Victoria’s CMAs win prestigious National Banksia Award
9th April 2024
Vic Catchments, the peak body for Victoria’s ten Catchment Management Authorities has won the Nature Positive category of the 35th National Banksia Sustainability Awards.
The Awards celebrate trailblazers in environmental and social sustainability, with winners across 14 categories spanning travel, agriculture, conservation and more announced at the gala event – all recognised as true champions of sustainability and social impact.
Cath Jenkins, Chair of Vic Catchments, accepted the award at the gala event held in Melbourne. “Vic Catchments is thrilled and humbled to be winners of this highly competitive category and congratulate all the other finalists,” said Ms Jenkins on behalf of Victoria’s ten Catchment Management Authorities (CMA).
“For over 25 years CMAs have been at the forefront of working with communities and partners to deliver incredible results for catchments across Victoria. It’s a delight that it’s been recognised by such a prestigious organisation.”
“We are a relatively small, yet passionate team and deliver projects on behalf of the Australian and Victorian governments. Partnerships are one of our biggest strengths and we share this success with everyone – Traditional Owners, partner organisations, community and government.”
“We have achieved great outcomes for our natural environments, catchments, agricultural landscapes and communities in our 26 years, and we are only just getting started.”
In 2023, across Victoria, CMAs:
- Enhanced over 3,000 hectares of vegetation to create habitat for native species.
- Improved practices over 9,000 hectares of agricultural land.
- Issued 13,000 approvals and advice for works on waterways.
- Installed 368 kilometres of fencing to protect rivers and wetlands.
- Undertook 47,032 hectares of weed control.
Read about more achievements in the 2023 Vic Catchments Achievements Brochure here
Media contact: Sally O’Neill sallyo@wgcma.vic.gov.au
Victoria’s CMAs awarded as finalists in National Banksia Awards
25th March 2023
Vic Catchments, the peak body for Victoria’s ten Catchment Management Authorities has been announced as a finalist in the 35th National Banksia Sustainability Awards in the Nature Positive category.
Award finalists showcase new frontiers in sustainability. Revealing the short list, Banksia Foundation CEO Graz van Egmond praised finalists for their commitment to sustainability and social impact, and for the wide range of entries.
“Across the categories this year, we have seen an incredible diversity of entries and finalists, from sole traders to large enterprises, all thinking and working creatively and effectively to combat climate change and inequity.”
“At a time when innovative solutions are desperately needed to ensure a climate resilient world, it is a joy to be able to celebrate even more Australian organisations who are contributing to building a more sustainable and equitable future for all.” Ms van Egmond said.
Vic Catchment’s submission in the newly created ‘Nature Positive’ category tells the story of how Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs) across the state have been “change makers” for waterways transforming landscapes, engaging communities and supporting Traditional Owner self determination as a priority.
“The Vic Catchments forum was established in February 2017 to showcase Victoria’s integrated catchment management framework,” said Cath Jenkins, Chair of Vic Catchments.
“Reflecting on the collective impacts over 25 years and also focussing on achievements from 2022-23, the submission demonstrates the many nature positive activities of CMAs across the state.”
“We were delighted to showcase the breadth of work only made possible through strong partnerships. We can’t do it alone, so this exciting announcement is for everyone we are lucky to work with in caring for Victoria’s catchments.”
CMAs are responsible for the integrated planning and coordination of land, water and biodiversity management in each catchment and land protection region. Each CMA is structured to maximise community involvement in decision making.
The statewide achievements are documented each year in the Statewide Achievements Brochure. Read the 2023 Vic Catchments Achievements Brochure here.
Winners will be announced at an awards presentation on 4 April 2024, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Media contact: Sally O’Neill sallyo@wgcma.vic.gov.au
Victorian Water Sector – Insight: Executive Leadership for Women in Water
6th March 2023
The 2022 Insight: Executive Leadership for Women in Water program is the second Insight program to be run in support of the Victorian Water Sector and the Water for Victoria – Water Plan.
The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) has partnered with CogNative Leadership Advantage, part of Future Leadership Pty Ltd and The University of Melbourne, to deliver the program for female executives in, or connected to, the Victorian water sector. The program is run every two years with two more programs – 2024 and 2026 – in the pipeline.
The Insight experience has been designed as an experiential program for high potential female leaders who have been nominated by their Managing Director or Chief Executive Officer; and endorsed by the Chair of their Board.
The women on the program, together with the male executive they invite as a partner to share some of their Insight journey, will become the program’s alumni. A critical mass of connected, legacy minded, women and men, who are collaborative leaders committed to elevating the sector’s performance towards a sustainable future.
Role modelling contemporary leadership attributes and having more women visibly leading, aims to encourage women ‘young in career’ to step into leadership roles with increased confidence.
The 2022 Insight program’s participants will be graduating at the end of April 2023. Nominations for the 2024 program will open in July 2023.
2022 Insight program’s participants
| Participant | Role | Organisation |
|---|---|---|
| Amanda Smith | General Manager, Growth and Infrastructure | Greater Western Water |
| Amy Singe | General Manager People, Performance and Culture | Yarra Valley Water |
| Anna Stow | Senior Manager People & Wellbeing | Wannon Water Corporation |
| Briony Rogers | Associate Professor and Director, MSDI Water | Monash Sustainable Development Institute (MSDI) |
| Christina Bassani | General Manager People and Customers | Goulburn Valley Water |
| Corinne Mays | Catchment Collaborations & Relationships Manager | Melbourne Water |
| Deb Fankhauser | General Manager People and Stakeholders | Lower Murray Water |
| Jody Gunn | Chief Executive Officer | Australian Land Conservation Alliance (ALCA) |
| Melissa Stephens | General Manager, Organisational Performance | Barwon Water |
| Rachel Murphy | Executive Manager – Program Delivery | North Central Catchment Management Authority |
| Rebecca Hanley | Executive General Manager Governance, Legal and Safety | Coliban Water |
| Rosie Wheen | Chief Executive | Water Aid Australia |
| Sally Marshall | Executive Manager Strategic Planning and Performance (CFO) | Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water Corp (GWM) |
Insight – Executive Leadership for Women in Water program
Expressions of interest
12th September 2019
Insight will support the Victorian Governments commitment in Water for Victoria to focus on gender equity and improve diversity at executive level roles in water corporations and catchment management authorities.
The program is for women aspiring to executive-level careers who are ready to take the next step and offers a unique balance between self-development and learning from others.
It will challenge thinking and elevate confidence, resilience and visibility. It will bring together a group of like-minded women to create a collaborative and supportive peer network. This is a highly personalised 12-month experiential learning program that addresses the “what is missing in your leadership journey”.
The program is sponsored by DELWP and supported by a Leadership Oversight Committee comprising water sector and industry representatives. They are:
- Helen Vaughan (chair) – Deputy Secretary, Water and Catchments Group (DELWP)
- Sue O’Connor – Chairperson, Yarra Valley Water Corporation
- Georgina Gubbins – Chair, Great South Coast Food and Fibre; Deputy Chair – Non-Executive Director, Wannon Water;
- Non-Executive Director, Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority
- Sarah Cumming – Managing Director, Central Gippsland Region Water Corporation
- Pat McCafferty – Managing Director, Yarra Valley Water Corporation
- Jenny Paradiso – Managing Director, Suntrix; Winner of the 2016 Telstra Australian Entrepreneur Award
Media Release 12 September 2019 (PDF)
Memorandum of Understanding Signing
Thursday 12th April 2018
Mr Terry Hubbard the chair of Landcare Victoria Inc. and Dr Peter Veenker the chair of Vic Catchments have signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations to strengthen natural resource management in Victoria.
Media Release April 12 2018 (PDF)
