Community and Social Performance

The success of our transmission projects is about more than connecting and delivering cleaner energy. It's about understanding and respecting the communities we serve. Social performance is at the heart of our projects, ensuring that we continue to build and strengthen positive relationships with local communities, and consider their needs, and how we can collaborate and involve them to minimise potential impacts.

By engaging openly and working closely with the people and environments within the footprint of our network, we aim to create long-lasting relationships and benefits. Whether it's through transparent communication, consultation, thoughtful planning, or addressing concerns, our goal is to ensure that our projects contribute positively to WA communities.

What is social performance?

It’s our way of making sure that we engage openly with communities, consider their needs, address environmental, heritage and cultural considerations and work together to minimise any impact. From early project planning to completion, we are committed to listening to concerns, acting responsibly, and striving to create and deliver benefits that last beyond the project.

By prioritising social performance, we aim to build trust, foster meaningful relationships, and leave a positive legacy in every community we serve.

Our social performance is guided by the following principles:

  • Fairness

    Encompasses both Procedural Fairness - following a fair and proper procedure before making a decision - and Distributive Fairness - aiming for fair distribution of costs, risk and benefits.

  • Informed decision making

    Relevant social performance information is integrated into Western Power’s decision-making for Transmission projects.

  • Working together

    Collaborating with affected stakeholders to identify impacts, avoid, mitigate and manage them, and to enhance benefits.

  • Transparency

    Clarity, openness and honesty about process and what communities can and cannot influence.

  • Respect

    All parties listen, acknowledge and act in a respectful manner in all engagements. Western Power respectfully considers engagement feedback in decision-making and feeds decisions back to stakeholders in a timely manner

  • Proactivity

    Early and regular engagement with timely feedback loops. Identify potential social impacts and include impact identification in decision making to avoid, mitigate and manage impacts before they occur.

Community support

We know that changes and major projects affect everyone differently. If you’re feeling like you need someone to talk to, please reach out to one of the support services listed.

Lifeline: 13 11 14

24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention.

  • Text: 0477 13 11 14
  • Online Chat: Available 24/7

    • Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636

    Available 24/7 or chat online.

    Mind Spot: 1800 61 44 34

    Free telephone and online service for people experiencing anxiety, stress, low mood or depression.

    Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467

    24/7 support for people at risk of suicide, carers, and bereaved.

    Mental Health Emergency Response Line (MHERL):

    1300 555 788 (Perth Metro) or 1800 676 822 (Peel)

    Hope Community Services: 1300 467 392

    Free counselling and support service for individuals struggling with their mental health.

    Mens-line Australia: 1300 789 978

    24/7 telephone or chat online counselling service offering support to Australian men.

    Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800

    24/7 confidential counselling service specifically for young people aged 5-25.

    Open Arms: 1800 011 046

    24/7 free and confidential counselling to anyone who has served at least one day in the ADF, their partners and families.

    13YARN: 13 92 76

    24/7 free and confidential crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.