From the National Executive Officer

One of the most important roles of an Association like AORA is advocacy; promoting, protecting and enhancing the reputation, understanding and perception of what AORA does and the industry and the value of this to key stakeholders (i.e., governments) and more widely, the broader community and general public.

AORA’s advocacy work is closely aligned with its communication activities, including our social media posts and activity (e.g., on LinkedIn) and our contributions to industry publications such as Insidewaste and Waste Management Review. It also includes our representation at industry events such as Regen and Waste Expo, especially if we are presenting in our own right or as part of a panel discussing industry issues. Our participation at these industry events with a trade display is also part of our advocacy work.

All of this advocacy activity is overt and easy to recognise but there is also a whole suite of advocacy activity that AORA undertakes on a regular basis which is much less obvious.

The regular conversations we have with government personnel and departments, researchers, the media and a whole range of individuals who have questions about organics recycling. This advocacy work is happening on a daily basis.

Like a lot of the work AORA does to promote, protect and enhance the reputation, understanding and perception of our industry, it sometimes feels like an iceberg – you can easily see one third of that activity (that part of the iceberg above the waterline) but there is also a lot happening, perhaps two-thirds, that is not easily observed (that part of the iceberg below the waterline).

Regardless, when we think about the value of an industry Association like AORA, there is always a lot of advocacy activity happening that you will not necessarily know about but it is nonetheless still very important.

John McKew 

National Executive Officer

New Directors to join AORA Board

We are delighted to annouce the new Directors that will be formally joining the AORA Board of Directors at the AGM.  

Following the election process, the following join the Board; 

• Kali Martin | QLD | Processor Member | Pure environmental | re-elected for second term
• Chris Hughes | VIC | Processor Member | Gippsland Regional Organics | elected for first term 
• Jennifer Hughes | NSW | Associate Member | Beatty, Hughes & Associates | elected for first term.  

Finishing their terms at the AGM are Lachlan Jeffries and Charlie Emery.  

AORA Annual Forum and AGM

The AORA Annual Forum and AGM will be held on Thursday 23 October at the Colmslie Hotel, Morningside, QLD.  

Tickets for the Annual Forum will be on sale on Monday 

The AGM is open for all members to attend, and will be accessible online.  Formal agenda and papers will be out later next week.   

Komptech Multistar L3: Strengthens Valoriza’s Processing Power

AORA Partner News

Processing high-moisture organic waste is one of the most demanding challenges in modern resource recovery, particularly for facilities operating at scale. Valoriza, a business at the forefront of sustainable waste processing solutions in Victoria, designed its operations around maximising resource recovery and producing AS4454 certified high-quality compost.

To improve composted FOGO screening performance and manage wetter and varied input materials, Valoriza identified the need for a more advanced processing solution that could consistently perform better where traditional methods like trommels, and flip-flow screens were falling short.

To further enhance the capability of its Dandenong South facility, Valoriza recently upgraded their equipment to include the Komptech Multistar L3 from Lincom Group.  Situated in one of Victoria’s key industrial zones, Valoriza processes more than 100,000 tonnes of kerbside-collected organic waste each year from households and businesses in Melbourne’s south-east.

The Komptech Multistar L3’s role is to cleanly divide the composted FOGO into fine, medium, and oversized fractions. With its ability to maintain throughput even in wet, sticky conditions, the star screen delivers greater efficiency, reliability, and flexibility. 

Reducing Organic Household Waste Sent to Landfill

The Queensland Audit Office’s latest report, Reducing Organic Household Waste Sent to Landfill, has confirmed what industry and AORA has long flagged: Queensland is falling well short of its waste reduction targets, and urgent action is needed to turn this around.

Organic waste makes up around half of household rubbish bins, yet Queensland is only diverting 28% of household waste from landfill – far below the interim target of 55% by 2025. Without stronger action, the state will not meet its waste strategy goals, undermining both environmental outcomes and opportunities for regional jobs and investment.

The audit found that while the Queensland Organics Strategy 2022–2032 provides a sound vision, its effectiveness is undermined by gaps in data, unclear responsibilities, and regulatory uncertainty. Confusion around PFAS limits and odour requirements created a chilling effect on infrastructure investment, leaving Queensland behind other states where food and garden organics (FOGO) services are being rolled out at scale.

AORA strongly supports the report’s recommendations:
– Setting achievable and measurable targets for organics diversion.
– Providing clarity and consistency on PFAS management.
– Strengthening risk management and transparency in reporting.
– Improving access to funding so councils and industry can invest in collection systems and processing infrastructure.

Importantly, AORA has already demonstrated the value of industry–government collaboration on these issues.

In 2024–25, AORA successfully advocated for the removal of unworkable PFAS limits from Queensland’s model operating conditions for composting. We are now working closely with the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) to develop a practical pathway forward that both manages PFAS risk and supports growth in the organics recycling sector.

Queensland now has an opportunity to deliver on its waste strategy targets and climate commitments by turning food and garden waste into high-quality compost that restores soils, supports agriculture, reduces emissions, and creates regional jobs. Achieving this vision will require removing barriers, providing certainty for councils and industry, and engaging the community as active partners in the solution.

The message from the QAO is clear: Queensland cannot afford to delay. To meet its targets and unlock the full benefits of a circular economy, decisive action on organics recycling is needed now.

Understanding the Supply and Usage of Recycled Materials in Road Infrastructure for Queensland

The Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) have a survey currently out exploring how recycled materials are currently supplied and used, especially in regional Queensland, and identifying barriers; opportunities; and the specifications and resources involved. This is part of a collaborative project between TMR and the National Transport Research Organisation (NTRO), under the National Asset Centre of Excellence (NACOE) research program.

Who should complete this survey?
We invite responses from professionals involved in:

• Recycled materials/products supply and manufacturing

• Materials and pavement design

• Project engineering and construction delivery

• Asset management

• Procurement and contract management

  
  

Survey closes on 10 October.

Your insights may help inform future strategies, standards, and guidance to support sustainable practices in Queensland’s road infrastructure.

The findings, with respondents de-identified, will be reported in a NACOE project report, published on the NACOE website.

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