Better Practice Social Licence Guideline + Review
An evolving and independently reviewed improvement pathway for transmission companies in the energy transition.
Why this matters
The #BetterTogether Better Practice Social Licence Guideline exists for one reason: to lift trust through transparent commitments and independent scrutiny. Working with the Ag Energy Taskforce, it sets clear co-designed expectations for how transmission and renewable businesses minimise impacts, improve co-existence with agriculture and deliver shared value, then prove progress publicly through a structured accountability cycle.
Impact
Better Practice Social Licence Guideline
Better Practice Social Licence Guideline Summary
Independent Review 2024
Priority Commitments 2025
We don’t mark our own homework. The Better Practice Guideline is backed by a rolling independent accountability program designed to drive continuous improvement, grounded in evidence and co-design with the people most affected.
- Independent research (2022) - The Guideline was informed by independent lived experience research into landholder and agricultural stakeholder experiences, risks and priorities. This evidence base ensured the work was grounded in real-world impacts, not theory.
- Co-design of the Guideline (2023) - The Guideline itself was co-designed with agriculture, community and industry voices ensuring it reflects practical on-the-ground realities and shared expectations for better practice. This collaborative design phase established the initial actions and focus areas for improving social licence with agricultural communities.
- Independent review + public report (2024) - In June 2024, Nine Creeks Consulting completed the first independent review, informed by community and transmission business input, with practical recommendations for improvement.
This review tested whether implementation was delivering meaningful change. - Co-designed Priority Commitments (late 2024) - Following the review, our Community Outcomes Group and Industry Collaborators jointly distilled the learning into 20 Priority Commitments to focus effort where it matters most. These commitments sharpen accountability and make progress measurable.
- Quarterly reporting to the Ag Energy Taskforce (2023-2025) - Collaborators provide quarterly updates through the Ag Energy Taskforce to keep momentum and accountability live. This creates regular visibility of progress, barriers and emerging risks.
- Independent review by ANU (2026) - A second independent review by Next Generation Engagement, ANU in 2026 to assess progress against the Priority Commitments with Ag Energy Taskforce engagement and publish findings. This closes the loop and sets the next cycle of improvement.
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Accountability is key to building trust. The quarterly updates under the Better Practice Social Licence Guideline show a real commitment from transmission businesses to not just say the right things – but to do better and be able to actively demonstrate that they are doing better – for landholders and regional communities.
Joy Thomas,
Independent Chair, Ag Energy Infrastructure Taskforce
Collaborators
Community Outcomes Group
Every stage of this #BetterTogether initiative has been a collaboration – from designing the landholder survey, to analysing the results and developing the Better Practice Guideline. The Community Outcomes Group consisted of:
- Ag Energy Taskforce
- Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner
- Bundaberg Regional Irrigators Group
- National Farmers’ Federation
- National Irrigators Council
- RE-Alliance
- Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association
- Queensland Farmers’ Federation
- Victorian Farmers Federation.
Industry Collaborators
The Energy Charter Signatories:
- AusNet Services
- Marinus Link
- Powerlink Queensland
- TasNetworks
- Transgrid.
Research Partner
- KPMG Australia.
Resources + additional information
Better Practice Social Licence Guideline
This Better Practice Guideline is the result of an Energy Charter #BetterTogether collaboration. It was co-developed by landholder and community representatives and a group of electricity transmission businesses to:
- Build a shared understanding of the impacts and potential benefits associated with hosting energy transmission infrastructure for agricultural landholders
- Provide practical social licence to operate (‘social licence’) guidance to mitigate negative impacts and prioritise shared value through the energy transition.
Better Practice Social Licence Guideline Summary
This summary is intended to provide a high-level snapshot of the Better Practice Social Licence Guideline. For full details and further context on what we heard, our key take-aways and where we can do better please download the Full Better Practice Social Licence Guideline.
Better Practice Social Licence Guideline Independent Review 2024
As part of developing the Social Licence Guideline, TNSPs committed to participating in an annual Independent Review. The purpose of this Independent Review is to assess participating TNSPs’ progress towards implementing the Priority Actions and Better Practice Opportunities contained in the Social Licence Guideline and provide constructive feedback to support continuous improvement. Participating TNSPs submitted 12 Month Progress Reports to inform the review.
Better Practice Social Licence Priority Commitments 2024-25
Five Energy Charter Signatories: AusNet Services, Marinus Link, Powerlink Qld, TasNetworks and Transgrid have re-committed to a further 18-month period (July 2024 – December 2025) of implementing better practices followed by a second Independent Review. In consultation with our Community Outcomes Group, 20 priority actions have been agreed to be of focus in this second phase.
This #BetterTogether initiative aligns with:
Principle 3: We will provide energy safely, sustainably and reliably.
Learn more
Speak to Sabiene Heindl, CEO, to learn more about the #BetterTogether Better Practice Social Licence Guideline + Review initiative.