The Art on the Great Victorian Rail Trail Project was officially opened at Trawool Estate on Friday 26 May ahead of a major tourism campaign planned for spring. The project was a join initiative between Murrindindi, Mansfield and Mitchell Shire Councils.
Almost 200 projects across Australia aimed at protecting Australian communities
from future disasters have been announced as part of the first round of the Federal Government’s Disaster Ready Fund.
The fund will provide $200 million per year aimed at protecting Australian communities.
The funding is available to state and territory governments, working with local governments and communities, for building infrastructure such as flood levees, seawalls and hazard warning systems to protect communities, homes, livelihoods and critical public infrastructure.
The announcement of the first 187 new projects to be funded by the DRF has been welcomed by all levels of government including the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA).
ALGA President Councillor Linda Scott said the projects were critical for protecting Australian communities from future disasters.
“We strongly advocated to the Government for this funding in the lead up to last year’s election, and were thrilled when it was announced and later enshrined in legislation,” Cr Scott said.
“Unfortunately, less than five percent of disaster mitigation funding in Australia is spent on mitigation and community resilience. This
needs to change if we are to better protect our communities from increasingly frequent floods, fires and cyclones.”
There were 46 declared disasters covering more than 300 local government areas in 2022 alone.
“Local governments across the country have disaster mitigation projects ready to go, and this funding will help them deliver these projects and better safeguard their communities,” Cr Scott said.
“Investing in mitigation makes economic sense, and significantly reduces the costs governments incur during recovery.
“We sincerely thank Emergency Management Minister Senator Murray Watt for this first round of funding, and look forward to working with him to ensure future rounds of funding is provided where it will make the biggest difference.”
NSW has had 19 local projects funded under the DRF with a total of more than $70 million in combined investment into disaster prevention.
Successful projects in NSW include: De-
livery of risk reduction equipment, a critical evacuation centre and early warning systems at Cabonne in Western NSW; The design and construction of four high priority coastal protection projects including upgrades to road protection structures, rock walls and levees as part of Eurobodalla Council’s Batemans Bay Coastal Protection Works on the South Coast; Construction works to future-proof Moulamein against damage caused by large flood events in the South West region; Works to reduce flood and erosion risks in the Lismore river catchment on the North Coast; A suite of research and development projects to enhance disaster planning, preparations and response capabilities in the Northern Rivers; Construction of new stormwater drains in Orange in the Central Western region; The establishment of strategic partnerships with Aboriginal communities and organisations to reduce the risk and impact of disasters through Forestry Corporation’s ‘Fire, Country and People’ and Youth-informed mental health resources in preparation and response to disaster-associated trauma through Bushfire Kids’ ‘Connect School Com-
munity Disaster Risk Ready’.
Through the first round, Queensland will benefit from over $150 million in combined investment into disaster prevention, through the Federal, State and delivery partner co-contributions.
Successful Queensland projects include: Resilient infrastructure for Indigenous and remote communities including cyclone shelters and upgrades; Foreshore strengthening along the Sunshine and Moreton Bay coast; Live Stream Flood Monitoring Cameras for Brisbane; Pormpuraaw Aerodrome Upgrade; Monitoring and Early Warning Systems upgrades at Cloncurry; Solar Panels and Battery Storage for Disaster Resilience at Mt Isa; Water infrastructure upgrades at Gladstone to gain resilience in the water network and enable the existing Round Hill Reservoir (RHR) to be upgraded to a more resilient standard; Extension of the Household Resilience Program in Central and North Queensland coastal communities to reduce damage from cyclones; Enhanced energy security during disasters in South East Queensland and Statewide disaster ready imagery.
Continued page 3
The first of the Federal Government’s Disaster Ready Fund has been released with 187 projects across the country receiving money to make regions better prepared for floods, fires and cyclones.
With 46 declared disasters covering more than 300 local government areas last year it’s well overdue and goes some of the way to future proof communities as they come face to face with more climate disasters in coming years.
The fund will provide $200 million per year for the next five years.
It is a great initiative but not really there to help those still grappling with the results of the recent weather events including LGAs like Warrumbungle Shire which is continuing to repair widespread damage to their road network, caused by successive natural disaster events from November 2021 to September 2022.
But it’s a start!
- Tania PhillipsEnergy Next, powered by All Energy Australia, will transform the ICC Sydney into a showcase of Australia’s clean energy future on 18-19 July.
Featuring some of Australia’s most experienced and innovative clean energy experts and organisations, Energy Next will host over 20 different expert talks, presentations and panels on topics such as EVs, Microgrids, Energy Storage, Solar PV, Wind Energy, Virtual Power Plants, Energy Data and Hydrogen & Ammonia.
Talks include insights from ACA Research on the current state of the consumer EV market, whether Perovskites are the future of Solar Energy, the role microgrids can play in decarbonization, the future of lithium-ion battery chemistry, how virtual power plants can unlock the value in a net zero transition, what Super Hybrids’ role is in making Australia a green superpower and how AI can predict future breakdowns in the renewable energy supply chain.
Outlined below are a few of the highlight topic areas set to be discussed at Energy Next.
EVs
Following increased attention and significant investment from the government (with even more expected over the next four years), it’s an exciting time for electric vehicles in Australia. The NSW Government has set a goal of at least 50 per cent of all new car sales to be EVs by 2030-31, promising almost half a billion in tax cuts and incentives to get us there.
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Though it’s a promising start, there is still a lot of work to be done in order to make this a reality. As part of this discussion, Energy Next will feature a number of EV consumer based talks and a panel discussion focusing on EV infrastructure.
‘Model T to Tesla: The Consumer Journey to Electric in 2023 and Beyond’ presented by Amelia McVeigh from ACA Research, will share insights from the ACA Research’s Consumer Automotive Program for the first time, revealing the current state of consumer electric vehicle sentiment, level of market maturity, expectations and sensitivity around vehicle pricing and projections for future growth in the space.
Microgrids
Microgrids represent a great opportunity for green power, particularly in regional areas, allowing for more security and reliability when maintaining a green energy supply. Energy Next has included several talks on the state of microgrids in Australia as part of the agenda including ‘Advanced Inverter Capabilities and Their Role in Grid Stability’, presented by Andros Cadavid, Business Developer Manager, SMA Australia. Cadavid will discuss some of the challenges and solutions as it relates to transitioning the NEM towards a renewable energy dominated system through state-of-theart inverter technology.
Australia has a vast capacity for generating green energy but, given the intermittent nature of solar and wind generation, there’s a string of logistics that need to be discussed. Chaired by Nishad Mendis, Energy Transition Manager for Bureau Veritas Australia, the panel discussion titled ‘Long Duration Energy Storage Technologies and Development’ will discuss the acceleration of renewables and long duration energy storage with a series of representatives associated with these next-gen technologies.
Rod Scott, CEO of Selectronic Australia, will talk about the changes in the political and eco-
National General Assembly
13-16 June
· Canberra
ALGA is now calling for councils to submit motions for the 2023 National General Assembly of Local Government (NGA), which will be held at the National Convention Centre in Canberra this June. The theme for this year’s NGA will be “Our Communities, Our Future”. ALGA is seeking motions that align with this theme and identify opportunities for new federal programs and policies that will support councils to build stronger communities. A discussion paper providing further in-
nomic landscapes over the last 12 months that have led to more aggressive renewable targets in ‘Smarter Storage Needed to Achieve Future Targets.’ During which, Scott will discuss how these changes have increased the public’s awareness of the vulnerability that Australia will not reach these targets without an increased focus on sovereign capabilities and resources.
Solar PV
Around 30 per cent of homes in Australia have Solar PV, the biggest uptake worldwide. It is also the fastest growing energy generation type in Australia. This makes for a busy market. Thankfully Warwick Johnston, Director, SunWiz, will present insights into all that’s happening in the solar and storage market, along with a prediction for the future during the first talk of Energy Next 2023 - ‘The Latest Update in PV & ESS.’
Wind Energy
Australia is an emerging market for offshore wind projects, with some of the best wind generating coastlines in the world, but falls behind neighbours such as Taiwan, Vietnam and Japan. Energy Next has invited Richard FinlayJones, Director, Newcastle Offshore Wind Energy, to discuss a project that has been in development for over a decade.
‘The Newcastle Offshore Wind Energy Project, which was initially only a small-scale project, now has the potential to supply GW scale energy to the NEM via the high capacity Hunter Valley - Central Coast transmission and distribution network.
Hydrogen and Ammonia
The Australian government is currently taking active steps for Australia to become a worldleader in Hydrogen export, as well as it having a significant role in domestic clean energy production, though this will require a significant increase in Hydrogen production.
Peter Sallans, Technical Director of Zetta New Energy, will examine both established and emerging hydrogen production processes in ‘Large Scale Hydrogen Production for Domestic Consumption and Export,’ presenting relevant opportunities Australia may have to establish a domestic hydrogen economy and to become a major player in exportation into a global hydrogen economy.
Energy Data
There’s no denying that generative AI has progressed beyond comprehension in recent years.. Darren Read, General Manager of Digital Services for Schneider Electric, believes that AI’s predictive capability has no limits and despite its pitfalls, can help the energy sector predict grid failures before they happen.
‘Predictive Asset Management and Digital Transformation for the Renewable Industry’, presented by Read, will discuss the different costs associated with losing an asset on wind, solar and hydroelectric plants, whilst also taking into account management measures for resource scarcity and supply chain uncertainties, and how AI can help us mitigate this and prevent issues before they have already happened Powered by All-Energy Australia, in partnership with the Clean Energy Council and with the support of the NSW Government, Energy Next will be spread across two days, boasting an extensive exhibition and agenda in addition to workshops and networking opportunities.
Anyone with an interest in the ‘clean energy’ space can register for free.
For more information about Energy Next and to view the full agenda, go to energynext. com.au/en-gb
formation, and outlining the criteria that motions must meet is available on their website. Motions were due by Friday 24 March 2023 and must be lodged online.
Water Management Conference
26-28 June
· Parkes Shire
The 2023 LGNSW Water Conference will run from Monday 26 June to Wednesday 28 June. Host council and destination will be Parkes Shire Council. #LGNSWWater2023.
IPWEA International Asset Management Congress
14 – 15 June
· Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, 2684-2690 Gold Coast Hwy Broadbeach QLD
NSW LGA Conference
12-14 November
The 2023 Local Government Annual Conference will be held from Sunday 12 to Tuesday 14 November at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse.
Floodway upgrades along Kempe Road and Anne Beadell Highway, near Coober Pedy in the far north of South Australia, are now underway to improve the resilience of the roads and keep outback townships connected during future flooding events.
Federal Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories the Hon Kristy McBain MP said the $3.4 million worth of floodway upgrades are funded by the Australian Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) Program.
“The LRCI Program supports local councils to deliver priority local road and community infrastructure projects across the nation.
“This is an investment in supporting jobs and delivering benefits to local communities, investing not only in upgrades to roads, but also community halls, parks and sports facilities, bike paths and playgrounds.
“We know what a difference good local roads and community facilities can make, particularly in regional and rural communities.
“I am delighted to see outback South Australia benefiting from this investment.”
The upgrades on Kempe Road will be undertaken at Lora Creek and Arckaringa Creek, between Coober Pedy and Oodnadatta, and the Anne Beadell Highway upgrades will occur at two floodways between The Ghan railway line and Coober Pedy.
Kempe Road is a key road linking Coober Pedy with the remote community of Oodnadatta and wet weather can cause significant damage to the road, as occurred during the early 2022 flood event when road access was cut off to Oodnadatta.
Anne Beadell Highway is heavily used by bus companies to commute tourists from The Ghan services to Coober Pedy and when the road becomes flooded during wet weather tourists have to remain on the train for extended periods of time.
Works on both roads are being undertaken by SA Road Services on behalf of the Depart-
ment for Infrastructure and Transport and will include floodway repairs and improved drainage.
The Kempe Road works commenced on Wednesday, 24 May and are expected to be completed by the end of August 2023, weather permitting.
Minister for Local Government and Regional Roads, the Hon Geoff Brock MP said the Anne Beadell Highway works will commence shortly after and be completed in late June 2023. Speed and lane restrictions may be required during work hours.
“The floodway upgrades we’re delivering on Kempe Road and Anne Beadell Highway will significantly improve connectivity and road safety at these remote locations.
“The outback flood event in January/February 2022 was particularly difficult for the Ood-
nadatta community, as it became isolated from the rest of the state due to the flood-related closures of all its connector roads, including Kempe Road.
“The floodway upgrades on Kempe Road, at Lora Creek and Arckaringa Creek, will therefore improve connectivity to Oodnadatta by ensuring the road will stay open longer, and be reopened more rapidly, following intense rain.
“As Anne Beadell Highway links The Ghan rail line to Coober Pedy, the floodway works there will support the movement of passengers to the township for tours and recreational activities, which are important to the area’s tourism.
“It’s also pleasing to note that works have commenced on all of the LRCI projects being delivered by the OCA.
“These projects will result in much-needed improved community infrastructure for our remote outback communities.”
Meanwhile, the Outback Communities Authority (OCA) is delivering 30 projects that have been funded by the LRCI Program, ranging between $5,000 and $1 million in value.
Outback Communities Authority Director Marg Howard said this includes a $1 million contribution in partnership with RFDS to build the organisation’s new $2 million purpose-built remote area health clinic at William Creek.
“Communities across outback SA are benefitting from upgrades to existing infrastructure and facilities – as well as new projects.
“Not only do these improve liveability for people who make the outback their home, they also create better amenity for visitors to the region.”
Work has started on all of the projects and they are on track for completion by June 2024.
From page 1
Acting Minister responsible for the Queensland Reconstruction Authority Meaghan Scanlon said the projects would allow greater resilience in the face of disasters.
“The evolution of the former Emergency Response Fund to become the Disaster Ready Fund makes sense as it allows us to embed greater resilience in communities before disasters strike, reducing impacts and recovery costs,” Scanlon said.
“We know significant and ongoing investment in disaster resilience and preparedness will be invaluable in the long term so we’re really happy that Queensland will receive more than $84 million from this round of the DRF, to go towards 50 vital projects that will help protect Queenslanders right across our state.
“To ensure the delivery of this first round of the DRF, the Queensland Government will also be investing more than $22.6 million towards these projects, and we’ll be working closely with councils over the months ahead to get things moving.”
Victoria has had 31 local projects funded and will receive $54 million in combined investment into disaster prevention.
Successful Victorian projects include remote bushfire detection to support early detection of fires; Levee works in Moira, Mount Alexander and Wangaratta; Upgrades to drainage infrastructure, pump systems, and other assets with current technology in Swan Hill; Investigation of flood prone transport routes in North Central Victoria; Modernising the pollen forecasting network to reduce future disaster risk statewide and Building/ improving the Centre of Excellence for Young People and Disasters.
Victorian Minister for Emergency Services Jaclyn Symes said world-leading technology and engaging with younger generations will bolster Victoria’s ability to plan, respond to and recovery from emergencies.
“Victoria faces the threat of bushfires
and floods every year and we know natural disasters are becoming more common and dangerous due to climate change,” Minister Symes said.
“We saw the impacts the October floods had on the state and a key focus of these projects will be around flood mitigation – that includes reducing the impact of flood and stormwater and improving flood intelligence mapping.
“Victoria is one of the most fire-prone regions in the world. Remote bushfire detection using satellite and terrestrial cameras will improve the safety of our firefighters and reduce the impacts on communities.”
In South Australia there will be 23 local projects with an injection of $47 million.
SA State Minister for Emergency Services the Hon Joe Szakacs MP said local projects at both a state-wide and regional level will ensure all communities are significantly more prepared for future natural disasters.
“As natural disasters are becoming more common, and more dangerous due to climate change, the need for communities to be adequately prepared has never been higher,” Minister Szakacs said.
Western Australia has had 23 projects funded at a cost of more than $18 million.
Successful projects in WA include: Upgrades to evacuation centres at Boyup Brook, Toodyay, Cunderdin and Nabawa to better protect surrounding communities during bushfires, floods and other emergencies, Supporting bushfire mitigation works and community education programs including firewise landscaping, a bushfire virtual reality program and a family-centred disaster resilience gallery to promote preparedness, Overhaul of the Geraldton Airport power supply system to ensure continuous power supply in critical emergencies such as Cyclone Seroja in 2021. WA Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said Commonwealth funding provided a vital boost for many exciting and innovative projects.
Tasmania will benefit from nearly $30 million with the successful Tasmanian projects including a major flood mitigation project for the Sheepwash Creek catchment in the Northern Midlands region, Energy security and communication improvements for the South Arm Community Evacuation Centre, Extra water and flood awareness training for 3000 TasPol, TFES, SES and associated volunteers to equip them with best practise flood water rescue training and skills; Flash flooding mitigation in the Derwent Valley; Targeted assistance to people with disabilities and their service providers to help them to prepare for bushfires, floods and storms; Funding for northern councils to address climate change and Enhancing landslide risk mitigation in Tasmania’s urban zones
A total of nine projects have been funded for the Northern Territory under Round One. Successful projects include enhancing communication for emergency management responses and increasing disaster resilience capacity and capability across the NT, with a particular focus on the provision of food relief for vulnerable people living in remote and isolated communities in times of disaster.
A full list of funded projects is available at nema.gov.au/programs/disaster-ready-fund/ round-one
The Australian Government is providing $7.35 million to the Norfolk Island Regional Council (NIRC) for significant upgrades to Norfolk Island’s telecommunications network over the next two years.
The improvements to Norfolk Telecom, which provides telecommunications services to the Norfolk Island community, are expected to increase capacity of the satellite network to four times its current speed. Faster and more reliable connectivity will improve the liveability of Norfolk Island, and enhance the delivery of education and healthcare on island by the Queensland Government.
The additional capability will support the Queensland Government’s operation of Norfolk Island Central School (NICS) and health care delivery by Norfolk Island Health and Residential Aged Care Service (NIHRACS). During school hours, dedicated NICS bandwidth will support online study. After school hours, the NICS bandwidth will be available for general community use.
The Australian Government has welcomed Qantas and Jetstar as the first airlines to sign up to the Western Sydney International (NancyBird Walton) Airport (WSI) to operate domestic flights.
This agreement is expected to support more than 25,000 flights, carrying more than four million passengers, through WSI each year – and will support 700 jobs.
WSI is a transformational infrastructure project that will generate economic activity, provide long-term employment opportunities in the Western Sydney region, and meet Sydney’s growing aviation needs.
Delivery of Australia’s newest airport has now also reached another major milestone, passing the halfway mark.
More than 4,300 direct jobs have already been created by the airport’s construction, with half being from Western Sydney and around a third learning new skills on-the-job.
More than 250 Western Sydney-based businesses have been engaged by contractors across construction, catering, security and other sectors and WSI is on track to start operations by late 2026, according to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
“It’s exciting to see Qantas and Jetstar being the first airlines to commit to Australia’s newest airport, which will offer international and domestic passenger as well as freight services from Western Sydney,” he said.
“This is a strong sign of support from the airline industry and continues the commitment we are seeing from the business community to invest in Western Sydney. That means more jobs for Western Sydney locals, as well as unlocking opportunities for apprenticeships and other learning workers to advance their skills and experience.
Tell us about your area: What makes your council special or different?
Our council area is the Hawkesbury in NSW. With our iconic river, valleys and mountains, it is a place of pristine beauty, although mother nature sure has shown her might over the last few years with bushfires and floods. As the third colonial settlement of mainland Australia, we have a rich and diverse heritage, which also includes our amazing Indigenous history. Most of our council area is bushland, dotted by small towns and villages that weave their way through the landscape.
Do you have a favourite part/aspect/ attraction in the council area?
Here in the Hawkesbury, we really exist due to our river. It is our lifeblood and I absolutely love it. It supplies water, fertile floodplains for farming, fishing and of course, supports a large recreation sector for water skiing and boat racing. Whilst most of the time it is a beautiful and calming place to be, it also can be ferocious, as we have seen in recent floods, causing immeasurable damage. There is something uniquely special about it though and is something that attracts many people to the area.
How long have you been on council and why did you become involved in local government?
I have been a Councillor since 2016 and I am currently in my first term as Mayor. I initially ran for local government when I was 21, before I had my children. From a young age, I held a strong sense of community and wanted to be involved as a participant to create change and better outcomes for all who live here. Over the years, I have achieved some amazing results, including advocating for half a billion dollars for local infrastructure and being known as a staunch supporter for small business and tourism. It is these outcomes that will last for decades to come. Leaving a positive legacy is so important to me.
Do you have another job? Tell us about that and how it contributes to your role/views as a councillor.
As Mayor, I do not have another job. Because our community has been through such a hard time lately with natural disasters, I believe it is important to be a full-time Mayor, focused on our recovery and providing constant advocacy to other levels of government for our needs.
Prior to council, I was a lawyer working in a law firm in Parramatta.
What activities do enjoy outside of work hours?
Most importantly, being a mum means everything to me and I love spending time with my
children, supporting them in their interests and activities. I have two girls and a boy and they are fun, intelligent and driven. Helping nurture their needs as they grow is a big priority to me. I also enjoy reading, swimming and finding new local places to explore.
Council goals, challenges, and achievements: What are they key challenges facing you and your council?
Presently, our largest challenge is flood recovery. We have over $240 million worth of damaged infrastructure. Our staff are working really hard to fill potholes and organise contractors for major reconstruction projects. In addition, we have just received $98 million from the NSW WestInvest program to implement game changing projects locally. Ensuring these are delivered on time, to provide the greatest benefit to our community, is paramount.
What innovative projects or policies is council working on?
The March 2021 flood caused significant damage to Greens Road at Lower Portland. Repairing this road has been a significant engineering challenge and while planning for repairs was underway in 2021, there was a period where additional heavy rain had the potential to cause further deterioration or collapse of the road into the river. For the safety of motorists, the road
In November 2022, I was elected as Mayor of South Australia’s largest metropolitan council.
By Mayor Moira Were AM of OnkaparingaI am seeking to find ways to ensure a wide range of voices are head and contributing to decision-making, not just the loudest ones.
Being Mayor is also about being chief cheerleader and advocate, and in my role I am keen to celebrate what’s working well, to help get obstacles out of the way, and most importantly to unleash and unlock possibilities for our community.
I am future focussed and that means considering decisions not just for today, but with tomorrow in mind. A question I often ask myself is what kind of ancestor do I want to be? In local government we make decisions that impact the future and what resources will be available for the next generation. We are also the custodians of the resources we have inherited. Not acting to accelerate our response to mitigate the impacts of climate is very important to me. I am proud the newly
elected Chamber of the City of Onkaparinga made a climate emergency declaration in their first meeting of 2023.
As Mayor, I like to ask strategic questions that will reveal our values and help us find our way to innovative solutions. For example, asking ‘How do you think we can find common ground with this issue?’, encourages people to see what they hold in common and can build a bridge between opposing views. There is so much polarisation in our nation at the moment and indeed around the world, I think it is the role of the Mayor to help bring all kinds of thinking to the table. Another helpful question is are they any values we might all share to help us find our way to the next step? Keeping an open mind and an openheart builds confidence and trust.
These are the skills and experience I bring to my role as Mayor and I look forward to continue to learn from community leaders as I grow into the role.
had to be closed when 20ml or more of rain was predicted or had fallen until fresh safety inspections could be carried out.
To provide residents with as much warning as possible, we developed a database of residents’ mobile phone numbers, which enabled council to set up a mobile phone SMS alert system to inform residents of an impending road closure and reopening.
The success of this led council to implement the same system when Thomas James Bridge in the Macdonald Valley was similarly damaged in the March 2022 flood. It has been very beneficial as a communication tool since we have had six floods in three years, and these residents live in very isolated areas with few other access roads. It has enabled them to plan access to their homes, their workplaces and local schools in advance. Council expects that this process will serve as a model for keeping residents informed during future disaster events.
Work has also started on the incredible restoration of Thomas James Bridge, its approaches on Settlers Road and adjacent rockface – all damaged during the flood events of March and July 2022.
Thomas James Bridge is the oldest in-use road bridge on mainland Australia and was constructed using convict labour in 1830. It is
one of two routes accessing St Albans from Wisemans Ferry – and the primary access for residents of Lower Macdonald and Central Macdonald.
The restoration of the bridge will involve the replacement of the timber spans and the reconstruction of the convict-built sandstone retaining wall. Each sandstone block will be catalogued, numbered, removed by hand, placed into storage before being placed back into position once the underlying bridge structure has been replaced.
Tell us about a specific success you have had in local government.
One of the largest successes I have had is to advocate for the $500 million allocated for an additional bridge across the Hawkesbury River. Before this occurred, the NSW Government has decided to build road corridors through some of our most pristine land, and I fought hard to make sure that plan was scrapped. As a result, I was involved with the process for this additional bridge and working very hard to secure this funding. I will always be very proud of that achievement.
What is the best part about being a councillor?
Community connection. Undoubtedly. I grew up in the Hawkesbury and have chosen to raise my own children here, Being so heavily involved in local community groups and volunteer organisations, where we all work to help others and improve our local area, gives me such a sense of pride. People say that if you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work, and that is exactly how it is for me in this role. Achieving outcomes that make things better for people is what it is all about.
What is the worst part?
The abuse. I cannot sugar coat it – the abuse is quite frankly, disgraceful. I have had to take out an interim AVO on a resident for stalking and harassment and I am currently being subjected to some of the most horrific online abuse by a very small group of local people who not only target me, but also my family members. At the end of the day, we are all human beings and stronger laws need to be put in place to stop this from being an inevitable part of this job. What do you hope to accomplish in the future?
In the future, I would like people to look back on my time in leadership in the Hawkesbury and say it was positive, productive and inspiring. I would like to achieve a range of infrastructure projects, as well as empower initiatives that improve people’s lives. I hope the difference that I make is one that last for generations.
The NSW Parliament is currently debating change that will enshrine Sydney Water and Hunter Water in the NSW Constitution to ensure they stay publicly owned; however there is no mention of local government in the proposed amendment.
Country Mayors Association of NSW (CMA), on behalf of its members, is calling for an expansion of the scope of the Bill to include all local government-owned assets to stay in the hands of local government to ensure local government will never lose control of its most important asset - our water.
“Over many years across Australia, state governments have increasingly been taking control of water and sewer utilities from local government, causing a significant increase in cost to residents, as well as loss of local autonomy in decision making that guarantees future growth direction,” CMA chairman, Mayor Jamie Chaffey said.
“Regional councils also rely heavily on our utilities for our future viability. That has never been more critical then now. Financial viability was identified as our members’ most important issue in our recent member survey.”
Mayor Chaffey said the CMA held our quarterly general meeting in Sydney at Parliament House in late May with more than 85 per cent of their membership in attendance.
Minister for Water, Housing, Homeless-
ness, Mental Health, Youth and the North Coast, The Hon Rose Jackson, who was a guest speaker, discussed the proposed Constitutional change.
“Both Sydney Water and Hunter Water are statutory state-owned corporations and can be safeguarded against privatisation by an amendment to the Constitution Act,” she said.
Forbes Shire Council Mayor Cr Phyllis Miller said CMA members accepted the opportunity to ask the Minister questions relating to her new Ministries.
“In response to my question about local government retaining ownership of Local Water Utilities in regional NSW that I asked at the meeting of Country Mayors, the Minister for Water, Rose Jackson’s response was that it would be the case and I understood this to mean that she supported this being enshrined in the constitution.”
CMA deputy chairman Mayor Rick Firman said members had spoken loudly and clearly, especially through the group’s recent survey results.
“It is critical that water remains in the
Queensland’s councils are calling for youth diversionary centres to be established on remote state land to give young people skills and care and keep them out of youth detention.
The peak body representing Queensland’s councils has requested that the State Government considers establishing the diversionary facilities to help address youth crime.
“Our members voted last year for this as a positive step that could help tackle re-offending rates and provide specific services and support needed to break the cycle of crime,” LGAQ chief executive officer Alison Smith said.
“Councils have suggested small centres could be developed in remote areas, where these young people can be given a chance in life by providing them with both social and accredited vocational skills in a safe environment away from negative influences.
“Young people who are disengaging or have disengaged from the education system could then be provided with alternative pathways into further education, employment and social engagement that is culturally appropriate and inclusive.”
Mareeba Shire Council Mayor Angela Toppin said the youth justice system needed to change.
“The current system of either sending young people to formal youth detention centres, where they often become further criminalised by the fellow inmates or are given some form of community service is not working for many of these vulnerable young members of society,” Mayor Toppin said.
“The State Government in recent times has acquired several large properties across Queensland – including The Lakes Station and Bramwell Station - and my council is proposing that small centres be developed on some of these.
“These facilities could be set up across the state and while it is envisaged that they be multicultural in nature, should specific groups wish to establish culturally specific facilities this should also be accommodated.
“These facilities should not be seen as places of punishment but rather places where young people, who have often missed out of opportunities because of the environment they are in, could develop the necessary skills to succeed in life.
“Something must be done to address the increase in youth crime and the current approach is having limited success.”
hands of our communities, through local government,” he said.
“We strongly and respectfully call on our new State Government to please include the protection of our water in the NSW Constitution. Water gives us life – it really is critical that our members are listened to.
“CMA has long held the position that our water and sewer utilities must remain in the hands of local government, not state government or any other entity or be privatised. Do not touch our water. Add Local Government to the Constitution change,” Mayor Chaffey said.
“The CMA stands firm in our pursuit of equity of service provision for the residents of our communities.
“We stand united with our members to advocate for residents who choose to call country NSW home. We will continue to work with both State and Commonwealth governments to achieve the best quality of life and provision of services for our residents, and we look forward to a prosperous future.”
Wagga Wagga City Council will join with neighbour councils to host the 2024 Local Government NSW Destination and Visitor Economy Conference, expected to draw hundreds of participants from across the state.
Coolamon Shire Council and Junee Shire Council joined with Wagga Wagga City Council in a successful collaborative bid to host the Conference, which takes place from Tuesday 28 to Thursday 30 May 2024.
Local Government NSW (LGNSW) President Cr Darriea Turley AM congratulated the three councils on their successful bid to host the 2024 event.
“I am delighted that next year’s conference will take place in the fantastic Wagga Wagga + Surrounds region,” Cr Turley said.
“With more than 1.3 million visitors to the region annually, Wagga Wagga City Council, along with Coolamon Shire Council and Junee Shire Council, put together a terrific bid and I congratulate them on the opportunity to draw more eyes to the region.
“This annual event is designed to bring councillors and council staff together to discuss ways to enhance councils’ visitor economy potential and achieve sustainable growth.
“Destination NSW noted in its key visitor statistics report that domestic visitation to NSW continued to trend upwards to the end of December 2022, and the state remains number one in Australia for total volume of international and domestic overnight and day trip visitors, nights, and expenditure.
“Councils are key facilitators of the sector and are now more than ever, looking to adopt innovative strategies and opportunities to attract visitors and secure economic benefits for their communities.
“We want to continue that upwards trend and this important event will help give councils the tools they need to make that happen.”
Wagga Wagga City Council Mayor Dallas Tout said he was thrilled the region would be hosting next year’s conference and looked forward to welcoming colleagues and representatives from across the state.
“Having this conference held in the city is a great opportunity for our region and wider NSW to come together to share innovative and new ideas, deep dive into contemporary challenges and showcase our successes as a leading regional tourism destination,” Cr Tout said.
“Our vibrant and thriving regional city of-
fers beautiful natural landscapes, trails and waterways, arts and culture, incredible produce, and food-based experiences, as well as a diverse calendar of events to keep visitors coming back year-round.
“Not only will our city be the main host of the event, but we are also working with our neighbours Junee and Coolamon Shire to showcase a small taste of what our wider region has to offer and demonstrate how successful partnerships can be created.“
Coolamon Shire Council Mayor David McCann OAM said he was excited his region would have a chance to be promoted at the conference and grow awareness of everything it had to offer to next year’s delegates.
“This gives us an opportunity to showcase our local attractions, experiences and operators,” Cr McCann OAM said.
“We have a strong relationship with our neighbours from Wagga Wagga City Council and Junee Shire Council and are thrilled to work with them to deliver an exciting conference showcasing what we have on offer.”
Junee Shire Council General Manager James Davis agreed.
“These partnerships are incredibly important for tourism, especially in regional areas, where collaboration offers more for visitors to experience,” Mr Davis said.
Cr Turley said the co-hosting approach, first adopted by Orange, Cabonne and Blayney councils in 2022, was a clear illustration of the role collaboration could play in sharing and maximising the economic benefits of tourism in regional NSW.
“With this approach, we all win - including our visitors, because they get to enjoy even more of the richness and beauty on offer in our region,” she said.
“Our three successful 2024 co-hosts are now hard at work developing the Conference Program, and already it is evident that the event will be a true showcase of the region’s diverse visitor experiences.
“I look forward to seeing our 2024 delegates - both councillor’s and council staff involved in the tourism sector - there in May next year.”
Strathbogie Shire Council Mayor Cr Laura Binks celebrated her 75th blood donation recently – contributing to saving a huge amount of lives.
Cr Binks said she began donating as a teenager, when she was 16 year’s old.
“I’ve been a regular donor ever since –some years I donate more than others,” Cr Binks said.
Cr Binks said she currently donates at the Wangaratta Life Blood Centre every fortnight, providing lifesaving plasma.
“If you haven’t donated yet, give it a go! The staff are so much fun and it’s a great way to contribute to the healthcare system and the lives of those who need blood products,” she said. It is easy to find out if you are eligible to donate – simply visit lifeblood.com.au and take the eligibility quiz.
Recently, Lifeblood issued a media release stating more than 40 per cent of Australians
City of Launceston
Councillor Andrea Dawkins was elected as Acting Deputy Mayor in late May council meeting, following a vote around the council table.
Councillor Dawkins was first elected to the City of Launceston in 2014, and served in State Parliament from 2015 to 2018.
Acting Mayor Matthew Garwood and Acting Deputy Mayor Dawkins will serve in their respective roles until the finalisation of a Mayoral by-election by the Tasmanian Electoral Commission in July.
Cr Garwood congratulated Cr Dawkins on being her election as Acting Deputy Mayor of the City of Launceston.
“I’m proud to work alongside her,” Cr Garwood said.
“Andrea is highly respected around the Council table and I know she will continue to make a positive, enthusiastic and constructive contribution to Launceston in her capacity as Acting Deputy Mayor.”
ruled themselves out of donating blood and plasma when they may actually be eligible.
Lifeblood Executive Director of Donor Experience, Cath Stone said there was a small pool of people supporting the whole country’s needs even though one in three people will need blood or blood products in their lifetime.
“More than 13 million additional Australians may be eligible to donate. Eligibility rules are regularly reviewed to reflect medical developments. Barriers that may have prevented people from donating in the past may not be an issue today,” she said.
Cr Binks said she was elated to receive a text message following her recent donation confirming it would be used to provide more than 18 life-giving treatments.
Liza Butler has resigned from her position as Councillor on Shoalhaven City Council, resulting in a casual vacancy on the council and prompting a count back of the December 2021 Local Government Ward 3 election by the Electoral Commission.
Cr Butler was elected to the NSW Parliament as Member for the South Coast in the State Government elections held in March and has chosen to step aside from her elected role on council.
“Liza has been a great advocate for her community and provided valuable contributions to the discussions and debates of the council in her time here with us,” said Mayor Amanda Findley.
“We understand Ms Butler’s decision to focus on her new role as the local state member and I particularly enjoyed working closely with her as Deputy Mayor and thank her for the work she has done as a councillor. I look forward to continuing to work with her as the Member for South Coast,” Cr Findley said.
Information has been provided to the Office of Local Government to fill the vacancy as soon as possible.
“This absence won’t disrupt the business of council and we are working with the Office of Local Government and NSW Electoral Office to ensure a full complement of representation for Ward 3 is resumed as soon as possible,” CEO Stephen Dunshea said.
The process of election for replacement is carried out by the Electoral Office and the Electoral Commissioner will initiate a countback election and should have a new Councillor in office in July.
Information about the countback election process are available on the website: Countback elections - NSW Electoral Commission. Liza Butler was elected to the NSW Parliament as Member for the South Coast.
Mr Davidson passed away in Brisbane recently, where he has lived in recent years following 16 years of community involvement in the Tweed. He was 85.
Mr Davidson received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division in 2010 for his service to the Tweed community through a range of local government, sporting and veterans’ organisations.
Mr Davidson served the Tweed as a councillor from 1999 to 2004. He was deputy mayor in 2002 and 2003.
He was active in the Tweed Coast community in particular and was president of the Cabarita Beach/Bogangar Residents’ Association from 1997 to 1999.
Mr Davidson will also be remembered by many for his role as chairman of the Cabarita Beach Sports Club for a number of years in the 1990s.
Current Councillor Warren Polglase served
on council with Mr Davidson.
“George was very professional in his dealings in local government, reliable and sincere, with a good sense of humour,” Cr Polglase said.
“He supported growth and opportunities at that time. He also strongly lobbied for improvements to Les Burger Field at Bogangar and was instrumental in its rejuvenation and the facility we see there today.”
Former Tweed Shire Council general manager Mike Rayner – who was director of engineering during Mr Davidson’s time as a councillor – remembered Mr Davidson as a committed councillor.
“George was a great supporter of the council organisation,” Mr Rayner said.
“His OAM was fitting public recognition of the contribution he made to community life in the Tweed.”
Anyway, a Sydney-based lady designs and sells lovely coffee cups (www.munchi.com. au) and last month she did a promotional run through Melbourne and environs. Since I’m her father, I went along as driver/security.
What an eye-opener! All those inner-suburbs like Carlton, Collingwood, Thornbury, Coburg, Fitzroy etc. are really snazzy these days. They’re literally jumping with creatives drinking coffee.
The old factories have been demolished or upgraded into medium-density housing and commercial offices. And scary old HM Pentridge Prison has given way to nicely-designed apartment blocks, with some remaining bluestone walls and guard towers to enhance the visual effect.
My daughter, who has never spent much time in Melbourne, remarked on the nice vibes generated in these communities, and the good fit between local businesses, homes, schools, transport systems, pubs etc. It’s surely a testament to a succession of urban design professionals and past planning ministers like Evan Walker with his vision for Southbank. Did Melbourne University and RMIT perhaps provide the spiritual base? And who is responsible for the stunning building architecture these days at Monash University?
Bayside suburbs
Then down to the smug beachside areas of St Kilda, Brighton, Elwood and Beaumaris where a hilarious indifference - verging on arrogance - permeates almost every social interaction.
The bathing pavilions, pastel-shaded bathing sheds and health facilities integrate nicely with the coffee outlets and fish ‘n’ chip shops.
The next day it dawns on me. Melbourne has somehow created an urban density model
that other cities - including regional citiesshould emulate.
Take Canberra, it has a certain uniqueness but its liveability is reduced by the lengthy commutes due to the suburban sprawl, 12-15 shabby suburban shopping centres populated by tattoo parlours, pet shops etc., and a general lack of connectedness.
Our new light rail system will make an improvement, but the national capital is crying out for ‘density’, and the sense of community that comes with it.
Mornington Peninsula
And then onto Frankston, Mt Eliza, Mornington, Rosebud, Sorrento and Portsea. After so many years away, it’s a revelation to talk to the locals within its two-tier economy.
One tier is represented by wealthy retirees and Melbourne yuppies with weekenders, with tradies hanging off their coat-tails. An outdated tax system is surely the driver. Beer prices are at stratospheric levels. Excellent sporting facilities for those with the time and money.
The second tier is represented by the clothing boutiques, fast food outlets, op-shops, giftware stores. Sure, these businesses have
their ups and downs in line with the seasons, but there is a pervasive gloom. Shopkeepers in Mornington for example are trimming their sails – a couple of shop-owners were adamant that a recession is on the way.
The town of Sorrento (pop. 2,000 in the low season) is my pick. A sheltered beach on Port Phillip Bay, a wonderful streetscape, classy shops, nice parks and a ferry across to Queenscliff. A nicely integrated town.
The take home message is that Melbourne is arguably our best city. It comes close to nailing ‘medium density’ and community connectedness. While housing developments are in full swing in the outer suburbs, there are welcome signs of self-contained villages emerging within that sprawl.
Ukrainian refugees – a great opportunity for Australia’s regions
About a month ago a friend invited me to donate via GoFundMe, to help a Ukrainian refugee family pay for rental accommodation in Canberra. I’m advised that $8,000 was raised within a few weeks.
It got me thinking about the potential to settle Ukrainian refugees in regional Australia, especially in communities that are crying out for labour and have affordable accommodation.
I thus emailed a sample of our Cockatoo members and got some very positive replies.
One was from a council in the Murray Valley that has a mineral sands mine starting in 2025, with the need for 400 staff. The council officer said ‘it would be great to host these people in a positive situation’.
This of course is the way to look at it - not dumping them somewhere without any job prospects. And the Ukrainian workforce has a long history in mining and agriculture, so there
is a logic.
Another reply came from a council in Victoria with major wind energy developments underway. It also is keen to determine how Ukrainians might enhance the local labour pool.
Contact with the feds
I contacted the federal immigration department to talk to about how we might ‘connect the dots’ on this opportunity since that’s the Cockatoo Network’s motto.
I got a recorded message, suggesting I send an email.
So I did, but I also googled the Department’s organisational chart and found the names of the senior people in the Refugee Settlement area. So I fired off an email to them as well, asking for a chat. After 10 days, still no reply.
So I rang the Minister’s office. I found a nice bloke willing to listen, and he asked for a further email that he would on-send to the appropriate ministerial staffer.
After six days I’m still waiting.
Now most people would’ve given up by this stage, but I have (a) got a professional interest in this, and (b) I’m a persistent bugger.
In my day, I would have had a coffee with the enquirer to ensure he/she was talking sense, and then organise a proper meeting with a few staff to formulate some action. I’m living in the past. I know.
By the time you’re reading this, I have hopefully got some traction. But I won’t bet on it. I’m now going to contact the Ukrainian Embassy and the Regional Australia Institute. I will report back next month.
Rod Brown is a Canberra-based lobbyist specialising in industry/regional development. Email apdcockatoo@iprimus.com.au
AUSTRALIA’S clean energy future is among the 2023–24 Federal Budget winners with $4 billion in new funding commitments and many calling it the first ‘electrification’ budget. After a number of years of little commitment to clean energy policies,thisnewbudgethasbeen celebrated as a ‘step in the right direction.’
The Clean Energy Council Chief Executive, Kane Thornton, who are partners in Energy Next said, ‘this budget demonstrates that the Albanese Government recognisesthecrucialroleofclean energy in Australia’s economic future and that clean energy and electrification drive down power pricesandmanageinflation.’
With the focus very much turningtohowtoimplementthese new policies, the upcoming clean energy event, Energy Next, has launcheditsagendawhichcovers someofthemajorpointsfromthe budget, for example, Hydrogen, EV’s and the electrification of the grid, with the event wellpositioned to help further the conversation amongst clean energyprofessionals,government professionals and policy makers aboutimplementation.
Energy Next is returning to the ICC Sydney in Darling Harbour on July 18th and 19th, 2023, colocated with the Clean Energy Council’sAustralianCleanEnergy Summit.
Energy Next is free-to-attend, with registrations now open for thosewithaninterestintheclean energyspacetomeetwithleading suppliers, discover the latest technologies and discuss the latestrenewableadvancements.
Robby Clark, Portfolio Director at Energy Next of RX Global said about the upcoming event, “The recent budget is a clear indication of the direction of the government and the country. We need to all now ‘take action’ in the clean energy space to hit our targets. The Energy Next agenda allows attendees the chance to educate themselves with the latest technologies, trends and projects,aswellasgivingtheman opportunitytonetworkwiththeir industry peers. Hopefully we can be part of helping implement the changes needed for Australia to hitourcleanenergygoals.”
Tackling all clean energy goals requires transformation across all sectors of government, including local governments and councils,
who will be a critical part of implementing many aspects of thesenewpolicyannouncements.
Social housing solar upgrades, investment into energy generation & storage and grid improvements will all be part of local governments’ remit, along withothers,aswellastheongoing goal for local councils to reduce their own LGA’s environmental impact.
Local councils are key to the transitiontonetzerothroughtheir localknowledgeandconnections. Anytransitionorchangeneedsto bedoneincooperationwithlocal communities, therefore, local councilsareattheforefrontofthis conversation.
Local governments certainly havesomeexcitingbutchallenging times ahead with obstacles such asfinancialconstraints,ashortage in knowledge and skills and older energyinfrastructures.
Energy Next offers a high calibre education programme with speakers and organisations from across the country and the world, along with an Expo floor showcasing products and solutions in the clean energy space.
TheEnergyNext2023technical sessions and workshops include a ‘top of class’ program packed with back-to-back sessions over two days. An extensive range of technicaltopicswillbecoveredin thesessionsincludingdigitisation, energy data, energy storage advancements, electric vehicles, grid, hydrogen & ammonia, offshore wind, PV innovation, VPPs,microgridsandmuchmore.
Thefullagendacanbeseenhere: https://www.energynext.com.au/ en-gb/education/agenda.html
Some experts from the upcoming Energy Next event shared their views on the budget policies and whether they have gone far enough to ensure we’re ontrackfornetzero:
Rosemary Tan, Managing Director, iCharge Solutions said, “Thesizablecontributiontowards renewable energy is an essential first step towards achieving net zero by 2050. The key to future success is a continual and tangible commitment across all levels of Government to facilitate and nurture innovations, private sector-instigated projects, and consumer demands for means of transportation powered by renewableenergies.”
“The budget is an extremely positive step in the right direction for our country. The implementation of these new investment and support schemes willsupportbusinessesinexisting technologies, such as batteries and we’d also like to see strong support for Australia’s emerging technologies, enabling them to grow rapidly. This enables not only success in decarbonising domestically, but builds Australia’s capacity to export our solutions, generating significant manufacturing jobs helping the worldachievenetzerogoals,”said Mark Groudace, Deputy CEO & ChiefCommercialOfficeratMGA Thermal.
Jay Shivakumar, PrincipalEnergy Transformation Services, Cossill & Webley, captured the ‘balanced’ view of most of the expertspeakers,“Weneedpeople,
materials and money. We are lacking the first two to make an actual dent in what is required to achievenationalNetZerotargets. The budget does support that to some degree with migration and supporting sustainability practices and electrification. I thinkthisbudgetisapositivestep towards NetZero, but there is a longwaytogo.”
Along with the excellent education programme, the Energy Next Expo floor includes a wide range of companies and organisations from large and small scale solar providers, EV charging companies, energy storage solutions, through to peripheralindustrieslikecleaning technologiesandenergyefficiency certificates.
The exhibitor directory can be found here: https://www. energynext.com.au/en-gb/ exhibitor-directory.html#/ with new exhibitors signing on every week.
Alongside these companies are the likes of Investment NSW, the Clean Energy Council and the Australian Government Clean Energy Regulator, allowing visitors to interact with policymakers and advisors at the same time as learning about the latest technologies.
Powered by All-Energy Australia, in partnership with the CleanEnergyCouncilandwiththe supportoftheNSWGovernment, Energy Next will be spread across two days, boasting an extensive exhibitionandagendainaddition to workshops and networking opportunities.
The event is a ‘must attend’ for all those who have a role to play in Australia’s clean energyfuture.
Registration for the event is free, interested parties should register at this link: https:// www.energynext.com.au/en-gb/ register.html
For more information, updates and to register for Energy Next, please visit: https://www. energynext.com.au/
Leaders in COVID 19’s discovery and mapping, Professor Zhang Yongzhen, Professor Edward Holmes and Professor Dominic Dyer, will share how lessons from the pandemic can be applied to other public health efforts at the third Australasian COVID-19 Conference, hosted in Brisbane from 27-28 July.
This conference is part of several affiliated IAS 2023 events that the ASHM is hosting, including the International HIV Coinfection + Viral Hepatitis Elimination Conference (IHCVHEC), Indigenous Peoples Conference – HIV and Hepatitis Health Equity, and the Global U=U Roundtable on Research, Policy and Political Priorities.
With registrations now open, Australians working in clinical and scientific sectors are encouraged to secure their tickets.
Three scientists heavily involved in the discovery and mapping of COVID-19 will come to Brisbane this July for ASHM’s third Australasian COVID-19 Conference.
Professor Zhang Yongzhen, Professor Edward Holmes and Professor Dominic Dyer will discuss reflections and insights from the pandemic in the exclusive closing panel, hosted by journalist and co-host of the ABC’s multiaward winning Coronacast, Tegan Taylor.
ASHM Chief Executive Officer Alexis Apostolellis said that this unmissable event will bring together world-leading minds in virology and infectious diseases, providing us with transferrable insights from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There is so much to learn from the pandemic that can be applied to other public health efforts. Professor Yongzhen was the first person to map the coronavirus genome, Professor Holmes released it publicly to the world for the first time, and Professor Dwyer was part of the
international WHO investigation on the virus’s origins – making these three some of the best in the world to learn from,” said Apostolellis.
The COVID-19 Conference is just one of four IAS affiliated events ASHM is running, including the International HIV Coinfection + Viral Hepatitis Elimination Conference, the Indigenous Peoples Conference – HIV and Hepatitis Health Equity, and the Global U=U Roundtable
on Research, Policy and Political Priorities.
The International HIV Coinfection + Viral Hepatitis Elimination Conference (IHCVHEC) will take place from 21–22 July in Brisbane, ahead of IAS 2023.
This meeting will explore and share strategies and approaches to help eliminate viral hepatitis and HIV coinfection. Keynote speak-
For the fourth quarter in a row, ‘cost-of-living and personal debt’ has ranked as the leading cause of elevated distress and suicide risk amongst Australian adults (18-plus), the latest Suicide Prevention Australia Community Tracker reveals.
The June 2023 quarter survey – taken in the week after the May Federal Budget – shows the level of Australians experiencing elevated distress beyond normal levels due to ‘cost-ofliving and personal debt’ also continues to remain stubbornly high at 40 per cent or more, four quarters running.
Those who reported cost-of-living as the cause for their elevated distress were also more likely to report suicidal thoughts (19 per cent) than others in the survey (15 per cent).
Suicide Prevention Australia CEO, Nieves Murray said it raised questions about whether the Budget’s promised cost-of-living relief measures would help those who had already reached crisis point.
Particularly if interest rates and inflation continued to also remain high, said Ms Murray, who recently met Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Phillip Lowe (May) and Treasurer Jim Chalmers (April).
“We’re seeing suicide rates increase alongside inflation and interest rates,” said Ms Murray.
“While suicide is complex behaviour, often with no single cause, we do know that the financial distress arising from these economic conditions can potentially increase the risk of suicide.
“Australians continue to tell us they are struggling at unacceptable levels, particularly with the pressure of cost-of-living and personal debt.
“Unfortunately, the Federal Budget again overlooked people in crisis across the nation by not investing adequately in frontline suicide prevention services at a time when people are increasingly using them.
“State suicide registers reveal suicide rates rose about 7 per cent in 2022 across the nation’s two largest states, Victoria (9 per cent) and New South Wales (5 per cent),” said Nieves Murray, CEO Suicide Prevention Australia.
The Community Tracker revealed three in
four (75 per cent) Australians say they have experienced elevated distress beyond normal levels due to social and economic circumstances compared to this time last year.
Around 40 per cent of Australians say they know someone in their personal life or networks, who has died by or attempted suicide in the last 12 months. This is a concerning increase of 8 per cent from the March 2023 quarter and 13 per cent increase from 2021.
One in five Australians (21 per cent - up 2 per cent from February 2023) report having experienced suicidal behaviour in the last 12 months, which has been consistent across the past four quarters.
Ms Murray said rising rates of suicidal behaviour aligns with research on natural disasters and other crises that show suicide rates can peak two to three years after an event.
“We’re still feeling the effects of the
pandemic, and now we’re in a cost-of-living crisis,” said Ms Murray.
The Community Tracker revealed a quarter of Australians (25 per cent - up 5 per cent from March 2023 quarter) say they have visited, sought help, or searched for a suicide prevention service in the past 12 months.
“It’s positive people are reaching out for help, but it’s also putting increased pressure on already stretched suicide prevention services.
“We urgently need investment in suicide prevention-specific services to support those who are already at crisis point, particularly at a time where there is a shortage of psychologists.
“The horse has bolted, and the government needs to catch up.
“We also need to implement legislative measures to drive down suicide over the longer term. Australia must therefore prioritise a whole-of-government approach in the form of a National Suicide Prevention Act.
“This will ensure all government decisions consider their impact on suicide risks – and plan adequately for it.
“A National Suicide Prevention Act is a costeffective measure that can begin to be implemented now and should be explored as part of the upcoming National Suicide Prevention Strategy later in the year.
“The Royal Commission into Robodebt has revealed the worst-case scenario when government fails to consider the human impact of policy decisions. We need clear accountability and action through a Suicide Prevention Act to prevent such tragedies ever happening again.
“We can never underestimate the impact that every life lost to suicide has on family, friends, workplaces and the broader community.
“If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for help,” said Ms Murray.
Help is available. Call Lifeline on 13 11 14. In an emergency, call 000.
ers for IHCVHEC include the Cameco Chair in Indigenous Health and Wellness at the University of Saskatchewan, Alexandra King, Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Kate Seear, Physician at the Department of Infectious Diseases, Bern University Hospital, Gilles Wandeler, and Director of the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health at The University of Queensland and co-convenor of the conference, Dr James Ward.
First Nations voices will also feature at the centre of this year’s conference, with ASHM hosting an event, Indigenous Peoples Conference – HIV and Hepatitis Health Equity, prior to IAS 2023 on 21 and 22 July.
Director of the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health at The University of Queensland and coconvenor of the conference, Professor James Ward, said that this conference will centre Indigenous peoples’ expertise, experiences and leadership to fundamentally drive equity for Indigenous Peoples.
“With First Nations Peoples still facing considerable challenges in preventing, treating and managing HIV and hepatitis, it has never been more important to platform Indigenous perspectives. By placing Indigenous peoples’ voices at the heart of this issue, we can work towards improving outcomes for these communities,” said Ward.
These conferences are running as independent affiliated events of the 12th IAS Conference on HIV Science, held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre between 23–26 July 2023.
Professionals in the scientific and clinical sectors are invited to register.
For more information, visit: ashm.org.au/ conferences/upcoming-events
Mornington Peninsula
Shire Council has welcomed new funding to upgrade Dromana pier and plan for a cross-Peninsula bus service, announced in the Victorian Budget.
Council has advocated hard for better public transport connections and more funding to maintain its foreshore infrastructure, especially its much-loved piers and jetties.
The announcement of funding to plan for a cross-Peninsula bus service linking Hastings to Mornington will lead to a reduction in the travel time between these two towns and unlock more opportunities for residents to access employment, education and healthcare.
The community is delighted at news of a $10 million funding package for Dromana pier.
Funding for a new comprehensive women’s health clinic at Frankston Hospital is also welcome and will benefit many Peninsula residents. However, funding is urgently needed to upgrade ageing infrastructure at Rosebud Hospital.
Of most concern in the budget is the move to slash the Growing Suburbs Fund from $50 million to $10 million. This will have a big impact on the Mornington Peninsula and the 15 other councils which share that fund.
Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) have launched ‘The Winning Formula for Regional Victoria’, a document outlining the group’s priorities to ensure a lasting legacy is created for the whole of regional Victoria as part of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
As regional Victoria prepares for the biggest event it has ever seen, Mildura Rural City Council, a member of RCV, is joining calls for measures that ensure all regional cities benefit from the influx of athletes, visitors and publicity the Games will bring.
Mildura Mayor Liam Wood said Sunraysia has the ability to host events, athletes and supporters both before and during the Games.
“In the lead up, we have venues that could potentially host training opportunities for numerous sports hosted at the Games, including hockey, soccer, BMX, bowls and diving,” Cr Wood said.
“With support from the Victorian Government to upgrade local facilities to accommodate this training, it would provide a lasting legacy for local sporting clubs and their athletes for decades to come.
“The Games also represent a golden opportunity for us to further activate some of our newest public spaces, such as the Powerhouse Precinct on our riverfront, which could serve as a virtual Commonwealth Games Hub for our community.
“There could also be a raft of other opportunities if our region was to secure Games activities, including increased visitor numbers, which would provide a significant economic boost for our region through accommodation and spending in local businesses.
“There are so many possibilities, we just need the Victorian Government’s support to bring Games activities and investment to the regions.”
RCV chair, Cr Andrea Metcalf said the 2026 Commonwealth Games presents a unique opportunity that must reach all parts of the State - capturing real and positive benefits for locals, and creating a sustainable legacy that future generations can enjoy.
“It is a priority that First Peoples and Traditional Owners are engaged in all aspects of the Games delivery and ensure they reflect Victoria’s rich cultural history.”
“With the Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund discontinued in the 2023-24 Victorian Budget, our regional cities need assurance from the Government that they will invest in our regions to ensure they continue to be great places to live, work and visit.”
The Winning Formula for Regional Victoria examines six key areas with recommendations that will ensure a lasting legacy for every regional city beyond the event period and across the whole state, not just for the five cities hosting events:
1. Pre-Games Opportunities – hosting & training
· Facilitation of partnerships between regional cities and participating countries to provide a base for their training and Games preparation.
RCV is a regional leadership group dedi-
The event went well, with Greenkeepers teaming up with Turf NSW to put on a great show for the public. So many people to thank for the event and hopefully I won’t forget anyone.
First off to Mark and his team from Evergreen Turf NSW for preparing the area, by top making the area.
Then Turf NSW for organising the turf especially the two farms who donated the turf. Huge thanks to Anthony from Greener Lawn Supplies who even delivered and laid his competitors turf plus donating 200m2 of his own turf with his offsider Nathan.
And to All Year Round Turf for donating the other 200m2. We cannot forget Dave Raison and John from Turf Plus for coming out to help after half the job was done, you both were life savers as the roles were heavy.
Then there was life saver Michael Sammut for sorting out a fence to protect the site from cars and trucks. And finally to the Sydney Dragway for allowing us to dig up their site, then replacing with nice new turf.
cated to building a sustainable Victoria by providing strategic advice, coordination and advocacy to State and Federal Governments to support policies which enable Victoria’s regional centres to grow and develop.
Comprising Mayors and CEOs of the 10 largest cities in regional Victoria – Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Horsham, Latrobe, Mildura, Shepparton, Wangaratta, Warrnambool and Wodonga – RCV is focused on achieving real change in regional Victoria through policy development and active implementation of those policies.
2. Infrastructure – repairing an old legacy and creating a new one
· $2 million for each city to conduct repairs or upgrade sporting facilities in their region.
· All equipment provided for the games is donated to local regional sporting organisations.
· $30 million Regional Parks and Civic Space Program to create new parkland and upgrade existing open spaces.
3. Cultural Experiences – community engagement
· The Victorian Government to sponsor free cultural activities and events across the regions.
4. People - skilled workers & volunteers
· Creation of a new local Victoria Skills Author-
ity liaison officer role to be based in each regional city for at least three years.
· Establish a Commonwealth Games Regional Volunteer Program to provide training, preemployment qualifications and supported accommodation for 16–21-year-olds to volunteer at the Games.
5. Business procurement – business opportunities
· Regionally based businesses to make up 100 per cent of all opportunities created through the Games’ procurement processes, with priority given to First Nations businesses and employers.
6. Tourism and the visitor economy
· Invest $30 million into a tourism campaign.
· To offer regional tourism packages when people are purchasing their Games tickets.
· Ensure the Royal Baton Relay visits all 10 regional cities, and that the baton is designed by a regional Indigenous artist. Regional Cities Victoria comprises the 10 largest regional cities in Victoria – Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Horsham, Latrobe, Mildura, Shepparton, Wangaratta, Warrnambool and Wodonga. Regional Victoria is home to more than 1.5 million people, or a quarter of all Victorians. Approximately 800,000 people call one of our regional cities home and the cities make up 10 per cent of Victoria’s economy.
Geelong Amateur Football Netball Club has the capacity to host night football matches, along with increased opportunities for evening training following the installation of highquality LED floodlighting at both Stinton and Shaw Ovals, in Queens Park.
Greater Geelong Mayor Trent Sullivan said supporting the club with the installation of the LED lighting would go a long way to assisting Geelong Amateur in accommodating its rapidly growing player group.
“Geelong Amateur Football Netball Club has a long and proud history of football participation in the region and now with 30 teams across men’s, women’s and juniors, we’re delighted to be able to support these players in their training at night in a safe environment,” Mayor Sullivan said.
“I’m so proud that our community is benefitting from this funding, and, given that
Geelong Amateur was at the forefront of the development of women’s football in Geelong, the club will now have the support to cater for even more female participation.
“The club’s commitment to expanding its program was evident in the $30,000 it contributed to completing the project.”
Councillor Ron Nelson of the Kardinia Ward welcomed the idea that the new LED lights would allow the Bellarine Football Netball League club to extend its playing and training times, giving it the capacity to build higher levels of participation.
“Along with catering for the dramatic rise
in female participation in the sport, the lighting will assist the club in building its depth throughout the men’s teams,” Cr Nelson said.
“The club is also rich in the number of junior boys and girls, along with almost 250 Auskick participants, so the installation of these new lights will meet the increasing need for training opportunities and ensure that the club maximises use of the two grounds.
“The prospect of playing matches under lights at night or dusk is also very appealing and these developments will ensure the club is well positioned to go down that path, should the opportunity arise.”
We also recently exhibited at a huge high school careers event in Western Sydney with around 6000 students and job seekers passing through during the three days. Huge thanks to the NSW Sports Turf Association for helping out as well as our members Damien Curtis, Jake DeMarigny and Darren Turner.
We spoke to hundreds of kids who have no idea what that want to do, great news, close to 200 kids registered their interest in our Industry. We have a lot more events this year to exhibit at so if you are in helping out or require staff please do not hesitate to reach out International Greenkeepers.
Events like this are very important for our industry as majority of people have no idea what we do. A short conversation can change a persons thoughts on what we do, maybe even join our industry. For more information check out our website internationalgreenkeepers.com or email me internationalgreenkeepersfh@gmail. com
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The International Greenkeepers were lucky enough to be invited to promote our industry to the public at The National Diesel Dirt and Turf Expo this year, 21-23 April.
Three unclaimed goats have been put to work controlling weeds at one of Swan Hill Council’s retarding basins following a chance conversation between Council’s Regulatory Services Officer, Adam Hunter, and Parks and Gardens Coordinator, Conor McCreesh.
Mr Hunter was not sure what to do with the three goats after he rescued them wandering the streets six months ago.
“We weren’t sure what the fate of the three goats would be after no owners came forward to claim them, then Conor suggested we use them for weed control,” Mr Hunter he said.
Mr McCreesh says there are many benefits of having goats control weeds over harsh chemicals and manual removal.
“Goats are very selective. Their favourite
things to eat are woody weeds and will often target weeds over some native species,” Mr McCreesh said.
“They are quiet, environmentally friendly, efficient and extremely effective,”
“Other benefits include savings from a significant reduction in labour, zero chemical use and no wear and tear on machinery. They can also reach areas that machinery and people cannot.
“Since the trial began, we have required zero hours labour for maintenance in the enclo-
Snowy Monaro Regional Council is in the design phase for the construction of a brand new water treatment plant for the village of Delegate on the New South Wales-Victoria border.
sure which has given the drainage team more time for other works,” he added.
Nicholas Mudge, Council’s Environment and Sustainability Officer, has also touted the programs benefits.
“From a sustainability perspective this is a fantastic initiative – any steps we can take to reduce our carbon foot print is a win,” he said.
Mr McCreesh said the program so far had been very successful and he would look at ways to expand the project in the future.
A previously under-used space in Manning is getting an important makeover to create a new community space with benefits for the environment, wildlife habitat and residents.
The City of South Perth is partnering with RAC through its Reconnect WA initiative to help transform a drainage sump on Godwin Avenue into a more functional and attractive area, with improved bike riding connections linking people to Canning Bridge train station, local schools and Curtin University.
Mayor Greg Milner welcomed the partnership, saying it had enabled the city to broaden the project to deliver more for current and future communities.
“The main purpose of the project was to upgrade stormwater sumps to improve water quality, however the city has seized an opportunity to also revegetate the area, enhance wildlife habitat and provide a pleasant, natural setting for our community to enjoy,” the Mayor said.
“Optimising the use of our green spaces is becoming increasingly important. With population growth resulting in smaller backyards for family homes, public areas are vital in creating green relief, providing areas for leisure and places for people to connect.”
The community will be able to share their feedback, as part of a series of surveys linked to the RAC Reconnect WA partnership to find out how people use parks, before and after an upgrade of this nature.
RAC Acting Group Executive Social and Community Impact, Will Golsby, said the RAC was pleased to partner with the City of South Perth to help revitalise this space in Manning.
“By trialling new and innovative ways to use our streets and public spaces, we hope to lay the foundations for longer-term changes that
support RAC’s vision for a safer, more sustainable and better connected WA,” he said.
Construction will occur in 2023/24, with
completion expected by April 2024. To find out more, visit southperth.wa.gov.au/environmentalprojects
The new treatment plant will use the latest filtration and membrane technology to output high quality drinking water even if the raw water source is affected by wet weather or high sediment.
Residents in this community currently receive non-potable water from the Delegate River. The new treatment plant means Delegate will enjoy a high standard of treated drinking water, equal in quality to the largest towns in our region.
The community is currently not being charged for their non-potable water usage, and council is undertaking an education campaign with residents and community leaders to ensure the Delegate community is ready for this major transition.
Council’s communications team and staff from the water and wastewater operations team attended a community engagement pop-up session in Delegate last month. The purpose of this session was to provide information about the new water treatment plant and education around water usage habits.
Council is taking this opportunity to engage with the community about water conservation by reducing water waste, improve water usage habits and increase water literacy.
Intake.
The SAFF technology commenced remediation of target PFAS contaminants from landfill leachate waters at the West Nowra Recycling and Waste facility in March 2023 and forms the cornerstone of Shoalhaven’s suite of innovative recycling and circular economy programs at the site.
The technology is treating between 200240m3 of leachate per day and is achieving removal to the LOR for Australian regulatory target PFAS contaminants PFOS, PFOA and PFHxS, as well as PFHpA.
“We couldn’t be more pleased to have our latest SAFF® technology make its Australian debut with Shoalhaven City Council,” said EPOC Enviro Managing Director, Pete Murphy.
“Our Australian made SAFF® technology has successfully remediated PFAS from more than twenty-four locations in Europe, the UK and the USA, with the market just starting to move in Australia. We are immensely proud to have our technology positioned at the heart of one of Australia’s premier recycling facilities and we’re confident other utilities out there will follow Shoalhaven’s lead.”
SAFF was conceived by EPOC Enviro after years of R&D as a sustainably engineered solution to permanently remove PFAS contaminants from the environment. The technology uses the air/water interface of rising air bubbles to rapidly remove PFAS contaminants from water. Separated PFAS molecules are then concentrated, creating a compact PFAS concentrate ready for destruction.
At the site, the SAFF works to permanently remove target PFAS contaminants from water that’s been pumped from the landfill leachate pond. The water will then be put through a secondary treatment and used to wash glass at the council’s glass processing plant, before returning to the pond for continuous remediation.
Glass from the plant is used in a variety of applications including road base materials, asphalt, concrete, pipe bedding, drainage material, sand blasting and green ceramics.
When asked if he is satisfied with the way the SAFF is performing and if he’s made the right decision, Shoalhaven City Council’s Waste Operations Coordinator Peter Windley is quick to answer – “100 per cent”.
“With any new technology there’s an element of risk, but we did our homework, we looked at what’s out there in the marketplace and we identified the benefits of the SAFF system over others. While we’re only a short while into this project, we’re already amazed at the output,” Peter Windley said.
There is growing recognition that landfill
sites around the world are primary sources of PFAS contamination as they represent the final resting place for PFAS-containing products. These products typically have waterproof, nonstick and stain resistant properties, such as packaging, mattresses, carpets and furniture.
SAFF can effectively manage the highly polluted landfill leachate environment, including waters with complex co-contaminants and suspended solids, as well as metals and high TOC and DOC. It can also remove other surface-active chemistries including some pharmaceuticals, surfactants and industrial contaminants.
RobustSAFFusesnoconsumablesandpro-
duces only PFAS hyper-concentrate as a waste stream. It is housed in a shipping container for plug and play commissioning, requires minimal power to effectively operate, and is capable of autonomous operation, achieving significant cost savings.
The first commercial prototype of SurfaceActive Foam Fractionation technology was installed at Army Aviation Centre, Oakey in 2019, and this plant continues its excellent work, having remediated over 140M litres of water. The containerised form of the technology which is now hard at work in Shoalhaven was first used to successfully remove PFAS from landfill leachate in Sweden in 2021.
There was more great news for Whyalla on the hydrogen front recently with Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers announcing a $2b Hydrogen Headstart Program, specifically referencing the potential benefits for Whyalla.
Dr Chalmers announced the program – which aims to fund large-scale projects – as part of a larger $4b investment in Australia’s plan to become a renewable energy superpower, including the establishment of the Powering Australia Industry Growth Centre.
Dr Chalmers said the Hydrogen Headstart program was designed to make Australia “a world leader in producing and exporting hydrogen power”, while targeting a reduction in heavy industry carbon emissions.
“Hydrogen power means…Whyalla can make and export everything from renewable energy to green steel,” Dr Chalmers said.
“Seizing these kinds of industrial and economic opportunities will be the biggest driver and determinant of our future prosperity.”
City of Whyalla Mayor Phill Stone welcomed the budget’s focus on hydrogen production and renewable technologies, calling on the Federal Government to base the proposed growth centre in Whyalla.
“It feels like the eyes of the nation have been firmly focused on Whyalla recently, and this was confirmed in the Treasurer’s budget speech last night,” Cr Stone said.
“With the State Government the first cab off the rank in Australia to make a significant commitment and investment in green hydrogen production, it makes sense that the Federal Government’s Powering Australia Indus-
try Growth Centre be located right here in the Whyalla green hydrogen precinct.
“Having State and Federal Governments aligned in their commitment to renewables and decarbonising industry is fantastic news for our entire nation and our environment, and it’s fantastic that it’s creating an increasingly stronger and more exciting short- and long-term future for Whyalla.”
Hydrogen Headstart will bridge the commercial gap for early-stage projects, and position Australia as a world-leading hydrogen producer and exporter.
The Powering Australia Industry Growth Centre will receive $14.8m in Federal Government funding to support Australian businesses looking to manufacture, commercialise and adopt renewable technologies. This is in addition to up to $3 billion allocated to investment in low emissions technologies – including green metals – under the National Reconstruction Fund.
Other recycling initiatives in play at Shoalhaven include enhanced recycling of kerbside collections, landfill gas upgrades and solar generation to create a zero footprint, exploration of circular economy solutions for plastics and textiles and the production of ceramic tiles from waste products.
“We applaud Shoalhaven for their commitment to sustainability, development of cutting-edge technologies and circular economy solutions. One of their goals is to recycle the contents of red and yellow kerbside bins to achieve above 90 per cent landfill diversion by the end of this year, and this is something that we should all get behind,” Pete Murphy said.
Goulburn Mulwaree Council advises that construction of a new Sewer Pump Station (SPS) at the corner of Goulburn Street and Portland Avenue in Marulan will commence on Tuesday 13 June 2023.
Works will take place between the hours 7am – 5pm Monday Friday and 8am – 1pm Saturdays, and are expected to take five months to complete, weather permitting.
This work will allow and encourage future developments in Marulan as the current pump station is under capacity.
Traffic management will be in place for the duration of the works.
Council appreciates this can be temporarily inconvenient for residents and appreciates your understanding during these works.
After achieving significant global success, EPOC Enviro’s containerised SAFF® (Surface Active Foam Fractionation) PFAS remediation technology has now been installed for the first time in Australia by Shoalhaven City Council.Aerial view of SAFF technology (in blue) in position at the West Nowra Recycling and Waste facility. A close up of SAFF technology remediating PFAS at Shoalhaven City Council. EPOC Enviro’s SAFF technology undertaking important PFAS remediation work at Shoalhaven. Whyalla Mayor Phill Stone, left, Office of Hydrogen Power SA CEO Sam Crafter and Barngarla Determination Aboriginal Corporation Chair Jason Bilney overlook the land designated for the hydrogen power plant.
Thanks to the 355 local government councils who host agricultural and veterinary chemical container sites, Australian property owners have diverted millions of tonnes of agricultural waste from landfill towards recycling projects or safe disposal.
Since 1999, councils have demonstrated their strong commitment to improved waste management practices, by engaging with the drumMUSTER and ChemClear agricultural waste services.
As the nation’s longest running agricultural stewardship programs, drumMUSTER has been instrumental in helping landholders clear their land of over 40 million empty agvet drums, while ChemClear has safely disposed of more than 950 tonnes of unwanted chemicals.
Councils who host collection sites for regular chemical pickups are not only allowing a safe product disposal pathway for local residents, they’re helping Australians to keep their land and waterways pristine.
There is a ChemClear collection scheduled for Queensland farmers and agricultural chemical holders in October and November. Registrations close 31 August and can be made at chemclear.org.au
ChemClear will be in touch with QLD coun-
cils over the next two months to organise collection locations for this statewide run.
Farm safety is vital to the continued viability of the Australian food and fibre industries and with the amount of agvet products diverted from landfill and into recycling projects, it’s clear farmers get the message and want to deliver on better farm safety.
If your local council would like to get involved, contact drumMUSTER on 1800 008 707 or ChemClear on 1800 008 182.
AustStab is pleased to advise that registrations are now open for the second Australian Pavement Recycling and Stabilisation Conference, to be held at the Pullman Albert Park, Melbourne on Tuesday 22 August 2023.
The one-day technical conference will provide a unique opportunity to hear from leading pavement engineering and construction practitioners about the benefits of pavement recycling and stabilisation with a focus on the conference theme, Sustainable Pavements for Future Generations.
“The inaugural conference in 2022 was very well attended and provided a great opportunity to share recent developments and best practice across the pavement design, construction and maintenance industry,” said AustStab CEO Stuart Dack.
“With the increasing focus on delivery of sustainable outcomes and the provision of pavements that are resilient to adverse weather events, it is more important than ever for those involved in the industry to keep abreast of the latest opportunities and techniques in pavement recycling and stabilisation.”
The conference program will include nine technical and three keynote presentations covering subjects ranging from the design and selection of pavement stabilisation treatments, the conduct and outcomes of research programs and construction trials,
assessments of sustainability benefits in comparison to alternative pavement construction and maintenance solutions, including life-cycle costings and carbon footprint assessments across airport and road pavements applications, along with a report on the occupational hygiene implications of monitoring worker exposure to respirable crystalline silica in the workplace.
Full registration details for the conference and associated AustStab AGM and social events are available on the AustStab website at www.auststab.com.au/conference-and-agm/
To help meet your sustainability goals, Biogone have both landfill-biodegradable and home compostable council parks and gardens dog waste bags available, along with mountable dog bag dispensers.
Equally important for environmental considerations, Biogone landfill-biodegradable bags do not have a limited shelf life, and they do not fragment into microplastics over time.
Biogone have created Australia’s first landfill-biodegradable dog waste bags that are considered to break down 90% faster than conventional plastic bags in landfill.
Biogone’s lower cost landfill-biodegradable dog poop bags and the home compostable dog poop bags biodegrade within a few of months in landfill meeting Australian/ NZ home compostable standard AS5810, compared to regular pet waste bags that can take up to hundreds of years to fully decompose.
Biogone dog waste bags are also made from recycled plastic, which complement the circular economy.
Biogone now also have a larger sized roll of 800 dog poop waste bags available and a larger sized bag dispenser, so you will only spend half the time refilling the dispensers.
To learn more about Biogone everyday landfill-biodegradable plastic products, including bin liners, garbage bags and office packing products that are suitable for councils, visit biogone.com.au
AWRE, the nation’s leading platform for waste and resource recovery solutions returns to Sydney this 26-27 July, with a jampacked program and show floor buzzing with innovations from FOGO to eWaste, vehicles to the latest in recycled materials and technology, but it’s the discussions happening off the show floor that are changing the game.
Along with three dedicated waste zones, focusing on Innovation, Recycled products and food organic waste, AWRE has also expanded its Summit program this year in response to industry demand. Bringing together 250 Australian key decision makers the Summit is titled “Reality Check on Recovered Resources + Residuals” and will tackle waste’s biggest issues.
The summit, hosted by NWRIC, WCRA and ACOR, will also cover topical areas including the state of our Resource Recovery system, the reality, roadblocks and solutions to help us progress towards national targets, and the challenges and policies surrounding residuals management in Australia.
“The hard truth in the 2022 National Waste Report is, that despite increased urgency for an efficient resource recovery system, we have moved backwards.
This year the AWRE Summit is poised to be a reality check for the industry and will provide a much-needed wakeup call on the state of our current resource recovery system in Australia,” said AWRE Product
Richard Pittard, Head of Sustainability at Cleanaway.
· Tony Khoury, Executive Director at WCRA.
· Brett Lemin, Executive Officer at Victorian Waste Management Association.
· And many more.
Summit registration is now open and will set the scene for robust and challenging discussions that ask the hard questions that must be raised if Australia is to meet its waste reduction targets.
In addition to the Summit, AWRE will be running its regular free education program that sits within the exhibition space. To purchase tickets or register free for the event visit the AWRE website.
Australia is waste deep in a resource recovery crisis and there’s never been a more urgent time for the Resource Recovery sector to come together.Biogone landfill-biodegradable bags do not have a limited shelf life, and they do not fragment into microplastics over time.
Clarence Valley Council has upped the ante on its management of the $2 billion of local roads, bridges and water infrastructure in its care by taking on components of TechnologyOne’s Enterprise Asset Management Software as a Service (SaaS) solution.
With large areas affected by bushfires in the summer of 2019/2020 and others experiencing significant flooding in February 2022, the council recognised a growing need to better manage its assets.
According to Clarence Valley’s Finance and Systems Manager, Kate Maginnity: “We had a
lot of separate systems for asset management and many paper-based or manual processes. It was time and resource intensive and prone to delays and errors.”
“To better manage community assets, we wanted a single source of truth. We needed to know what condition they were in, what we needed to do to maintain them for the future and what was the most efficient way of doing that,” she said.
After taking on TechnologyOne’s Asset Operations & Maintenance and Field App modules, the council has replaced manual paper-
work with tablets that crew members take into the field. That not only reduces travel time for the crew but also allows the council to update field staff on job data, anytime, anywhere. This ensures community assets are regularly maintained so community members can continue to use them safely.
“We now have better visibility of our operations, which helps us be more effective and efficient. Within the first six months of having the new works system in place, the council bridge crew had completed their year-long maintenance inspection program, utilising maintenance schedules, defects and work orders to increase efficiency.
“They were able to take on more projects as a result,” said Ms Maginnity. Additionally, better project planning and the ability to bulk procure materials saw the bridge crew complete their allocation of bridge replacements in six months. This allowed the council to allocate
more bridge replacements internally instead of using contractors, resulting in a reduction in costs.
Kate Maginnity says TechnologyOne’s broad local government experience was an asset too.
“For us, one of the key benefits of working with TechnologyOne was their experience in working with local governments. It gave us the confidence that, whatever the challenge was, it was likely that they had dealt with it before and could advise us,” she said.
TechnologyOne’s Chief Executive Officer, Ed Chung, said: “We understand technology and we understand the industry; we support hundreds of councils, knowing each one has priorities that are unique to their community. We’re constantly innovating, and over the last ten years have helped many councils digitally transform their operations to deliver for their community.”
The release of the Grant guidelines for the first round of the Australian Government’s new $600 million Growing Regions Program, with expressions of interest to open on 5 July this year, is the foundation for a new era of grants across Australia.
The Department has built this grant program from scratch to reflect the policy outcomes of the Albanese Government.
As the Minister says, “We are delivering on our commitment to establish a new regional grants program focused on integrity, transparency, accountability, collaboration and fairness – and I can’t wait to see the incredible benefits it will have in our regions.”
Outcomes and regional priorities focused, inclusion of environmental assessment and a two-part process with the EOI to
be decided by the Department, not the Minister, are just some of the new inclusions.
It is exciting to see a grant program that is based on fairness regardless of where your council is located, and a return to the real purpose of a grant, to deliver the Australian Government policy outcomes. The future of grants for local government is looking great.
Email Simone at admin@section51.com. au or visit www.section51.com.au for details and dates.
Leading electricity and gas distributor Jemena has begun injecting renewable gas into its New South Wales gas network from the groundbreaking Malabar Biomethane Facility, co-funded by ARENA. Federal Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen officially opened the project earlier this month, cutting the ribbon on an Australian-first facility that captures biogas from Sydney Water’s wastewater treatment plant, and converts it to biomethane.
The project is a leap forward in Australia’s energy transition, helping to give gas users access to a more sustainable substitute for natural gas. The project is expected to initially produce around 95 terajoules of gas per year, a volume equivalent to the average annual gas usage of approximately 6300 homes. Over the project’s four-year trial period, Jemena anticipates production could be scaled up to produce around 200TJs of biomethane each year – equivalent to the average annual usage of approximately 13,300 homes if put to use in the residential network.
The supply of biomethane is a game-changer for heavy industry and manufacturers; giving those critical businesses that rely on gas for their heating and firming operations a viable pathway towards decarbonisation. Biomethane also gives households who love their gas appliances continued choice of energy source for how they cook their meals and heat their homes.
While it will work closely with Sydney Water to increase biogas supply at Malabar to maximise its potential, Jemena believes the amount of biowaste in proximity to its NSW gas network could produce 34 petajoules of biomethane, roughly the size of the State’s total annual residential gas use in 2022.
“This project proves that biomethane is a here and now technology. Biogas upgrading into biomethane is a proven renewable energy source that can be easily scaled up to give our businesses a critical tool to help them decarbonise in a reliable way,’’ Jemena’s GM of Renewable Gas, Linda Cardillo, said. “This revo-
lution in gas has long been a reality in Europe, where certification and renewable gas targets have generated phenomenal growth in the supply and demand of biomethane. In Germany, there are more than 11,000 biogas plants, while across the border in France, 112 biomethane projects were opened last year alone.”
Gas is not merely a transitional fuel; it is a fuel in the midst of a transition. By investing in Renewable Gas now, we can secure reliable and sustainable energy solutions for the future, offering more options for households, businesses, industries, and transportation. Renewable Gas, which includes green hydrogen generated from renewable electricity and biomethane made from organic waste, is an additional source of energy that is already being successfully utilised in other parts of the world. It has the potential to help Australia meet its emission targets more efficiently while creating new opportunities for regional employment and many circular economy benefits as the country moves toward a net-zero emissions goal by 2050.
The potential, Ms Cardillo says, can be realised in Australia, but requires a shift in gears from governments to stimulate investment and generate demand. For the emerging industry, a Renewable Gas Target represents the crucial key in unlocking the full commerciality of renewable gas and making it available to households and businesses at scale and at a price
comparable to natural gas.
“We see great opportunity for biomethane facilities to be developed across regional areas, stimulating local communities. This will not only bring renewable gas to communities but will also bring new jobs and other economic opportunities to the regions.”
Find out more about renewable gas projects and opportunities in NSW: gorenewablegas.com.au
You’d think 26,000-plus people would create a mountain of waste during a two-day festival, but less than 150kg of rubbish was disposed of in landfill after the City of Cockburn’s Coogee Live event this March.
About 580kg of recyclable and compostable waste and a record-breaking 32,000-plus food containers and cutlery were diverted from landfill thanks to the cooperation of festivalgoers, food vendors and the city’s dedicated Waste Education and Events teams.
City of Cockburn Waste Education Coordinator Maryline Cassou said the volumes of reuse recorded at Coogee Live was unprecedented for events with food trucks in WA.
The waste wise event recruited 20 food truck and bar vendors across 18 trading hours who pledged not to supply food and drinks in single-use plastic products, opting for reusable dishware and cutlery supplied by Go2Cups, or compostable containers.
With the help of waste champions at six waste sorting stations, festivalgoers were able to divert their waste into separate bins for reusable dishes and cutlery for washing, and other items for composting, donation, recycling or general waste.
The stations replaced the 80 rubbish and recycling bins usually found along a 1.5km stretch of Coogee Beach and coastal reserve for the duration of the weekend festival.
Patrons used more than 32,000 reusable dishes and cutlery, filling 52x120-litre bins and 16 five-litre buckets for washing and reuse across the two days.
Free water stations also helped reduce the purchase of drinks in single-use plastic, enabling people to refill their own reusable bottles.
The city partnered with St Patrick’s Community Support Centre which collected the contents of dedicated Containers for Change bins. The proceeds of 2098 recyclable contain-
ers went towards specialist support services for people facing homelessness.
WRITE Solutions collected about 400kg of compostable containers and food waste, filling 15x240-litre bins with raw material for transformation into garden compost products.
“This means we’re on the right track and that the community is receptive to methods that help them reuse, recover and recycle, and reduce the unnecessary disposal of items in landfill,” Ms Cassou said.
City of Cockburn Head of Library and Cul-
tural Services Brittany Cover said the city’s events team had learned so much from the 2023 festival, with improvements that can be made for future city events, particularly Coogee Live, next summer.
“Coogee Live was also a carbon neutral event. This means carbon emissions released as a result of the event, from things like patron travel, food consumption and onsite generators, were offset by the city investing in planting mixed native trees and shrubs throughout the state,” Ms Cover said.
Mayor Logan Howlett said the city was one of the first, if not the first, local government in WA to use Go2Cups reusable dishware at its events.
“The city began partnering with Go2Cups in 2018 when we made the courageous decision to remove disposable coffee cups from all its events, saving an estimated 10,000 coffee cups from landfill to date,” Mayor Howlett said.
“The city has also discouraged single-use plastics at its events for several years by providing free water stations. This has reduced the need for people to buy thousands of single-use plastic water bottles which often end up in a rubbish or recycling bin.
“Our community should be proud of its ability to adapt to change and embrace more sustainable practises in their everyday lives.”
The City WasteWise Events Policy adheres to the WA Plan for Plastics and the WA Waste Authority’s Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030.
Coogee Live is the city’s flagship family event and was named the Best Community Event in Australia at the 2021 Australian Event Awards.
Association of Victoria.
Ms Grigsby has extensive experience in local government leadership roles and is currently the CEO of the City of Hobart and was formerly CEO of Wyndham City Council (2015-2021).
A highly experienced local government executive, Kelly Grigsby was announced as the next Chief Executive Officer at the Municipal Association of Victoria this month.
Winter Wonderland.
Electric Wonderland to mesmerise in Rosalind Park 23 June – 9 July 2023.
A brand new after-dark experience, Electric Wonderland, will transform Rosalind Park this winter.
Visitors will be dazzled with a breathtaking experience that includes large-scale illuminated sculptures, a 360-degree laser light alley light show, interactive musical stepping-stones, and an interactive blooming giant flower garden, amongst other jawdropping installations.
City of Greater Bendigo Manager Tourism and Major Events Terry Karamaloudis said this was a fun-packed attraction suitable for all ages.
“Rug up and experience this new after dark experience not seen before in Rosalind Park with magical projections, interactive exhibits, and immersive light installations to enthral and entertain during the school holidays,” Mr Karamaloudis said.
Electric Wonderland Cubes.
Electric Wonderland promises to be the highlight of Bendigo’s winter program, offering a unique and unforgivable experience for all ages. Coinciding with the winter school holidays, 23 June – 9 July, the event is sure to warm up the whole family.
Currently the CEO of the City of Hobart, Kelly has extensive leadership experience in the local government sector and is a sought after thought leader.
Her background includes city shaping, organisational transformation, service reform and, as a respected sector leading CEO, is experienced in intergovernmental influencing experience at state, national and international levels.
Ms Grigsby is also a Senior Honorary Fellow at the Melbourne School of Government and is a member of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) State Advisory Council
MAV President, Councillor David Clark, said Ms Grigsby was selected by the Board after an extensive and highly competitive national recruitment process.
“The MAV Board is excited to have secured someone of Kelly’s calibre and experience, who will bring a contemporary approach to leading the local government sector into a new era in Victoria over the coming years,” Cr Clark said.
“Kelly is a well-recognised in the local government sector as an innovative, resultfocussed and visionary organisational leader. We look forward to welcoming her back to Victoria.“
Ms Grigsby has been appointed for a term of five years and will commence in the role on Monday 24 July 2023.
“I am thrilled to welcome Kelly to the role of CEO at the MAV and am confident that her leadership will help the MAV continue to de-
liver exceptional outcomes to the local government sector and their respective communities.”
Kelly Grigsby.
Following an exhaustive national recruitment process, Kelly Grigsby will be the next Chief Executive Officer of the Municipal
Wollongong Botanic Garden has a new collection with links to the dinosaurs. Called cycads, they have been carefully relocated from the home of a private collector.
The Cycad family typically have a woody trunk with a crown of hard leaves and while they look like palms and ferns, they are not closely related to either.
Wollongong Botanic Garden Curator Felicity
Skoberne said that, in addition to being one of the oldest plant species on the planet, these rare cycads have an amazing backstory.
“Half of the collection came from the Burraneer estate of the late Ian and Norma Edwards. An influential Doctor of Medicine and passionate plant collector, Ian served as Director of the International Palm Society from 1998 to 2002,”
said Ms Skoberne.
“The couple had always planned for their collection to be shared and, when they passed, their friends and family obliged.”
The Wollongong City Council team worked with the Edwards’ children to carefully relocate the collection by extracting each plant by machine and transporting them on large trucks.
The remainder of the 34-strong collection were replanted from elsewhere in the garden and there was also a donation of five plants from Stan Walkley in the
Sunshine Coast hinterland.
Ms Skoberne said the team was thrilled to be able to display and protect these beautiful plants.
“It’s amazing to think that these plants’ ancestors once witnessed epic t-rex fights, hid hungry velociraptors, and perhaps gave back scratches to brachiosaurus.
“The new collection includes five critically endangered plants and eight endangered species, some of which are native to Taiwan, Kenya and Tanzania, and the Philippines.
The Stawell Library officially reopened its doors to the public this month, celebrating the completion of an extensive seven-month-long revitalisation project that has seen the Sloane Street building completely transform.
Built in late 1979 and first opening its doors in early 1980, the much-loved library building had only seen minor cosmetic upgrades such as new carpets until the recent councilinstigated redevelopment works.
The fresh new space now offers the local community a modern multipurpose library, complete with elevated roof and fabulous lighting, new carpets, private program and meeting rooms, a spacious children’s reading area, and plenty of comfortable places to write, relax, research, and read.
Northern Grampians Shire Council secured funding for the works through the Victorian Government Living Libraries Infrastructure Program 2020 and a Commonwealth Government Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Grant, contributing $640,000 and $300,000, respectively.
The Mayor of Northern Grampians Shire Council, Cr. Kevin Erwin, joined fellow councillors, library staff, visitors, and users, to celebrate the occasion on Tuesday 6 May, cutting the ribbon alongside the Hon Jacinta Ermacora MLC, Member for Western Victoria.
“The NGSC Library Service is a key community asset and one of the most actively used council services, with a current membership of 3,365 residents. I am proud of the variety of literacy and learning programs and activities the NGSC Library Service offers its users, and the diverse collection of print, audio visual and digital formats it provides in accessible and welcoming environments.
“We are fortunate that the Stawell Library has been able to be refurbished thanks to generous contributions from both the Victorian and Commonwealth governments...This near $1,000,000 upgrade is a major renovation that has delivered a modern, flexible library and community space that will continue to strengthen and enrich our community,” said Cr Erwin.
The Hon. Ms Jacinta Ermacora MLC,
Member for Western Victoria, reflected the sentiments of Mayor Erwin, emphasising the ongoing importance of public libraries throughout Victoria.
“The Victorian Government recognises the important role of public libraries in fostering lifelong learning and facilitating access to information. We recognise that libraries enrich local communities by supporting a culture that values reading, learning and social connection. This project, valued at almost
$1,000,000 is a great example of what can be achieved when Commonwealth, State, and Local governments come together and invest in a community... I am excited to see the difference that the upgraded Stawell Library will make to the Northern Grampians Shire Community,” said Ms Ermacora MLC.
The Stawell Library officially re-opened to the public in Sloane Street on Tuesday 6 May 2023.
“Cycads are generally considered slow growers so to have a collection of older plants like these is wonderful.
“Many species of cycad are under threat in the wild due to both habitat destruction and over-collection for food, medicine or the illegal plant trade.
“Ultimately, this collection will support conservation efforts through education and seed sharing in our botanic garden networks. It will grow even more impressive with time,” said Ms Skoberne.
Minister Michael brings considerable experience to the role having served as a Councillor on the City of Stirling Council for 12 years –including two years as Deputy Mayor – and as a member of WALGA State Council from 2009 to 2017.
“I congratulate Minister Michael on his promotion to Cabinet as the Minister for Ports, Local Government, Road Safety and Minister assisting the Minister for Transport,” Cr Chappel said.
“David’s time as a City of Stirling Councillor and on WALGA State Council will hold him in good stead as Local Government Minister and will give him great insight into the sector.
“He also takes on the role as Road Safety Minister, a portfolio very close to Local Government, especially in the regions.”
Cr Chappel also took time out to thank outgoing Local Government Minister John Carey.
“Minister Carey worked closely with WALGA to deliver significant Local Government reforms and always showed a willingness to listen to the sector’s concerns,” Cr Chappel said.
“While we didn’t always see eye-to-eye on every issue, Minister Carey always had the Local Government sector’s best interests at heart, and his contribution has been significant.
“I wish him all the best in his new portfolio of Planning, Lands, Housing, and Homelessness, portfolios that are all closely aligned to the Local Government sector.”
The appointment of David Michael MLA as new Local Government Minister has been welcomed by WALGA President Cr Karen Chappel.The cycad team. Cycads in place.
The City of Stirling has received the highest possible accolade from Water Corporation and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, taking out the Platinum Waterwise Council of the Year award as part of the Waterwise Council Program. The award recognised the city’s efforts to reduce water consumption and improve efficiency while encouraging ratepayers to choose native plants during a series of pop-up garden workshops.
Among the initiatives recognised in the Platinum status was the city’s Sustainable Verge Awards program. The awards recognise residents who contribute to the city’s efforts to create sustainable verge gardens.
Special mention was also made of the city’s efforts to reduce groundwater consumption at Grindleford Reserve in Balcatta through hydrozoning technology.
The technology was featured in October 2022 when the State Government announced their Kep Katitjin - Gabi Kaadadjan - Waterwise Action Plan 2 in the heart of the City of Stirling.
The city is proud to continue to lead the sector in waterwise innovations and initiatives, and receiving the Platinum status is a testament to the hard work of the staff and community. Waterwise recognition for Stirling.
Work to clear blocked drains across Golden Plains Shire will be fast tracked following the arrival of a new Komatsu PC78 excavator.
The council established a program to clear blocked and overgrown drains following record rainfall in October and November 2022 which led to severe flooding in parts of the shire. The new excavator will play a vital role in clearing drains and ensuring better roadside drainage as wet weather sets in.
Council has also allocated two full-time road maintenance staff to operate the excavator to clear overgrown and blocked drains, initially focusing on neighbourhoods and communities most affected by last year’s storms. Golden Plains Shire Mayor Cr Brett Cunningham said improving drainage across the shire was a major focus for Council’s Roads, Drainage and Town Maintenance team.
“We saw the impact of that severe weather last year, particularly around drainage, and we have made a commitment to residents to clear out drains and ensure the shire is better prepared for the colder, wetter months ahead.
“The Komatsu PC78 excavator is an impressive piece of equipment, and we are excited to see the new team members get to work on clearing out roadside drains which will contribute to better and safer roads.”
Council has allocated a record amount to road repairs, maintenance and improvements in its Draft Budget 2023/24 with $2.7 million allocated to road repairs and maintenance, and $3.4 million towards road improvements.
Works continue to repair widespread damage to the Warrumbungle Shire road network, caused by successive natural disaster events from November 2021 to September 2022.
“The natural disaster events dating from November 2021 resulted in damage to most of the roads right across the Warrumbungle local government area, and indeed throughout much of New South Wales, Victoria and parts of Queensland,” said Warrumbungle Shire Council Mayor, Councillor Ambrose Doolan.
“Since then, council has been working constantly on assessing the roads, capturing accurate data for the rigorous process to apply for financial assistance, and to systematically work through the road repairs.
“Even after all this time we are still awaiting approval from the NSW Government for
funding for some restoration works from the November 2021 storm events, which is also hindering the recovery.
“With over 2500km of roads, the task of restoring our road network is huge. Road crews are working additional hours and days on local rural roads to get the works completed quicker. Additional staff have been taken on and council is also partnering with local contractors to supply extra labour and machinery. Council is also about to tender for additional contractors to speed up the restoration process,” said Cr Doolan.
“It is great to see the road works are hap-
pening across the LGA, different crews are working in different locations all the time to systematically work through the priority order that was adopted by council. The community will be seeing the results, most recently works in the Cobborah Road area were completed,” said Cr Doolan.
“There is not a town, village or locality in the Warrumbungle LGA that has not been affected by the natural disasters. Damage to this extent has never previously been experienced in our area, with massive claims lodged for assistance totalling over $11M. Before this the largest natural disaster claim in the Warrumbungle LGA was for around $700,000,” said Cr Doolan.
“The process to rehabilitate the road network is a very slow one. Applying for funding is in itself a long and complicated process that requires a significant amount of effort. On top of the strict requirements of Federal and State Governments for natural disaster funding assistance, staff were hindered by ongoing wet weather and delays in receiving supplies for an extended time,” explained Cr Doolan.
“The program of road rehabilitation is expected to take around two years to complete. I urge the community to continue to be patient with the process and take care on the roads, not only in the Warrumbungle LGA but across the state,” concluded Cr Doolan.
Truckloads of unwanted household textiles were collected and diverted from landfill at Hunter’s Hill Council’s textile drop-off event at Clarkes Point on Saturday, 27 May.
The event was part of council’s efforts to enhance sustainability and waste management in Hunters Hill and was guided by recommendations to increase textile recycling and resource recovery avenues from a Textiles in Kerbside Waste Audit.
Council partnered with textiles recovery business BlockTexx and charity organisation Vinnies for the initiative to reduce the estimated 87 tonnes of textiles waste the audit identified as being generated each year in the Hunters Hill local government area.
Tonnes of household linens and towels donated by community members were collected by BlockTexx as part of its ‘Give a Sheet for the Planet’ program.
All items collected will be converted into high-grade recycled materials to be used in the manufacture of new products, such as hydromulch, fertiliser, shopping baskets and geosynthetic fabrics.
Clothing, bags and shoes donated by community members were collected by Vinnies to be sold in the charity’s op shops to support those in need.
The project was a NSW Environment Protection Authority initiative funded from the waste levy.
The City of Gosnells has set a path to a more sustainable future, thanks to the recent adoption of a new Sustainability Action Plan.
The plan focuses on reducing energy consumption, switching to renewable energy sources and improving the natural environment. It identifies an extensive list of actions the city will undertake to achieve this, related to biodiversity, energy, transport, water, climate, infrastructure and waste.
Mayor Terresa Lynes said the Sustainability Action Plan formalised the City’s existing extensive sustainability efforts.
“The City of Gosnells has a long history of taking action to minimise its environmental footprint and will continue to look for innovative ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” she said.
“Although local government cannot drive global change, there are many things the city does, and can do, to bring about change at a local level and contribute to emission reduction targets.”
The plan creates a framework for the city to assess and report on its progress, ensuring a coordinated approach to its sustainability efforts.
The plan also reinforces the city’s commitment to reducing waste, sourcing environmentally responsible goods and services and supporting the community and local businesses to reduce emissions.
Mayor Lynes said the city was determined to do its best by the community when it came to climate change.
“The Sustainability Action Plan demonstrates the city’s commitment to meeting the challenges of climate change in our local area, while supporting a growing population and increasing urban density,” she said.
“By operating efficiently and effectively, we can mitigate our impact on the environment and continue to support our community’s needs in the years ahead.”
The council understands the significant impact the Victorian Government’s early transition from native timber logging, by 1 January 2024, has on individuals and local economies throughout our region as publicly acknowledged following the 23 May 2023 announcement.
“Council has been calling on the Federal and Victorian Governments to support a considered transition for the region given pending coal-fired power generators closures and uncertainty linked to timber supply impacting production at the Maryvale Mill.
“The timber industry has been an integral part of our community for generations, with the Maryvale Mill a cornerstone of Latrobe City’s economic landscape for over 85 years.
“The Mill and wider timber industry have provided employment opportunities and contributed to the economic growth and sustainability of our region, with the Mill’s reduced operating capacity expected to be felt far and wide.
“As noted in discussions at this month’s council meeting, council’s support remains with Opal workers. Council acknowledges the far-reaching consequences for those impacted by the cessation of native timber harvesting and the broader effect this will have on our community.
“The Victorian Government has outlined their support packages, but more can be done to create security.
“We call upon the Victorian Government to work collaboratively with the timber industry and affected communities to find viable and sustainable solutions that prioritise both environmental conservation and the welfare of timber industry workers including those employed at the Maryvale Mill. It is essential to ensure a just transition for those impacted by this decision, offering support, retraining and alternative employment opportunities.
“This is the time we must work in conjunction with Our Transition plan to ensure strategic investment is made for the liveability and prosperity of our city.
“We call on the Victorian Government to move to support the attraction of new industry, to enable economic activity and growth in regional and rural Victoria, with a particular focus on Latrobe and broader Gippsland.
“Council will continue to actively advocate and garner support on behalf of community, engaging with government authorities, industry stakeholders, and community representatives to seek pathways for the revitalisation and diversification of our economy.
“We remain shoulder to shoulder with timber workers, their families, and communities. We will continue to fight for their voices to be heard, and for the creation of a sustainable and prosperous future for our city.”
Latrobe City Council issued a statement expressing its unwavering support for the timber industry, timber workers and communities impacted by the Victorian Government’s decision to bring forward the closure of the native timber industry.
The tipping point for this transformation came about in early 2020 when the council received a $120,000 quote for a much-needed technology upgrade to its ERP system. This combined with an imminent contract renewal process with its technology partner of 12 years kick started a process to see what else was on offer. Begging the question - what can a council buy for $120,000 in the open market today? A lot, it turned out.
At this stage YSC began its due diligence, investigating not only SaaS based software vendors and their offerings but also the types of technology models that would work best for their council. This process was well underway when Tammy Smith was promoted to CEO early last year. However, being part of this business transformation in her previous role at YSC, Tammy was fully across the transformation.
“A best of breed model made sense for us – we could have the best of all worlds at a competitive cost,” Tammy explained. “And once we decided on the optimum combination of software solutions, the implementation was fast. Within two months Xero and Keypay were up and running – in time for our July 1, 2020, deadline, while the other five were operating by October 2020.”
Unlike many larger councils, YSC does not have a dedicated IT team, so it was important that these software solutions worked together without the added cost of external consultants. Anita McFarlane, Manager Corporate Service and Principal Accounting Officer at YSC - who collaborated with Tammy on both the new business processes and best of breed solution, says that they were lucky to find a like-minded champion who could help
steer this best of breed solution, be it, from an unlikely source.
“One of our software vendors - Ben from
Mayor Clare Stewart and her Gympie counterpart Glen Hartwig recently signed the agreement.
Cr Stewart said waste management is a costly exercise for all councils.
“It makes economic sense to avoid duplication where we can and look to find better environmental outcomes and efficiencies,” she said.
“I am a staunch supporter of collaborating with our neighbouring councils to share knowledge, and share resources to find benefits for our ratepayers,” she said.
“This agreement provides a framework that can potentially enhance the resource recovery industry across the two councils and maximise environmental, social and economic benefits.”
Gympie Mayor Glen Hartwig said the MoU was a tangible step in being more effective in the service delivery of waste management.
“There are massive synergies in waste for all councils and working together can help Gympie achieve better environmental outcomes and investigate ways to deal with different aspects of waste in a collaborative way,” he said.
The agreement focuses on the key areas of infrastructure, procurement, knowledge sharing, and potential cost-sharing arrangements in future contracts.
Noosa CEO Larry Sengstock said it’s about creating a dialogue between the two councils.
“This doesn’t tie either councils to any firm investments, but rather solidifies an already strong relationship we have with Gympie council staff and their elected representatives,” he said.
Noosa Council is a member of Council of
Mayors South East Queensland (CoMSEQ) who have launched a Waste Management Plan to tackle the war on waste.
Cr Stewart said CoMSEQ’s plan laid out a series of opportunities for SEQ councils to work together to reduce waste gong to landfill.
“Seventy per cent of Queensland’s waste is processed through southeast Queensland, so we all have a shared ambition to find ways to improve recycling and identify resource-recovery opportunities,” Cr Stewart said.
Representatives from both councils will meet regularly to discuss infrastructure projects and identify ways to turn waste into a resource and divert away from landfill.
Council Wise, could see what we were trying to achieve, he ‘got it’ from the start,” Anita said. “Even though his software was only one of the
cogs within the group of solutions selected, Ben’s keenness to make sure our vision made it over the line was infectious while his expertise in this area was greatly appreciated.”
According to Tammy, a key part of this successful transformation involved working closely with YSC’s employees – bringing them along this transformation journey to ensure everyone coped with the upcoming changes.
“Our workers out in the field have had a huge shift in how they operate day-to-day, going from everything being paper-based to doing their timesheets on their phone and ordering supplies via a tablet,” Tammy explained.
“Plus, the knock-on effects of this automation are endless. Our payroll officer for example is now saving a day and a half a week – no longer having to key in timesheets, she can now focus on using analysis tools to check for accuracy and trends.”
Another aspect of the YSC’s processes that have radically altered is the audit process. The three-day onsite visit by an audit team is now a distant memory.
“From a finance side, it’s been excellent when it comes to audits,” Anita said. “The auditors can login to the system remotely - so we don’t need see or hear from them.”
For all their work and unwavering faith in their carefully selected best of breed model, YSC has been the recipient of two Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) awards – 2021 Business Transformation Award and the 2021 Digital Leadership Achievement of the Year Award. Since receiving these awards, both Tammy and Anita have been in demand, as other councils inspired by what they have achieved want to know more.
The Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale takes action to save endangered black cockatoos.
Ngoolarks, or Carnaby cockatoos, have connected Noongar families for thousands of years, but we are in danger of losing them forever with human pressures.
The Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale is proud to partner with Murdoch University, with support from Lotterywest, to launch Keep Carnaby’s Flying – Ngoolarks Forever. This community empowerment program will see researchers, Aboriginal organisations, other local governments, and conservation groups take action together to protect and preserve endangered birds.
In conjunction with Murdoch’s Harry Butler Institute and Ngank Yira Institute for Change, the project has also partnered with the Winjan Bindjareb Boodja Rangers, Birdlife Australia, Perth NRM, South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare (SERCUL), Peel-Harvey Catchment Council, Landcare Serpentine-Jarrahdale, Urban Bushland Council of WA, Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Conservation Centre, and Curtin University’s Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory.
The project also collaborates with Perth Zoo, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, and the Town of Victoria Park.
By developing Conservation Action Plans with four local governments each year, the Keep Carnaby’s Flying – Ngoolarks Forever project will deliver a range of on-ground activities, including revegetation, protection of foraging habitat, roosts and vegetation corridors, and the installation of water drinking stations.
The first four councils to engage in the project are the City of Cockburn, the City
Working with four local governments each year, the project will support community-led on-ground activities, including revegetation of black cockatoo habitats and installation of water drinking stations.
of Melville, the Shire of Wanneroo, and the Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale.
Working with four local governments each year, the project will support community-led on-ground activities, including revegetation of black cockatoo habitats and installation of water drinking stations, while developing black cockatoo Conservation Action Plans for councils to safeguard their black cockatoo flocks in the long term.
One of the project’s activities involves installing signs at native plant nurseries around Perth to encourage gardeners to plant cockatoo-friendly native plant species such as banksia, hakea, and marri, and nonnative, high-energy macadamia trees, which can provide food for Ngoolarks in the shortterm as native plants establish.
Nursery staff will also advise gardeners, and the project’s website, keepcarnabysflying.org.au, has detailed information about what to plant and what else people can do to help keep Perth’s Carnaby’s cockatoos flying.
They say that necessity is the mother of invention, and this was the case for Yarriambiack Shire Council (YSC) when its ICT budget and a growing need to overhaul its outdated business processes did not align - creating a light bulb moment for this small shire of 6,639 residents that would change its path forward forever.Tammy Smith.
AMemorandum of Understanding between Noosa and Gympie Councils aims to help find efficiencies in waste management and potential cost-sharing arrangements across the two councils. Noosa Mayor Clare Stewart and her Gympie counterpart Glen Hartwig.
The Art on the Great Victorian Rail Trail Project was officially opened at an event at Trawool Estate on Friday 26 May ahead of a major tourism campaign planned for spring.
The project has seen seven large-scale artworks and a series of smaller works placed along the length of the 134km Great Victorian Rail Trail (GVRT).
The joint initiative between Murrindindi, Mansfield and Mitchell Shire Councils, aims to improve the rail trail experience by implementing innovative and impactful art installations to attract visitors to the trail and surrounding towns within the region.
The GVRT will also benefit from a series of new wayfinding and interpretive signs installed along the trail.
These signs will improve the visitor experience on the trail, sharing First Peoples stories and information and connecting people with sites along the trail.
As part of the project, a Community Reference Group (CRG) was formed based on Expressions of Interest received.
The CRG met on several occasions to provide input and feedback on the project, including the curatorial direction of the project, potential art installation locations and consideration during the artist selection phase.
Seven artists were then chosen for the large scale works through a two-stage expression of
interest selection process and Taungurung artist Mick Harding was also selected to create 20 scar trees along the trail.
Mick and his sons removed the bark from eucalypts and carved symbols into them to articulate their relationship to their Ancestors and Country.
The work draws on traditional tree scarring practised by many First Nations peoples from the south-east of Australia.
Taungurung people have been removing the bark from trees to use for various purposes such as baby carriers, food collection vessels and canoes for at least 2000 generations.
Two Central Coast Council projects have been honoured with wins at the NSW Local Government Professionals Australia Awards held in Sydney last week.
Council’s ‘Fire-Ed Up: Bushfire Resilience Program’ was recognised in the Community Development category while council’s Marketing and Tourism team was honoured for their ‘Rewilding Destination Marketing: Central Coast Council’s Eco Destination Journey’ project in the Special Project Initiative category.
Fire-Ed Up was developed by council in collaboration with Central Coast Academy of STEM Excellence (CCASE) and Rumbalara Environmental Education Centre (EEC) – to build resilience in young people by increasing their bushfire knowledge, to improve wellbeing.
The hands-on program for stage three (years five and six) prepares students, their families, and community for the risk of bushfires, integrating with the existing school curriculum. Delivered to 1300 students across 12 schools so far, 71.4 per cent of participants reported they felt less worried about bushfires after taking part.
Rewilding Destination Marketing recognises the journey taken by council’s Marketing and
Tourism team to become the second destination in NSW to achieve international recognition as a sustainable destination through Ecotourism Australia’s ECO Destination Certification program 12 months ago – one of only seven ECO destinations in Australia.
The in-house team play a key role in driving the region’s visitor economy, tourism industry capability and positive reputation. The 20-month journey to gaining ECO certification shows the local tourism industry, stakeholders and council are committed to community and environmental needs through sustainable tourism.
Central Coast Council Director Community and Recreation Services Melanie Smith said it was an honour to be recognised among so many Councils across the state.
“We were up against more than 20 councils across several categories, so it is a great achievement to walk away with multiple awards.
“These awards recognise our outstanding
performance while delivering positive, valuable outcomes for the Central Coast community.”
Council administrator Rik Hart said both bushfire education and tourism are crucial for the Central Coast community.
“The Central Coast’s tourism economy brings in millions of dollars every year, boosting local businesses as well as providing employment.
“The work our Marketing and Tourism team does, working in collaboration with key stakeholders absolutely deserves the acknowledgement it has received with the award.
“Also, with over 128,500 hectares of bushland, how we educate the community on bushfire preparedness is key for our region. The ongoing work we do alongside emergency agencies to raise awareness and share resources that will help prepare us all for severe weather events is particularly important, so it’s also fantastic to see the Community Education team walk away with a win for their bushfire education efforts.”
The trees will heal over time, leaving a lasting marker of the continued connection of First Nations people to Country.
Guests at the opening heard from the Attorney General of Victoria Jaclyn Symes MP about this exciting project and its potential to bring visitors and economic benefit to the region
We thank the Victorian Government’s Regional Tourism Investment Fund whose $1.2 million grant covered the full cost of the artworks, their installation and the selection process.
Every day, food businesses across the municipality serve cuisine ranging from avocado to zucchini and everything in between.
An additional 300 state-wide mobile food businesses also operate within the Launceston municipality, providing food at events like Festivale, Beerfest, and the Launceston Harvest Market.
A critical component of operating a successful food business is complying with relevant food safety standards, and the City of Launceston’s Environmental Health Officers work with operators to ensure food served in Launceston meets the highest standards.
City of Launceston Acting Mayor Matthew Garwood said 7 June marked World Food Safety Day, recognised by the World Health Organisation each year to promote food safety standards.
“There’s no doubt Launceston, as a recognised UNESCO City of Gastronomy, has a fast-growing reputation as a hub for food and wine culture,” Cr Garwood said. “An important part of gaining that reputation is down to the hard work of our food businesses and producers, who strive to deliver top-quality products, meet food safety requirements, and who work every day to put Launceston on the map.”
City of Launceston Environmental Health Officer Melissa Burn said World Food Safety Day was a reminder for professional chefs and home cooks alike about the importance of food safety:
“Some people may be unaware that the City of Launceston’s Environmental Health Officers regulate food businesses in our municipality to ensure they have practices in place to produce safe food for the community. In Launceston, the vast majority of food businesses take food safety extremely seriously, and we know this because we work with business operators to inspect their premises and to provide education and information to assist with improvements.”
Eat safe Launceston’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy was earned in no small part by the city’s 944 food businesses.
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