal with critical social impact issues.
ii On 7 November each student will present 7 slides to the class. The first slide will state the planning proposal. The following 6 slides will illustrate 6 key social impact issues relevant to the planning proposal.
iii The sequence of slides should make a compelling case for or against the proposal (but not for and against).
iv The slides should be copied into a word document and, with an accompanying short description of their significance for the proposal, submitted via Turn-it-in for final marking.
Assessment criteria
1 Clear statement of the social impact issues being addressed
2 Choice of visuals to document these issues
3 Clarity of explanation of relevance of each slide to the issues.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- On successful completion of this unit students will be able to : 1 Demonstrate an understanding of the practices and requirements of social impact assessment as a tool in planning systems and as a tool for community and regional development;
- 2 Demonstrate a knowledge of social impact issues in key planning procedures;
- 3 Apply knowledge and key concepts from social impact assessment to critical evaluation of planning decisions;
- 4 Identify and discuss different ways of integrating social issues into planning discourses and practices;
- 5 Express and discuss complex ideas about social change, social process and the evaluation, monitoring and mitigation of negative social impacts and enhancement of positive impacts arising from planning decisions;
- 6 Recognise ethical issues in planning procedures and articulate a reasoned and reflective position on appropriate standards of impact assessment in planning.
Delivery and Resources
The weekly lectures for this unit will be recorded and may be accessed via the Echo system.
Key readings for this unit are set out below. Examples of assessment tasks will be provided on iLearn.
Key readings
Week 1: Basic concepts and context
Burdge, R J, 2002, Why is social impact assessment the orphan of the assessment process? Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 20(1): 3-9.
Interorganizational Committee on Guidelines and Principles for Social Impact Assessment 2003, US Principles and guidelines, Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, September 21:3, pp 231-250, http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/reg_svcs/social%20guid&pri.pdf
Ziller A, The community is not a place and why it matters, case study Green Square, 2004, Urban Policy and Research, 22,4, 465-479
Week 2: Distributional equity
Wilkinson Richard and Kate Pickett, 2012, The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better, London, Penguin.
Week 3: The social as a spatial issue
There will be a hand-out in this class
Week 4: Steps and stages. Localities and catchments
Planning Institute of Australia: Social Impact Assessment Policy Position Statement: http://www.planning.org.au/policy/policy-platform
UNSW AND NSW Department of Health, Health Impact Assessment: A practical guide: http://hiaconnect.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Health_Impact_Assessment_A_Practical_Guide.pdf
Ziller, Alison, 2013, The question of locality: Case study - development application for a bulk discount liquor outlet at East Nowra, NSW, Local Government Law Journal,18, 196-207 – this document is on iLearn
Week 5: Local Aboriginal Land Councils
Stacey Meirs, 2018, The effect of land use planning decisions on the landholdings and viability of NSW Local Aboriginal Land Councils, Henry Halloran Trust, U Sydney, November: http://sydney.edu.au/halloran/publications/Miers_EffectOfLandUse.pdf
Porter L 2017, Indigenous People and the Miserable Failure of Australian Planning, Planning Practice and Research, published online February 2017: https://doi.org/10.1080/02697459.2017.1286885
Week 6: Licensed premises
Peter Miller and Alex Wodak, Fact Check: can you change a violent drinking culture by changing how people drink? The Conversation, 10 Mar 2015: http://theconversation.com/factcheck-can-you-change-a-violent-drinking-culture-by-changing-how-people-drink-38426
Livingston, Michael, The social gradient of alcohol availability in Victoria, Australia, 2012, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 36, 1, pp41-47
Livingston M., Wilkinson C., Room R., 2015, Evidence Check, Community Impact of Liquor Licences, Sax Institute, https://www.saxinstitute.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Community-impact-of-liquor-licences-1.pdf
Miller, Peter, Alcohol and violence: a complex issue in search of leadership, The Conversation, 14 Jan 2014: https://theconversation.com/alcohol-and-violence-a-complex-issue-in-search-of-leadership-21886This short summary also contains links to key background reports.
Ziller A, B Rosen and S Walsh, 2015, “Alcohol is a planning issue”, Local Government Law Journal 20, 168-183 - this document is on iLearn
Ziller, Alison 2018, Online retail of alcohol, some dilemmas for professional SIA practice, Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 36:5, 383-389, DOI: 10.1080/14615517.2018.1452368
Week 7: Proponent led methodological issues
Esteves, A M, Franks D & Vanclay F 2012, Social impact assessment: the state of the art, Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 30:1, 34-42
There will be a handout on this topic in the class.
Week 8: SIA and resource development
Rocky Hill SIA, prepared by Key Insights Pty Ltd, dated June 2016 – this document is on iLearn
Week 9: Consultation and procedural fairness
Taylor E 2015, Fast food planning conflicts in Victoria 1969-2012: is every unhappy family restaurant unhappy in its own way? Australian Planner, 52.2 114-126
Ombudsman NSW, 2012, Natural Justice/Procedural Fairness, Public Agency Fact Sheet,14, March:
http://posa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/FS_PS14_NaturalJustice_Nov10.pdf
Preston J. 2014, The adequacy of the law in satisfying society’s expectations, International Bar Association Annual Conference, Tokyo, October: http://www.lec.justice.nsw.gov.au/Documents/Speeches%20and%20Papers/PrestonCJ/PrestonCJThe%20adequacy%20of%20the%20law221014.pdf
Week 10: Presenting SIA to non-specialists
Esteves, A M, Franks D & Vanclay F 2012, Social impact assessment: the state of the art, Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 30:1, 34-42
Recape Hotel Group Pty Ltd v Council of the City of Ryde [2016] NSWLEC 1497 https://www.caselaw.nsw.gov.au/decision/5812cbece4b0e71e17f54f21
Ziller, Alison and Peter Phibbs, 2003, Integrating social impacts into cost-benefit analysis, a participative method: case study: the NSW area assistance scheme, Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, vol. 21, no. 2 June, pp. 141-146.
Unit Schedule
Please note that the following schedule of lectures is subject to change.
|
Wk |
Date |
Theme |
Lecture topic & integrated class discussion |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
1 Aug |
Introduction Foundation issues for SIA |
Overview of the course and assignment requirements 1. Basic concepts 2. Context: |
|
2 |
8 Aug |
Foundation issues for SIA |
3. Conceptual base: the big picture - public health |
|
3 |
15 Aug |
Methodological issues for SIA |
1. The social as a spatial issue – distributions and segregations and the role of planning. |
|
4 |
22 Aug |
Methodological issues for SIA |
2. ‘steps and stages’ of SIA; 3. Localities, catchments, notifications |
|
5 |
29 Aug |
SIA and public policy dilemmas |
1. Local Aboriginal Land Councils |
|
6 |
5 Sept |
SIA and public policy dilemmas |
2. Licensed premises: a failure to keep up |
|
7 |
12 Sept |
SIA and public policy dilemmas |
3. Proponent led methodological failures |
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16 Sept - |
27 Sept inclusive |
Recess |
|
8 |
3 Oct |
SIA and public policy struggles |
4. SIA and resource extraction |
|
9 |
10 Oct |
Methodological issues for SIA |
4. Consultation and procedural fairness
|
|
10 |
17 Oct |
Methodological issues for SIA |
5. Presenting SIA issues to non-specialists |
|
11 |
24 Oct |
Methodological issues for SIA |
Short surveys for use in SIA |
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12 |
31 Oct |
Methodological issues for SIA |
Short surveys: In – class collation and presentation of survey results |
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13 |
7 Nov |
Methodological issues for SIA |
The compelling case: presenting SIA issues visually |
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy (Note: The Special Consideration Policy is effective from 4 December 2017 and replaces the Disruption to Studies Policy.)
Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
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Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Graduate Capabilities
Creative and Innovative
Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- On successful completion of this unit students will be able to : 1 Demonstrate an understanding of the practices and requirements of social impact assessment as a tool in planning systems and as a tool for community and regional development;
- 4 Identify and discuss different ways of integrating social issues into planning discourses and practices;
Assessment task
- Presenting SIA issues visually
Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative
We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- On successful completion of this unit students will be able to : 1 Demonstrate an understanding of the practices and requirements of social impact assessment as a tool in planning systems and as a tool for community and regional development;
- 2 Demonstrate a knowledge of social impact issues in key planning procedures;
- 3 Apply knowledge and key concepts from social impact assessment to critical evaluation of planning decisions;
- 4 Identify and discuss different ways of integrating social issues into planning discourses and practices;
- 5 Express and discuss complex ideas about social change, social process and the evaluation, monitoring and mitigation of negative social impacts and enhancement of positive impacts arising from planning decisions;
- 6 Recognise ethical issues in planning procedures and articulate a reasoned and reflective position on appropriate standards of impact assessment in planning.
Assessment tasks
- SIA issues identification
- Critique of an SIA
- Presenting SIA issues visually
Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills
Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- On successful completion of this unit students will be able to : 1 Demonstrate an understanding of the practices and requirements of social impact assessment as a tool in planning systems and as a tool for community and regional development;
- 2 Demonstrate a knowledge of social impact issues in key planning procedures;
- 3 Apply knowledge and key concepts from social impact assessment to critical evaluation of planning decisions;
- 4 Identify and discuss different ways of integrating social issues into planning discourses and practices;
- 5 Express and discuss complex ideas about social change, social process and the evaluation, monitoring and mitigation of negative social impacts and enhancement of positive impacts arising from planning decisions;
Assessment tasks
- SIA issues identification
- Critique of an SIA
- Presenting SIA issues visually
Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking
We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- On successful completion of this unit students will be able to : 1 Demonstrate an understanding of the practices and requirements of social impact assessment as a tool in planning systems and as a tool for community and regional development;
- 2 Demonstrate a knowledge of social impact issues in key planning procedures;
- 3 Apply knowledge and key concepts from social impact assessment to critical evaluation of planning decisions;
- 4 Identify and discuss different ways of integrating social issues into planning discourses and practices;
- 5 Express and discuss complex ideas about social change, social process and the evaluation, monitoring and mitigation of negative social impacts and enhancement of positive impacts arising from planning decisions;
- 6 Recognise ethical issues in planning procedures and articulate a reasoned and reflective position on appropriate standards of impact assessment in planning.
Assessment tasks
- SIA issues identification
- Critique of an SIA
- Presenting SIA issues visually
Problem Solving and Research Capability
Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- On successful completion of this unit students will be able to : 1 Demonstrate an understanding of the practices and requirements of social impact assessment as a tool in planning systems and as a tool for community and regional development;
- 2 Demonstrate a knowledge of social impact issues in key planning procedures;
- 3 Apply knowledge and key concepts from social impact assessment to critical evaluation of planning decisions;
- 4 Identify and discuss different ways of integrating social issues into planning discourses and practices;
- 5 Express and discuss complex ideas about social change, social process and the evaluation, monitoring and mitigation of negative social impacts and enhancement of positive impacts arising from planning decisions;
- 6 Recognise ethical issues in planning procedures and articulate a reasoned and reflective position on appropriate standards of impact assessment in planning.
Assessment tasks
- SIA issues identification
- Critique of an SIA
- Presenting SIA issues visually
Effective Communication
We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- On successful completion of this unit students will be able to : 1 Demonstrate an understanding of the practices and requirements of social impact assessment as a tool in planning systems and as a tool for community and regional development;
- 2 Demonstrate a knowledge of social impact issues in key planning procedures;
- 3 Apply knowledge and key concepts from social impact assessment to critical evaluation of planning decisions;
- 4 Identify and discuss different ways of integrating social issues into planning discourses and practices;
- 5 Express and discuss complex ideas about social change, social process and the evaluation, monitoring and mitigation of negative social impacts and enhancement of positive impacts arising from planning decisions;
Assessment tasks
- SIA issues identification
- Critique of an SIA
- Presenting SIA issues visually
Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens
As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- On successful completion of this unit students will be able to : 1 Demonstrate an understanding of the practices and requirements of social impact assessment as a tool in planning systems and as a tool for community and regional development;
- 2 Demonstrate a knowledge of social impact issues in key planning procedures;
- 3 Apply knowledge and key concepts from social impact assessment to critical evaluation of planning decisions;
- 4 Identify and discuss different ways of integrating social issues into planning discourses and practices;
- 5 Express and discuss complex ideas about social change, social process and the evaluation, monitoring and mitigation of negative social impacts and enhancement of positive impacts arising from planning decisions;
- 6 Recognise ethical issues in planning procedures and articulate a reasoned and reflective position on appropriate standards of impact assessment in planning.
Assessment tasks
- Critique of an SIA
- Presenting SIA issues visually
Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible
We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- On successful completion of this unit students will be able to : 1 Demonstrate an understanding of the practices and requirements of social impact assessment as a tool in planning systems and as a tool for community and regional development;
- 2 Demonstrate a knowledge of social impact issues in key planning procedures;
- 3 Apply knowledge and key concepts from social impact assessment to critical evaluation of planning decisions;
- 4 Identify and discuss different ways of integrating social issues into planning discourses and practices;
- 6 Recognise ethical issues in planning procedures and articulate a reasoned and reflective position on appropriate standards of impact assessment in planning.
Assessment tasks
- SIA issues identification
- Critique of an SIA
- Presenting SIA issues visually