How we verify the information in the Register
Independent reporting across the region
Social Licence Register brings together publicly available information about renewable energy and storage projects connected to regional New South Wales.
Its purpose is to help communities, industry, councils and government better understand project commitments, opportunities, participation initiatives and community benefit arrangements.
01.What the Register covers
The Register tracks ten social-licence categories, grouped into three themes. Each is explained in full on the About page; here they set the scope of what the Register reports.
- Community Benefit Fund
- Community Consultative Committee
- Community Sponsorships & Donations
- Local Employment & Procurement
- Apprenticeships & Skills
- Construction Workforce
- First Nations Participation
- Construction Duration
- Accommodation & Housing
- Operational Workforce
02.Independent by design
The Register independently summarises information available in public sources. It does not speculate about intent or make findings about the conduct, performance or motives of people, companies or organisations.
Evidence-led
Information is linked to its source and presented with relevant context.
Consistent over time
Projects are considered within the policy and regulatory settings that applied when they were approved.
No league tables
The Register does not rank developers or label projects as having passed or failed.
The public record does not always capture everything happening on the ground. Where relevant additional information is published through reporting programs, websites, funding arrangements or community initiatives, the Register seeks to include it.
Where analysis is provided, it focuses on broader regional trends and patterns rather than individual proponents.
03.Understanding status labels
Status labels explain how an item sits within the public record. They provide context, not a rating of project performance.
The requirement was introduced after the project was approved.
No identified approval, agreement or instrument requires it.
A requirement or commitment exists and supporting evidence is publicly available.
A requirement exists but has not yet been triggered.
Information is reported through a government or contractual framework but is not yet available on the public record.
The project remains in a planning or assessment process.
Published by the proponent but not independently verified through another source.
04.Two ways to explore the same record
Community View
Plain-English information for residents, local businesses and community members. Designed for clarity and ease of understanding.
Detailed View
The same information, with source documents, supporting evidence and additional context for those who want more detail.
Both views are based on the same underlying information. The difference is how much detail is presented.
05.Not all information gaps mean the same thing
An absence of information does not necessarily mean an absence of action. The Register distinguishes between information that:
was not required
is not yet due
has not been identified through public sources
is not publicly available
is commercially sensitive
depends on future approvals, tenders or project stages
The Register aims to explain which situation applies rather than treating all information gaps the same way.
An absence of information, on its own, is not treated as a criticism.
06.What the Register does not assess
The Register focuses on ten social-licence categories relating to community participation, local benefits and regional outcomes.
We do not assess environmental compliance, biodiversity, heritage, noise, traffic, safety or other matters regulated through the planning system and project approvals.
These matters remain the responsibility of the relevant authorities.
The Register is not a regulator, auditor, compliance tool or substitute for existing oversight.
A clearer picture of the public record
The Register helps make documented commitments and opportunities easier to find, understand and follow over time, giving communities and decision-makers a shared evidence base.