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What is Pirie Voices?
Pirie Voices is about the people of Port Pirie shaping our own future. No one knows the community better than those who live, work, and rely on it. Over the next year, we’ll aim to hear from 1,000 local voices to understand what matters most.
Plans and actions will be guided by the community - we decide and take action together, focusing on what matters most to us, in making Pirie the best place it can be to live and work.
Change happens with us - not to us.
Why?
The most effective change happens when the people most affected are part of driving it. Pirie Voices started through a shared interest from community members, organisations, and groups to support positive, long-term change in Port Pirie. While these discussions started over the past few years, we know that there are so many more people in our community that want to be part of this conversation, to help inform what future action we take together.
Who is Involved?
Pirie Voices is supported by community members, local organisations, industry, education, and government. No single organisation leads this work. It’s powered by strong, diverse partnerships, with outcomes owned and led by the community.
To get things started, a leadership group made up of our partner organisations is helping oversee Pirie Voices. But this is just the beginning, our community is the lead, and all outcomes will be owned and shaped by the people of Port Pirie.
How to Get Involved
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Share your voice: Answer our 5 community questions HERE. Your responses are confidential and no personal information is collected
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Be a Community Conversation Leader: Host conversations with friends, family, or groups (training and support provided)
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Partner with us: We welcome opportunities to work together and partnerships where there are shared values
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Register for updates: Receive news, progress updates, and opportunities to stay involved. Sign up at the bottom of the page
What’s Next?
Along the way, we’ll:
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Check in regularly with the community
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Share what people are saying
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Take immediate action wherever possible
Hearing from 1,000 voices is just the beginning. The next steps will be decided by the community. Our collective voices will guide future priorities and long-term goals, ensuring change is meaningful, practical, and led by the people it affects most. Actions will continue to be shaped by the community, for the community.
We’re Learning Together!
Pirie Voices is new, and we don’t have all the answers — yet. We’re learning as we go, alongside the community, listening, experimenting, and adapting so that every step we take reflects what matters most to the people of Port Pirie.
Do I need to live in Port Pirie to be involved?
No. There is no specific eligibility criteria to have your voice heard. You can live or work in Port Pirie or live in surrounding areas and rely on Port Pirie to access services such as shopping, health services or professional services. Our goal is to include a diversity of voices and perspectives.
Are Community Conversation Leaders volunteers?
Pirie Voices does not use a traditional volunteer or consultation model. Instead, this is a grassroots, community-led conversation movement. There are no volunteers, just conversations with care, across the community, gathered consistently and purposefully. Facilitators are everyday people - community members, students, parents, business owners, organisation leaders - who care about the future of Port Pirie and are willing to have a chat with someone they know. There is no selection or nomination process. Anyone who wants to contribute to positive change can participate. Interested community members will be supported with easy-to-use conversation tools.
How will Community Conversation Leaders be trained?
There is no formal training, time commitment, or expectation. Community members might spend just 5 to 10 minutes having a conversation with a friend, family member, or colleague.
A Community Conversation Leaders Toolkit is available which provides guidance around asking questions, recording feedback, conversation starters and FAQs. The Pirie Voices Coordinator will provide support to get you started and ensure you have access to all the tools and information along the way.
How will we handle data and ensure alignment with the Australian Privacy Principles?
All conversations and survey content will be anonymous. No personally identifying information such as names and addresses will be collected in the conversations. Demographic data such as age group, gender, and cultural connection is included, to ensure we are connecting across the community.
Qualitative data will be in the form of quotes, words, and themes. We will have a ‘Keep in Touch’ form which community members can choose to fill out if they wish to be kept updated via email or text. This is optional. The data collected on this will be name, phone number, email, suburb. This contact information will only be used for the purposes of keeping community members up to date on Pirie Voices, and you can opt out of communication at anytime.
Who will have access to the feedback revied through the 1,000 Voices?
The Pirie Voices Coordinator, members of the Leadership Group, and (if needed) external partners will contribute to reviewing submissions, supporting analysis, and developing the final roadmap. A regular update will be provided to the community which summarised the feedback received, identifies key themes and also areas where immediate action could progress.
Can my business or organisation get involved?
We’d love for more organisations to join Pirie Voices. You can get involved by sharing information about Pirie Voices through your personal and professional networks, and within your workplace or you may wish to have a bigger role. Pirie Voices values any contributions that organisations can provide, including your knowledge, resources, or networks to support local conversations and community priorities. Partners don’t “own” Pirie Voices — they walk alongside the community. If your organisation is interested, reach out to the Leadership Group to discuss how you can contribute and be part of shaping positive, long-term change together.