South Coast NRM New Board Member
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South Cost NRM welcomes newly elected Board member Debbie Millard, who was unanimously elected at the AGM on 14th November 2019 by South Coast NRM members.
Debbie is a qualified Chartered Accountant with 27 years experience; 10 years as an auditor, and 17 years in commerce. Debbie's commercial experience has been supplemented by her role as Treasurer and Chair Finance and Risk Committee for a number of not-for-profit organisations over the past 9 years.
As a result of Debbie's election as a member of the South Coast NRM Board and her vast experience and knowledge in finance, Debbie has also been elected as the Deputy Chair of the South Coast NRM Audit Committee.
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South Coast NRM Annual General Meeting
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The South Coast NRM AGM was held this year on the 14th November at the Albany Surf Life Saving Club. The Chair Carolyn Daniel opened the meeting acknowledging Elders past, present and emerging and acknowledging the land of the Menang people. Chair acknowledged fellow board members and CEO Justin Bellanger and his team who have been working tirelessly to improve the management of our environment in the South Coast and beyond, which includes all contractual agreements with partners.
The Chair went on to acknowledge retiring board member Joanne Gilbert and also as Chair of the Audit Committee, highlighting the recent Australian Institute of Company Directors awards with Joanne winning the PWC director award for excellence in the Western Australian not-for-profit sector. Joanne has been with South Coast NRM for 11 years and on the Audit Committee and 6 years of the Board.
The reports for the Chair and CEO can be found in the new version of the Annual Report at https://southcoastnrm.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/FINAL-PDF-Annual-Report.pdf
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South Coast NRM Key Stats 2018 - 2019
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Funding support for community groups warmly received
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South Coast NRM’s initiative to provide $160,000 equally shared among eight of its community partners has been warmly received. The funds were in response to calls for greater capacity to meet communities’ needs. The recipients of the funds included the Gillamii Centre, Fitzgerald Biosphere Group, Oyster Harbour Catchment Group, North Stirling’s Pallinup Natural Resources, Ravensthorpe Agricultural Initiative Network, Torbay Catchment Group, the Wilson Inlet Catchment Committee and the Esperance area. South Coast NRM CEO, Justin Bellanger said “It’s been great to hear the plans of some of the groups who will use the funds to support staff and other functions of their organisation.” “The initiative practically demonstrates our commitment to support our partner organisations at a time that they are most in need, and unable to secure help like this from other groups or sources” Mr Bellanger said. Contracting of the funds has progressed in a simple manner, with the aim to transfer the funds prior to Christmas.
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South Coast NRM advocates for more funding with Federal Environment Minister Susan Ley
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South Coast NRM CEO Justin Bellanger used the opportunity of a private meeting with Federal Environment Minister Susan Ley to highlight the need for more funding to deliver large landscape-scale projects. Reflecting on the lack of opportunities elsewhere, Mr Bellanger thanked the Minister for the resources provided through the Regional Land Partnerships program but reinforced the need for greater ongoing funding to address issues at the scale which can make a real difference in WA. “Since the conclusion of State NRM program’s Strategic Priority Projects in 2016, the Australian Government has been our sole provider of resources at the scale that can really help our natural resources” Mr Bellanger said. “It was great for Minister Ley to reflect positively on South Coast NRM’s strong role in partnering with the Australian Government; we’ve highlighted that there is significant unmet capacity to do more in the South Coast” he said. Mr Bellanger also took the opportunity to highlight the needs of sub-regionally based groups that are managing natural resources in their areas, in some cases without enough support from government.
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Bush foods create opportunities to talk about reconciliation and Aboriginal empowerment
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The Merinj Kaartdijin - Aboriginal Food Knowledge Forum was held on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 November at the Albany Entertainment Centre with over 100 people from across the State attending over the two days.
Attendees heard from local, national and internationally recognised experts about the common ground created by sharing bush foods, as well as the complexities of managing traditional cultural knowledge, protecting intellectual property and growing local native plants.
The bush food field trip into the Albany hinterland was a guided tour with local Noongar experts from Kurrah Mia. The trip included viewing oyster beds at the culturally significant Kalgan Fish Traps, complemented with catering prepared by local Noongar business, the Kinjarling Indigenous Corporation. After a scenic bus ride north participants enjoyed a foraging tour at Twin Creeks Conservation Reserve which culminated in a remarkable bush food inspired gourmet lunch hosted by the Friends of the Porongurup Range.
The Merinj Kaartdijin forum coincided with the Kinjarling Djinda Ngardak celebration gala dinner on 23 November at the Albany Entertainment Centre. Opened by Aboriginal Affairs Minister and Treasurer Ben Wyatt the dinner concluded a week of celebrity chef-led intercultural cooking activities with Aboriginal high school students from across WA. Nearly 200 guests enjoyed an extraordinary bush food dinner and marvelled at the achievements and the successes of the Aboriginal students and the unique educational catering program.
The forum was arranged by South Coast Natural Resource Management, through funding from the Australian Governments’ National Landcare Program in partnership with Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and Kinjarling Djinda Ngardak and supported by Katanning Landcare, Great Southern Development Commission, City of Albany, and the Albany Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
More details are available at www.southcoastnrm.com.au or through Peter Twigg (9845 8537, petert@southcoastnrm.com.au).
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