Doubts about the veracity of community engagement as an agent of democracy are few. As a support for local democracy, it has the ability to provide a platform for civic participation. And when it is culturally, socially and economically responsive, it can serve to address chronic inequities that undergird liberal democracies globally. In short, community engagement’s interface with democracy underpins its practice and overarching work to empower people and communities to have their say on issues that affect their everyday life.

In Australia, contemporary engagement practice is well evolved. A component of local democracy, community engagement is now embedded in key functions of local governments and procedures of public administration and management practice.

This e-book is intended less to instruct than to offer a reflection on the current state of the industry in Australia. That is, to take a critical lens to what is often left unexamined in the notion that community engagement is inherently 'good.' Identifying five fundamental challenges that face engagement practitioners today, it tests commonly-held assumptions and proposes recommendations that serve to recognise the unique experience of the engagement practitioner.