This week I have been out and about in South Australia visiting a number of members. This is all part of a concerted commitment to be out and about more in our industry to hear and see the issues first-hand. It’s been great to get out to some processing sites that I have not visited previously and to see the first class facilities producing compost and mulch for SA!
At the end of this week will also say goodbye sadly to Tehani Suafoa, our VIC State Coordinator. Tehani has been with AORA since February 2024 and has worked diligently to support our Victorian State Committee and the industry and has done so with passion, good humor and a relentless ‘can do’ attitude. Thank you Tehani for your contribution over the past 18 months!
We are know at the stage of reviewing candidates for our recently advertised (and now closed) new National Advocacy/Policy Officer role. We have a huge response to the role and therefore the screening of candidates will take some time, but we are working through this diligently to find the best candidate for the role!
Finally, a reminder to save the date for our AGM and Annual Members Forum on Thursday 23 October in Brisbane at the Colmslie Hotel, Morningside. Tickets will be on sale for this event in the next 10 days.
John McKew
National Executive Officer
Membership Renewals
Membership renewals for the 2025-26 period have been sent to all existing AORA members and the grace period for membership is August 30.
For company/ organisational memberships, these will be sent to the group administrator of the membership. You will have the option to renew by credit card online (via secure portal, linked to the group administrator) or choose to pay by invoice. All outstanding memberships have been followed up with a personal email/ call over the past 10 days. If you are unsure of whether your company has renewed, please contact Alex via email ASAP.
All memberships outstanding as at 11.59pm on August 30 will automatically cancel and access to member resources will cease.
AORA Board of Directors Nominations
Directors help to shape the strategy and goals of AORA and promote the industry and the beneficial use of organic material.
This election we are seeking nominations from professionals with experience in one or more of the following;
Strategy
Governance
Finance
Risk Management.
In this election, there are three positions available on the AORA Board of Directors.
Nominations close at 5pm AEST 31 August – you must be a fully financial member to apply.
Earlier this year AORA undertook a project to update the Compost Fact Sheets with RMCG. These Fact Sheets are important supporting material to inform and educate on the different applications of compost and mulch across a variety of different end-use applications as well as general information on compost products and the process involved in the production of compost.
The first four of eight Fact Sheets are now available on the AORA website.
Russell Kennedy and MRA Consulting Group presents The Business of Waste: Mastering M&A for a Changing Industry.
Topics to be covered include:
Current waste industry and sector drivers, forces and trends generating business succession, merger, sales and acquisition activity
Assessing internal readiness: key steps to get your organisation ready
The life cycle of a business sale process, including key stages and what sale structure to implement a transaction
Identifying and mitigating common challenges, risks and pitfalls
An in-depth dive into an acquisition or sale’s key commercial terms, party alignment and deal breakers, including exploring some interactive scenarios
How regulatory and legal compliance influences the design of a united organisation, and managing relationships with regulators, government and funding bodies
NSW Business Food Waste Partnership Grants now open for applications
The Grants program provides funding to peak bodies, sector leaders, councils, educators and other relevant organisations working with food wasting businesses, to help them reduce and source separate food waste. The program supports NSW Government targets to halve organics waste sent to landfill and achieve net zero emissions from organics waste in landfill by 2030.
The Food Waste Partnership Grants provide funding for projects that:
raise awareness of FOGO business mandates requirement
support businesses that meet the FOGO mandate threshold to source separate food waste. Note in Round 3 priority will be given to projects that support businesses that meet the threshold to source separate food waste from 1 July 2026
provide food businesses with knowledge and skills in food waste reduction and source separation
provide tools and training to source separate and reduce food waste.
