Engage us earlier
Community members and young people want to be involved from the start.
You consistently told us that you want to help shape ideas and define problems early, rather than commenting on a completed plan or project.
Consultation opened
22 June 2026
Consultation closed
26 July 2026
Contributions received
175
⭐Project background
What is this project about?
Meaningful conversations between the community and council are essential to building a vibrant, inclusive, and forward-thinking Ipswich. By engaging the community in the decision making process, you help us understand what matters most so we can best serve our community.
Council is updating its Community Engagement Policy, and we want to take this opportunity to check in with the community on our approach.
Your feedback will help us know what is working well, and where we can improve. This includes reviewing:
- What topics we capture community feedback on
- Who needs to be involved in the engagement process
- Which channels we use to engage the community
- How we measure the success of an engagement.
Consultation now closed. Thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts.
You can read the full findings, including how staff responses compared with the community and youth feedback in the Community Engagement Report or click the button below see a summary of what was shared.
Our engagement process
Each new engagement project goes through five key stages.
Click a segment on the wheel to learn about that stage.
🗣️What you shared
Between 22 June and 26 July 2026, the community had their say through online and hard copy surveys, pop up events across Ipswich, a councillor drop-in session, a youth focus group, and direct email, phone and written feedback. The consultation was promoted through social media, signage across the city, and outreach to local schools and community groups.
The page received 1,802 views and 175 contributions.
For full details on how we engaged and what you shared, read the Community Engagement Report.
Who participated
Below is a snapshot of some of the demographic statistics from the 175 contributors. Respondents spanned all age groups, the largest group being the 10-19-year-olds. The youngest participant was 13 years old. Women were highly represented, making up 68% of respondents, with men at 32% and no respondents identifying as non-binary.
People took part from across Ipswich. Divisions 1,3 and 4 were broadly represented while Division 2 somewhat underrepresented. The 12% who lived outside of Ipswich still had a connection to the city, whether through work, ratepaying, business ownership or visiting.
What we heard
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Remove participation barriers
Make it easier for you to get involved.
Common challenges included:
- lack of awareness of opportunities
- unclear how to participate
- accessibility barriers in existing channels.
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Practice matters more than policy
The principles are supported.
Around half of you feel the current policy's principles and commitments are broadly appropriate, with the central concern raised not in the wording, but whether council consistently follows through on it in practice.
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Close the feedback loop
Show how our feedback influenced decisions.
Across all audiences, people wanted clearer evidence that their feedback shaped outcomes.
Confidence was lowest in commitments relating to:
- genuine listening
- ongoing communication
- influencing decisions.
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Hear more diverse voices
Broaden participation.
Participants generally favoured approaches that:
- reach new and diverse voices
- move beyond established representatives
- create inclusive opportunities to participate.
Young people preferred:
- short, simple content
- broad community reach.
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Support staff
Help staff deliver quality engagement.
Key challenges:
- tight timelines
- complex approval processes
- limited budgets.
Top priorities:
- clearer roles and responsibilities
- better guidance on when engagement is required.
Engage us early. Make participation easier. Show us how feedback influences decisions.
📣How you shared
Before we make changes, we wanted to know what you thought
The community was able to share their feedback on this project using one of the engagement channels below:
- Completing our online survey
- Completing our dedicated youth survey (for those under 18 years old)
- Attending a pop up event
- Submitting a hard copy survey - available from council reception on 1 Nicholas Street or at one of the following library branches: Rosewood, Springfield Central, Redbank Plains, or Redbank Plaza.
- Emailing us directly at communityengagement@ipswich.qld.gov.au
- Calling our Contact Centre on 07 3810 6666
Pop up events
Speak to the project team in person and share your feedback on this project.
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The Greater Springfield Festival - concluded
Saturday 27 June 2026
9am to 5pm
155 Southern Cross Circuit, Springfield Central QLD 4300
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Rosewood Library - concluded
Wednesday 1 July 2026
10:30am to 2:30pm
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Springfield Central Library - concluded
Thursday 2 July 2026
10am to 1pm
Springfield Central Library
Level 1 (near reception)
Cnr Main Street & Sirius Drive
Orion Springfield Central,
Springfield Central QLD 4300 -
Redbank Plains Library - concluded
Monday 6 July 2026
2pm to 4pm
Redbank Plains Library
Moreton Avenue, Redbank Plains QLD 4301 -
Ipswich NAIDOC - concluded
Tuesday 7 July 2026
10am - 2pm
Tulmur Place, Nicholas Street Precinct, Ipswich QLD 4305
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Redbank Plaza Library - concluded
Wednesday 8 July 2026
1:30pm to 4pm
Redbank Plaza Library
Redbank Plaza Shopping Centre,
1 Collingwood Drive, Redbank QLD 4301
Ideas wall
What does good community engagement look like to you?
Tell us what matters most to you when council asks for your feedback. Your response will help shape how council engages with the Ipswich community in the future.
CLOSED. The visioning activity has now concluded. Click to see all the submitted ideas.
14 July, 2026
Lara says:
If you want community opinion on something, also be prepared to change that something. Don't just ask for feedback for fun.
7 July, 2026
TinaSuth says:
Bell St and Ipswich train station desperately need a clean up… it is ugly & frightening. A terrible first impression.
Quick poll
We want to respect your time. What's the sweet spot for a council feedback survey?
This poll has concluded.
- 3 minutes - just the essential rapid-fire questions thanks! 29% (2 votes)
- 5-10 minutes - enough to get into details. 57% (4 votes)
- Time isn't an issue if it's a topic I'm really passionate about 14% (1 vote)
Total Votes: 7
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What can be influenced:
Policy updates: Community members and council staff can help update the Community Engagement Policy. Your ideas will help make our projects clearer, easier to access, better timed, and better supported.
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What can not be influenced:
- Final approval: The elected council makes the final decision and must officially vote to adopt the policy.
- Deadline: The policy must be renewed by November 2026.
- The law: We must follow all legal rules under the Human Rights Act 2019 and council's official responsibilities.
Read the full findings, including how staff responses compared with the community and youth feedback on the main project page.
