Our performance: Communities and hosting landholders

Queensland’s transmission infrastructure has coexisted with landholders for more than 60 years and new infrastructure will continue to do so for decades. How land access is managed, how issues are resolved and how information is handled matters.

By sharing how we are strengthening landholder relations, Powerlink aims to provide transparency about the practical systems and processes that support everyday interactions. This is a key part of The Energy Charter Better Practice Social Licence Guideline.

Improving the landholder experience  

More than 19,000 landholders host Powerlink’s existing infrastructure on their properties.  

For these landholders, their experience is shaped by the interactions with Powerlink and its contractors, including how access is planned and executed, how information is shared, how issues are resolved, and how reliably commitments are met.

Feedback from landholders and independent reviews has consistently highlighted that trust is built through consistency, responsiveness and clarity, particularly during transitions between planning, construction, operations and maintenance.

Powerlink recognised the need to strengthen the systems, processes and tools that support landholder relations in practice.

Our approach

Powerlink’s Landholder Relations Management Framework provides a consistent foundation for engagement, access, risk management and compliance across the asset lifecycle. It also aims to reduce impacts for landholders who host infrastructure on their properties and also those neighbouring properties.    

Landholder Relations Advisors act as a consistent point of contact, supporting continuity of relationships over time and helping to ensure landholder needs and constraints are understood and managed.

Powerlink’s Land Access Protocol has been developed to inform landholders of the standards and commitments Powerlink will adhere to when accessing properties. Read our Land Access Protocol.

In 2026, Powerlink developed a Land Access Standard – an internal document for employees and contractors which sets out Powerlink’s minimum requirements for accessing land for transmission infrastructure work across the full asset lifecycle. It provides a clear, business-focused reference to the commitments in the Land Access Protocol, supporting consistent expectations across the organisation.

In parallel, Powerlink has focused on improving the systems that underpin landholder interactions, recognising that good relationships rely on reliable information and clear accountability.

Strengthening fairness and accessible processes

As part of Powerlink’s focus on social performance capability, we are strengthening our feedback and complaints management pathways. Our strengthened approach seeks to improve accessibility and consistency for both community and landholders to access formal pathways for feedback, compliments, and complaints.

Systems and technology

The recent technology uplifts underway include the introduction of a digital biosecurity declaration tool for Powerlink staff, replacing paper‑based processes. The tool supports consistent recording of biosecurity controls, photo evidence and electronic sharing of declarations, improving traceability and accountability when accessing land.

Landholders and community stakeholders can be reassured that Powerlink’s systems are subject to ongoing technology upgrades, ensuring the security of information. The upgraded system will provide greater visibility of project-related interactions, and strengthen the integrity of property and easement information as projects progress. Over time, these improvements will help deliver a more consistent customer experience and support more informed decision-making throughout Powerlink projects.  

While options such as landholder‑facing portals have been explored, current priorities remain focused on strengthening internal systems and data quality before expanding access.

Learn more about our Landholder process 

Why this matters?

Communities play a key role in the transformation of Queensland's energy system. Through our work to deliver an ongoing safe, reliable and cost-effective transmission network, we will need to build new and maintain existing infrastructure.

Our infrastructure can stay in service for generations, so working with communities is vital to building strong relationships.

That’s why Powerlink participates in The Energy Charter’s #BetterTogether Better Practice Social Licence Guideline: a shared framework designed to lift practice across transmission businesses with agricultural landholders through transparency, accountability and continuous improvement.

About the guideline and independent review

The Better Practice Social Licence Guideline was originally co‑designed with landholders, agricultural stakeholders and industry through the Ag Energy Taskforce in 20231, to respond to the lived experience of communities impacted by transmission development. Following the first independent review in 2024, 20 priority actions were selected to focus effort where it matters most.

Participating transmission businesses — including Powerlink, AusNet, TasNetworks, Transgrid and Marinus Link — have shared regular updates to the Ag Energy Taskforce and participated in independent reviews led by external experts. The most recent review completed in June 2026 was led by Kirsty O’Connell and Dr Sara Bice from Next Generation Engagement, associated with the Australian National University.

This independent process provides a consistent way to assess progress, surface gaps, and identify where further attention is needed across industry.

Working together to strengthen practice

Powerlink uses a cross‑functional working group spanning a number of teams across the business to improve alignment, support consistent reporting, and build shared understanding of better practice across the organisation. This process has involved teams including Project Engagement, Community and Social Performance, Landholder Relations, Property, Health and Safety, Environment and Sustainability, Asset Management, Infrastructure Delivery, Strategic Procurement, Field Engineering, Easement Delivery and Indigenous Partnerships.  

How Powerlink is tracking

The 2026 Independent Review shows continued progress against the 20 priority actions set out in The Energy Charter’s Better Practice Social Licence Guideline. For Powerlink specifically, progress since the previous review is most evident in three areas.

Areas of strongest progress

1. Stronger foundations for social performance 
   Powerlink has developed a suite of strategic documents to underpin a more consistent and mature social performance approach. These include the Community and Social Performance Strategy, the Community Benefits and Social Value Framework, and Indigenous Relationship Agreement approach. These uplifts have helped to establish how expectations under the guideline are embedded across the organisation.
    
2. Greater application through major projects 
   The review notes uplifts associated with the application of priority actions through major transmission projects. This includes an increased focus on local and Indigenous economic participation, supported by the establishment of specialist roles, revised procurement approaches, and project‑specific initiatives such as community legacy planning and workforce accommodation strategies. In many cases, this work relates to building capability, targeted resourcing and early implementation, and will continue to mature as projects progress.
    
3. Proactive and tailored safety education 
   There has been clear progress in the establishment and delivery of proactive, tailored community safety education. This includes dedicated resourcing, strengthened internal coordination, and collaboration with key stakeholders such as emergency services and bushfire mitigation groups to support safer interactions with transmission infrastructure.

Priority actions moving from progressing to committed action

Since the first full review in 2024, several priority actions shifted in maturity, reflecting clearer ownership, strengthened systems and demonstrable delivery in key areas.

Regional engagement capability 
Powerlink now has a sustained, embedded regional presence across Queensland, with dedicated roles spanning multiple disciplines, providing continuity of local relationship‑based engagement.

Proactive and tailored safety education 
Dedicated capability is now in place to better plan and deliver community electrical safety education. This includes clearer role ownership and improved internal coordination.

• Appointment of a Senior Community Safety Advisor to provide tailored advice to landholders and oversee delivery of the Community Electrical Safety Action Plan 2025-2030.
• Production of targeted safety education materials, including electrical safety videos developed with Queensland emergency services.
• Ongoing participation in state, regional and local bushfire mitigation working groups.

Management of biosecurity risks across the project lifecycle 
Biosecurity management is now supported by clearer processes, tools and accountability arrangements.

• Introduction of a digital biosecurity app to improve transparency, efficiency and record‑keeping on landholder properties across projects.
• Continued prioritisation of biosecurity practices during project delivery, with strengthened organisational focus through dedicated environmental leadership.

Engagement with landholders on soil requirements 
Engagement on soil management is more consistent and better informed across project phases.

• Early collaboration with landholders during planning and design to identify site‑specific requirements and ‘no‑go’ areas.
• Active research partnerships with NRM Regions Queensland, CSIRO and James Cook University to improve soil monitoring and vegetation maintenance practices.
• Coordinated responses to landslip events in 2025 in Far North Queensland and South West Queensland, working with landholders and other stakeholders on stabilisation and prevention.

Agreements with local businesses for goods and services 
Procurement approaches now provide clearer pathways for local and First Nations businesses to participate in project delivery, supported by specialist capability and revised commercial strategies.

• More than $50 million in contracts awarded to over 20 local suppliers on the Genex Kidston Connection Project.
• CopperString Supplier Capability Development Program engaging 220 participants from more than 170 businesses.
• Strong uptake through the Gladstone Project expression of interest process, with nearly 1,500 registrations for the 57 works packages released.  

Where work continues

The review also identifies areas where practice is still developing, including improving record‑keeping and data quality, strengthening information handover across project phases, and further embedding consistent approaches as construction programs evolve.

Overall, the findings provide a balanced view of progress and areas still maturing across industry. This is consistent with the guideline’s purpose as a framework for transparency, learning and continuous improvement over time, rather than a measure of completion.

Looking ahead

Powerlink will continue to actively support and participate in this Better Together initiative, including through the next phase of the guideline’s review taking place in late 2026. This will help ensure the Better Practice Social Licence Guideline remains aligned with contemporary better practice and evolving social performance expectations across the transmission sector.

As activity across the energy sector continues to increase, shared standards, independent review and open disclosure will remain important tools for strengthening practice, identifying gaps early, and building trust.

Powerlink will continue to share progress transparently and contribute to sector‑wide learning as part of its commitment to this Better Together initiative.

Learn more about The Better Practice Social Licence Guideline

Powerlink recognises that our infrastructure has a long-term presence in the communities where it is located. This enduring relationship with Queensland communities shapes how we plan, decide and deliver. The way social considerations are understood and reflected in decisions today will shape community experience well into the future. 

Powerlink is building its social performance capability with a focus on being transparent about our approach, the decisions being made, and how this work will continue to evolve. 

Our objective is to drive positive social performance by fostering trusted relationships, enabling opportunities for lasting benefits, and consistently managing social risks and impacts. 

Background 

As the scale and complexity of Powerlink’s investment program has increased, it has become clear that the social impact of our activities needs to be more consistently addressed and earlier in the decision‑making process.  

We also recognised that rather than being managed on a project‑by‑project basis, or after impacts had occurred, we needed to consider both the cumulative impact and opportunities.  

This includes embedding a deep understanding of community context, identifying and managing impacts, and ensuring our decisions are fair, transparent and support long-term value and benefits for communities. 

What we explored 

To build our social performance capability Powerlink reviewed how social impacts and community expectations were being identified and managed across the organisation. 

While there was strong practice in parts of the business, these approaches were not always applied consistently across projects nor embedded early enough to meaningfully influence planning and investment decisions. 

This highlighted the need for a clear, enterprise‑wide approach to social performance — one that could inform decisions across the full asset lifecycle and support and deliver more consistent outcomes over time. 

The approach we have taken 

Powerlink developed a Community and Social Performance Strategy (the Strategy) to provide an organisation‑wide approach to building social performance capability. 

The objectives of the Strategy are to:  

• support the resilience of communities and Traditional Owners in a changing energy system 
• integrate social performance to inform decision-making  
• enable fair and accessible processes and systems to build trust 
• deliver community benefits to provide a positive legacy and  
• lead our partners to adopt community-centric approaches. 

The Strategy is supported by a management system that activates practice including development of community insights, social risk and impact assessment, complaints and resolution management, community benefit sharing, and monitoring, evaluation and reporting. 

Putting the strategy into practice: community benefits and social value 

One way the Community and Social Performance Strategy is being implemented is through Powerlink’s Community Benefits and Social Value Framework. 

The Framework and supporting documents set out how Powerlink designs, governs and delivers community benefits and social value, including; 

• clear principles, objectives and investment categories  
• defined eligibility, assessment criteria and delegations  
• robust governance to support transparency and consistency  
• community insights and participation to inform decision-making  
• collaboration with partners and stakeholders to deliver shared outcomes 

The framework was shaped by feedback from the Customer Panel, which tested its principles and highlighted expectations around fairness, local relevance, governance and cost transparency. 

The framework has been approved and is now progressing through early implementation activities, including pilot work in Central Queensland. 

How we are measuring and learning 

Social performance is not treated as a fixed or completed outcome, but as an iterative process to strengthen performance over time. To support this, Powerlink is building its capability to monitor, evaluate and learn. 

This includes tracking how social performance inputs are being applied, how governance arrangements are functioning, and where approaches need to be refined as projects progress. 

These insights support continuous improvement and reinforce a way of working that embeds strong social performance as part of our core business activity.
 

Powerlink operates on Country with deep cultural, spiritual and social significance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.  

Powerlink’s Traditional Owner Relationship Agreements provide a structured, Whole‑of‑Country foundation for engagement, decision‑making and shared commitments, supporting relationships that extend beyond individual projects or regulatory requirements. 

By taking a Whole‑of‑Country, relationship‑led approach, Powerlink aims to build enduring partnerships that respect Country and culture over time. 

What are Traditional Owner Relationship Agreements? 

Traditional Owner Relationship Agreements are voluntary, co‑designed agreements developed with the relevant Traditional Owner group or groups. 

Each agreement is designed as a Whole‑of‑Country arrangement, meaning it applies across Powerlink’s activities, rather than being limited to a single project or location. 

Relationship Agreements: 

• Set shared expectations for how Powerlink and Traditional Owners work together. 
• Establish agreed engagement protocols and cultural processes. 
• Clarify roles, responsibilities and ways of working. 
• Include a structured benefits package that is directed towards capacity building initiatives, procurement readiness and cultural training. 

How agreements are developed 

A central element of the Relationship Agreement process is the identification of the appropriate Traditional Owners with whom Powerlink must engage.   Relationship Agreements are entered into with the Aboriginal Parties who hold, or are recognised as holding, cultural authority under the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 (Qld).     

The process to establish an agreement typically includes: 

• Recognising Traditional Owners and their connection to Country. 
• Agreeing on engagement protocols and decision‑making processes. 
• Co‑designing benefits that reflect Traditional Owner priorities. 
• Formalising commitments through an agreed document. 
• Ongoing relationship management, review and adaptation over time. 

What benefits are included 

Benefits under Relationship Agreements are structured, planned and agreed, and are not compensation payments. 

They may include: 

• Financial contributions delivered through agreed plans. 
• Support for caring for Country initiatives. 
• Cultural, language and community programs. 
• Employment, training and skills development opportunities. 
• Business development and procurement opportunities. 
• Governance and capacity‑building initiatives. 

A consistent methodology is applied to determine benefits, with co‑design used to ensure delivery reflects local priorities and aspirations.  

How Relationship Agreements fit with legal requirements 

Relationship Agreements do not replace Powerlink’s statutory obligations under the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) or the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 (Qld). 

Where native title or cultural heritage processes are required, those legal processes continue to apply. Relationship Agreements sit alongside these frameworks, focusing on the broader relationship rather than legal compliance alone.  

Governance and accountability 

Relationship Agreements are supported by a Board‑endorsed organisational framework, which sets out roles, responsibilities and governance arrangements within Powerlink. 

Each agreement has a Relationship Owner within Powerlink, accountable for: 

• Maintaining the effectiveness of the agreement. 
• Supporting culturally safe engagement. 
• Ensuring commitments are delivered and reviewed over time. 

Looking ahead 

Relationship Agreements provide a clearer, more respectful way of working with Traditional Owners and provide a stronger foundation for long-term partnerships. 

Powerlink recognises that relationships evolve. Relationship Agreements are designed to be living arrangements which are reviewed, adapted and strengthened as circumstances change. 

Through ongoing learning, governance oversight and collaboration with Traditional Owners, Powerlink will continue to refine how these agreements support respectful relationships and shared outcomes across Queensland.