Tetra Tech’s Australian Consulting Practice provides the tailored care, integrity and personalised service of a boutique consultancy, a specialisation in relational approaches guided by First Nations leaders, backed by the mobilisation capacity of a multi-national company.
We have strong relationships with community and not-for-profit organisations and work with federal, State and Territory government clients. We have been providing high trust consulting to Australian Commonwealth, State and Territory governments for over 40 years, with federal partner assessments consistently rating above the consulting industry average. As a for-purpose publicly listed company working towards thriving people, community and planet, we are committed to acting in the public interest.
With over 40 years of experience in development, diplomacy and partnership brokering, our relational methods are cross-culturally informed, power-aware, and focused on healing. Today, they are anchored and guided by First Nations staff and advisors who guide us to integrate ancient kinship leadership to address the complex challenges of our modern times.
We focus on supporting rural, regional and remote Australian communities, in all their diversities. These communities require relational approaches to realise solutions that enhance resilience to climate change and sustainably leverage cultural wealth, renewable energy and water management.
We specialise in evidence-based research, strategy design, capacity strengthening, and evaluation to ensure government services, programs and projects are socially accepted through community legitimacy, credibility and trust. Our expertise spans renewable energy, water management, ecology, sustainability, and climate change, complemented by skilled practitioners in education, community services, gender equality, disability inclusion, child protection, and family safety.
Our relational approach
Through a holistic view driven by relationships, we nurture reciprocity rather than temporarily ‘centering’ one group of people. Working toward our mission with shared learning at the core of our work, our team of designers, researchers, trainers, and delivery leads:
- Work to support the emergence of many good ideas that together can shift a system.
- Connect and build networks of people, communities and organisations to develop eco-systems of inter-connected solutions that work together to create change.
- Collaborate closely with clients to exchange knowledge and skills in research, design, evaluation, empowering them to thrive independently. This ensures solutions are sustainable and foster self-reliance.
Principles of our Relational Approach
Human services and community development
At the human and community level, we assist Australian governments in enhancing equitable access, safety, quality and coverage of human and community services, particularly in rural, regional, and remote areas. Collaborating with an allyship network of community and Indigenous-owned organisations, our relational engagement approach focuses on humanising the project process:
- Understanding ourselves and our clients.
- Establishing relationships through listening, engaging, and sharing.
- Building relationships to connect shared interests and navigate tensions.
- Nurturing relationships by consolidating mutual respect and focus.
- Sustaining relationships through shared governance, performance, and accountability.
- Valuing relationships through equitable evaluation and continuous improvement.
We prioritise practices that support individual and collective physical, emotional, cultural and spiritual well-being and safety.
Natural wealth and ecological management
At the planetary level, Australian people and communities should not only benefit from, but also co-create, co-decide and self-determine natural wealth projects appropriate for their local area. We work at the intersection of reconciliation, decarbonisation, and ecology, with First Nations knowledge holders who guide us in understanding the connectedness of all things, especially to water.
We help to navigate how renewable technologies can be implemented across diverse Australian landscapes and community dynamics. This includes building on existing community strengths to develop solutions that are adapted to Australian conditions. We bring technical leadership and global expertise in delivering resilient, sustainable, and appropriate renewable solutions across Australia, from wind and solar to water-centered endowments in tidal, hydro, and geothermal.
Learn more about Tetra Tech’s First Nations consulting work around the world.
