Fiona Phillips (Gilmore, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to congratulate Shoalhaven City Council on its amazing achievement at the recent Local Government NSW 2020 Excellence in the Environment Awards. Shoalhaven City Council has faced so many challenges this year with drought, bush fire, flood and COVID-19. Shoalhaven has been one of the hardest-hit government areas in Australia, so it is wonderful to have something positive for our community and for council staff to celebrate.

At the recent state awards, our local council took out top prize in the Towards Zero Net Emissions category. Council was awarded for taking on a series of sustainable energy projects, including trialling three fully electric vehicles in its fleet, installing over 400 kilowatts of solar panels across 10 sites, commencing a revolving energy fund, replacing 4,200 street lights with energy-saving LEDs and supporting Repower Shoalhaven's community energy solar farm. They are absolutely remarkable achievements, and it was amazing to see our local council leading the way towards a net zero greenhouse gas emissions future.

Council also won top prize in the Resource Recovery category. After almost 450 homes were destroyed or significantly damaged in the summer's bushfires, council worked to ensure that any demolition waste unaffected by asbestos could be recycled at a temporary bushfire demolition waste recovery facility—absolutely fantastic!