Public consultations are an opportunity to give your feedback to government about a specific topic. Sometimes, governments will provide a survey or list of questions that they want the public to respond to. Other times, they may just request written submissions without giving specific guidelines. If you would like to provide a written submission, here is an outline you can use.
Introduction
In this section, briefly introduce yourself, describe the public consultation you are responding to, and explain why you have decided to provide your input.
Challenges
List the current challenges, barriers, or issues related to this topic. Try to stick to 3-5 total challenges. Give a brief description of each, with any examples or evidence to back up what you are sharing.
Opportunities
Based on the challenges you described, list any opportunities that you see for the government to make improvements. This is your chance to share any great ideas you have for how things could change. Again, try to stick to 3-5 ideas and give a description of each opportunity you identify.
Priorities
If the government had to focus on one solution, what would it be? In this final section, let them know what you want them to prioritize based on what they hear during the consultation.
