title: An equity-focussed social impact assessment of the Lower Hunter Regional Strategy.
abstract: The Lower Hunter Regional Strategy prepared by the Hunter Department of Planning identifies how development in the region will be managed on a sustainable basis over the next 25 years. In order to inform decision-makers about the potential social and health impacts arising from the proposed population increase, the Hunter Regional Coordination Management Group, in collaboration with the NSW Premier's Department and Hunter New England Health, completed an equity-focussed social impact assessment of the strategy. The assessment illustrates how equity can be systematically addressed within an impact assessment process and provides insight into the mechanisms which led to equity considerations influencing the policy and planning agenda.
authors.affiliation: Hunter New England Population Health, Hunter New England Area Health Service. Venessa.Wells@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au
authors.forename: Venessa L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: Karen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Gillham
authors.forename: Milly
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Licata
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kempton
mesh_terms: D002958:City Planning; D003657:Decision Making; D006285:Health Planning; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D009517:New South Wales; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014505:Urban Population