Environment & Waterways Alliance Meeting Minutes + Actions

Wednesday 17 June 2020 Location, Online Google Meet

ATTENDING David Waddell – Orange City Council Michael Chambers – Council Mick Callan – Neophema Environmental Lindsay Hall – Orange City Council Peta Rowlands – Neophema Environmental Jon Francis – Orange City Council Alice Blackwood – Bathurst Regional Council Melissa Ryan – Council Cassie Liney – Mid-Western Regional Council Rowan Bentick – Council Cathy Black – Council Deborah Taylor – Bathurst Regional Council Hiral Patel – Council Joel Little – Bathurst Regional Council Kate Alberry – Shire Council Maryanne Stephens – Council

APOLOGIES Andrew Francis – Parkes Shire Council Kevin Tighe – Council Brad Cam – Mid-Western Regional Council Matthew Butterworth – Mid-Western Regional Council Brian Vaughan – Council Roger Smith – Orange City Council Edmund Hogan – Central Tablelands Local Tracey Potts – Central Tablelands Local Land Services Land Services Melissa Kelly – Gilgandra Shire Council Grant Baker – Council Robyn Teet – Forbes Shire Council Ken Stratton – Warrumbungle Shire Council Vivian Howard – Central Tablelands Local Land Jon Shillito – Lachlan Shire Council Services Glenn Wilcox – Warren Shire Council Belinda Barlow – Orana Joint Organisation of Councils Brian Parker – Blayney Shire Council Heather Nicholls – Cabonne Shire Council Marg Applebee – Central West Lachlan Landcare

CHAIR David Waddell

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AGENDA ITEM

Welcome and Review of Previous Minutes David Waddell • Meeting was opened at 2:05pm. • Acknowledgement was made of the Traditional Owners of the Land, and their Elders past and present. • Introduction to the meeting and outline of the content. • WHS considerations for the meeting. • Noted that this was the first meeting of 2020. • Belinda Barlow acknowledged and thanked for her contributions as Deputy Chair. • As per Alliance Terms of Reference, the election of Deputy Chair is to be undertaken every 2 years. Previous election was October 2019, so the next vote will be for a 12-month term. ACTION • Election of Chair and Deputy chair to be held at the first meeting of 2021-22 FY. ACTION • Previous meeting minutes were accepted as accurate, and the actions from that meeting reviewed.

AGENDA ITEM

NSW Environmental Trust Grant Mick Callan • The Alliance was successful in receiving $100K from NSW Environment Trust for the Chainsaw Hollows project • Mick and Peta will review the project plan and contact all Councils in the coming weeks as we intend to get the project started in the coming Spring, depending on breeding seasons and contractor availability. ACTION • Noted that Orana JO was the organisation that submitted the application, and the JO is possibility collapsing. • Alliance was asked not to publicise receiving the grant until after 17 June. David to arrange Minister Kean to announce it on his next visit to the Alliance region. ACTION • It was noted that Lithgow Farmer’s Creek site was probably heavily impacted by bushfires yet there is no current access to check due to safety concerns. The Alliance will look to replace any previously installed hollows at this site with the grant project, rather than the installation of nest boxes which was previously proposed.

AGENDA ITEM

Website and Social Media Report Mick Callan • Mick Callan provided an update on the Alliance website and social media statistics, noting that performance was stable. • For the period May 10 to June 8 the Alliance website had 125 unique visitors for 129 separate site visits. The Home Page was the most visited page with an even spread of visits to other pages on the site. • For the period 10 May to June 6 the Alliance Facebook page has 646 likes and received 51 page views. The majority of the followers of the page are women representing 57% of followers. 26% of the page followers are in the age bracket 35 – 44. • Peta/Mick to follow up Councils for any good-news stories that could be promoted through the Alliance’s social media. ACTION

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AGENDA ITEM

Friends of the Alliance Mick Callan • There are now 10 Friends of the Alliance. If you have a suggestion for a new Friend, please advise Mick. • Filskis, a for-profit pest animal control organisation has approached the Alliance to become a FOA. Their application to be discussed at next meeting after it has been received.

AGENDA ITEM

Alliance Conference David Waddell • All attendees agreed to proceed with a conference in mid-2021. • Next meeting discuss conference planning: o Potential stallholders and sponsorship o Abstract submissions/invitations to submit o Guest speakers o Sponsored award for early career researcher

AGENDA ITEM

SoE Reporting Mick Callan • Inception meeting with Molino Stewart before June 30. Initial quote of $34,715 for 15 Councils. ACTION • Parkes, Forbes and Lithgow Councils do not participate in Alliance SoE reporting. • Remaining Councils were asked to vote if they did not want to go ahead with the current annual snapshot format. No votes were submitted. Unanimously agreed that the annual snapshots are needed, particularly for small councils. • Discuss incorporating SoE fees into Alliance membership fees for 2020-2021 at next meeting. ACTION

AGENDA ITEM

Climate Change Lindsay Hall/Mick Callan • Lindsay Hall presented Orange City Council’s emerging strategic policy regarding emissions and renewable energy resulting in 26 sites currently being considered for solar panels and 17 sites for replacement LED lighting. • Deborah Taylor (Bathurst) advised that State Government is looking to Councils to lead change on reducing community emissions but there were no incentives as yet. • Discussion around the development of a formal Climate Change Statement to deal with negative comments in social media. It was suggested that a Social Media Policy might be appropriate. Discussion continued around whether the Alliance was the “environmental arm” of the JO, and whether the JO would take a stance on this topic. To discuss further at next meeting. Sustainable Bathurst has a Social Media policy that may be appropriate. ACTION

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AGENDA ITEM

Finance and Budgets David Waddell • Membership invoices due to go out to Councils in July. ACTION • Alliance currently has $236K in available funds: o $95K was recovered from previous Council where it has been held for several years. Special thanks to Belinda Barlow for assisting with this transfer. o $100K has been budgeted toward the Hollows grant project

AGENDA ITEM

Alliance 5 Year Plan Mick Callan • The 5 year plan is due for review. The current plan is not useful when submitting grant applications so it was agreed that now is a good time to revamp the format to be more relevant, containing achievable actions. • The current plan was developed when the Alliance sat under Local Land Services, and was largely developed to align with the goals and strategies of Local Land Services. • It was decided to discuss further and workshop the plan at the October meeting. Members will be asked feedback to help such as, “What is good about the Alliance?” and “What do you want to see from the Alliance?” ACTION

AGENDA ITEM

Alliance Funded Projects Mick Callan • Final reports needed from Councils for Alliance-funded projects. Mick and Peta to contact Councils in coming weeks. ACTION • Suggestion to create 1-page Case Study documents that from these projects. ACTION

AGENDA ITEM

Deputy Chair Nominations Mick Callan • In line with the Alliance’s Terms of Reference, nominations are now sought for the role of Deputy Chair with all members to be notified by email after this meeting. Nominations will close 2 weeks prior to the next meeting when members can vote by proxy as needed, with a vote to take place at the next meeting. ACTION • David Waddell noted that it may present a good opportunity for someone to take the role, with a view to becoming the Chair in the future.

AGENDA ITEM

Other business David Waddell • Skillset received an Environmental Trust grant to which the Alliance provided support. Reminder that if Council would like collaborate with Alliance (e.g. with resourcing (time, staff, money) for a grant project to speak to David/Mick. • David and Mick to present to Central NSW Joint Organisation of Councils at the next available opportunity.

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• Attendees agreed that online meetings were beneficial to the group due to the distances between members. Proposed meeting structure going forward is face to face in April and October; online meetings every 8 weeks in between, and to allow online attendees at face to face meetings. o February - online o April – face to face o June – online o August – online o October – face to face o November/December – Christmas catch up

Michael Scotland presented on Regional Water Strategies. His presentation is attached. He’s asked that the document not be distributed outside the Councils, as it’s confidential until strategy has been released. Please contact Michael directly with any questions for himself (Macquarie Catchment) or Steph Schultz (Lachlan Catchment) at [email protected].

NEXT MEETING Wednesday 19 August - online

KEY ACTIONS/AGREEMENTS FROM THIS MEETING

Key Action/Agreement Responsibility Priority Status Due by/Notes ACTION: Assess value of retaining the Mick Callan Medium Carried over – August 2020 remaining arborist equipment, with vote unsure of state for sale at the next meeting of PhD candidate ACTION: Invite Sam Basha (or other Mick Callan Medium DW to see if he September 2020 Narromine rep) to present to October can track Sam Alliance meeting regarding Narromine down Wetlands ACTION: Councils to provide media All Medium PR, MC to Ongoing releases and other relevant content for follow up the Alliance Website and Social Media. Councils ACTION: Add agenda item for the next Mick Callan High Carried over – August 2020 meeting to discuss how to incorporate for review in membership fees and SoE fees into a regards to single payment, given that Membership 2020-21 Agreements have fixed fees for the reporting current three-year membership period ACTION: Invite external organisations to Mick Callan Medium Agenda item Ongoing become Friends of the Alliance and follow-up with previous invitees ACTION: David and Mick to organise David Waddell High Carry over October 2020 presentations to JOs to update on & Mick Callan Alliance activities and benefits of membership ACTION: Put final version of Blayney Mick Callan Medium Draft uploaded October 2020 Rural Cemetery Management Plan on the Brian Parker – final version Alliance website members area to come www.cwcewa.com.au

ACTION: Put Blayney weed hygiene Mick Callan Medium Carried over October 2020 protocol on the Alliance website members Brian Parker area ACTION: Arrange for election of Deputy Mick Callan High Agenda Item August 2020 Chair at the August meeting, to be Peta conducted in accordance with Alliance Rowlands Terms of Reference ACTION: Arrange for election of Chair Mick Callan Medium Agenda Item May 2021 and Deputy Chair at the first meeting of Peta the 2021-22 FY Rowlands ACTION: Review the Chainsaw Hollows Mick Callan High Agenda item August 2020 project and contact all Councils with Peta project plans. Rowlands ACTION: Find out when Alliance can Mick Callan High Confidential August 2020 promote the Hollows grant. Have Minister David Waddell until 17 June Kean announce on next visit at an Orana 2020 Council.

ACTION: Discuss development of Climate Mick Callan Medium Agenda item August 2020 Change Statement or Social Media Policy at next meeting ACTION: Send out Membership invoices Peta High Agenda Item July 2020 and SoE Invoices Rowlands Mick Callan ACTION: Send out email to all members Peta High Agenda Item July 2020 inviting Deputy Chair nominations. Vote at Rowlands next meeting in August 2020. Mick Callan ACTION: Review/revamp 5 Year Plan at Mick Callan Medium Agenda item October 2020 next face to face meeting in October. ACTION: Chase up final reports for Peta Medium Agenda item August 2020 Alliance-funded projects. Create 1 page Rowlands Case Study documents. Mick Callan

KEY ACTIONS/AGREEMENTS FROM PREVIOUS MEETING

Key Action/Agreement Responsibility Priority Status Due by/Notes ACTION: Seek clarification of which Mick Callan High One Council November 2019 Councils are yet to finalise their outstanding – membership fees now finalised ACTION: Assess value of retaining the Mick Callan Medium Carry over to February 2019 remaining arborist equipment, with vote next meeting – for sale at the next meeting unsure of state of PhD candidate ACTION: Invite Sam Basha to present to Mick Callan Medium Sam has January 2020 October Alliance meeting regarding moved on from Narromine Wetlands Narromine Council ACTION: Contact local RMS contacts in Mick Callan Medium Complete November 2019 relation to the upcoming chainsaw hollows www.cwcewa.com.au project

ACTION: Contact Ross Goldingay to Mick Callan High Complete November 2019 finalise details of PhD candidate for upcoming chainsaw hollows project ACTION: Contact Guy McAnnally-Elwin to Mick Callan High Complete November 2019 budget $30k for provision of a PhD candidate ACTION: Councils to provide media All Medium Still very Ongoing releases and other relevant content for limited content the Alliance Website and Social Media being received ACTION: Add agenda item for the next Mick Callan High For discussion February 2019 meeting to discuss how to incorporate in SoE agenda membership fees and SoE fees into a item single payment, given that Membership Agreements have fixed fees for the current three-year membership period ACTION: Develop consultant brief/request Mick Callan High Cancelled November 2019 for quotation document for distribution to potential SoE consultants ACTION: Invite external organisations to Mick Callan Medium Agenda item December 2019 become Friends of the Alliance and follow-up with previous invitees ACTION: David and Mick to organise David Waddell High Carry over March 2020 presentations to JOs to update on & Mick Callan Alliance activities and benefits of membership ACTION: Finalise date for March meeting Mick Callan High Complete February 2020 and arrange all details ACTION: Put final version of Blayney Mick Callan Medium Draft uploaded December 2019 Rural Cemetery Management Plan on the Brian Parker – final version Alliance website members area to come ACTION: Put Blayney weed hygiene Mick Callan Medium Emailed Brian December 2019 protocol on the Alliance website members Brian Parker 5/6 area

www.cwcewa.com.au