ID: 1490
Presenting Author: Jillian Ash
Session: 550 - (Re)building trust and transparency to navigate complex energy transitions
Status: pending
How megaprojects are announced shapes community trust and engagement. Survey findings from Australia's Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro case show why transparency from the start is vital.
Trust and transparency are decisive for the social acceptance of energy transition projects, particularly at the scale of mega projects. The way such projects are first determined and announced can set their trajectory of acceptance – or rejection – by host communities. The Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro Project in Queensland, Australia, reveals how its abrupt announcement triggered a trust deficit that has since framed community perceptions of the project and its proponent.
Drawing on community survey data and documentary sources, this paper examines how residents experienced and perceived engagement during the project’s planning and investigative phase. Findings highlight three dynamics: (1) the absence of early, transparent communication created a trust deficit; (2) inconsistent information generated confusion about project intent and process; and (3) perceived inequities and procedural unfairness diminished willingness to engage. In this climate, residents relied on informal networks and social media, heightening exposure to misinformation and disinformation.
The case demonstrates that project announcements set trust trajectories and shape community resilience to misinformation. Even after its cancellation, the Pioneer-Burdekin proposal left fractured communities and enduring distrust toward large-scale renewable energy, underscoring the importance of transparency from the start.
Dr Jillian Ash is an applied social scientist specialising in social impact, energy transitions and qualitative research in Australia and the Pacific.