Community Wellbeing Stream Report Volume 1: Community perceptions of the impact of the smoke event on community wellbeing and of the effectiveness of communication during and after the smoke event.

This report comprises the first of two volumes of research exploring the impact of the 2014 Hazelwood mine fire on the community wellbeing of the people of Morwell and Latrobe Valley. The key aims of the Community Wellbeing Stream project are to investigate community perceptions of: 1. the impact of the smoke event on community wellbeing, 2. the elements that are important for effective communication during and after the smoke event, and 3. the effectiveness of community rebuilding activities. This volume focuses on the first two of these three aims: determining the community perceptions of the impact of the smoke event on community wellbeing and the elements that are important for effective communication during and after the smoke event. The primary significance of this program of work is its ability to inform the community, local government, and various community and health agencies about the way the community’s resilience was affected and how the community perceives its capacity to respond effectively to any similar event in the future. The study also informs these stakeholders of the factors which are most critical for communication during a crisis, and how to ensure communication includes the community, speaks to them through the appropriate channels, and listens and responds to their concerns. The hope is that this report can provide valuable insights that can inform future policy and practice in ways that minimise harmful impacts on community wellbeing by adopting well-informed evidence-based practices in responding to and managing a complex crisis of this kind in the future.