The 2025/26 Board of Directors commenced their terms following the WMRR Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 24 June 2025. This year, the AGM was hosted ahead of the Energy from Waste Conference at The Star on the Gold Coast. Dr Karl Baltpurvins joined the Board as National President. Also joining the Board as a Nominated Director is NAWMA CEO, Mr Toby Terlet. A great Board is one which evolves with the industry and offers strong governance leadership to ensure that we stay relevant and responsive. Both Karl and Toby bring extensive and diverse industry knowledge, coupled with previous corporate governance experience. Please welcome them in joining Michelle Mandl (TOMRA- Cleanaway), Katherine Dodd (MRA), Isabel Axiö (RMCG), Garth Lamb (Re-Group), Henry Anning (Resource Co), Mark Biddulph (Cleanaway), Alex Hatherly (Remondis) and Phil Carbins (Veolia). WMRR continues to be in very good hands.
I would also very much like to thank and acknowledge the valuable and longstanding contribution made to WMRR by the outgoing National President, Mr Geoffrey Webster. WMRR has been fortunate to have such a knowledgeable, dedicated and enthusiastic President in Geoff for the last four (4) years. Geoff has done an outstanding job in chairing the Board and contributing to the growing success of WMRR. His sense of humour, sharp business acumen and deep industry knowledge has been an asset, and we all thank him for his valuable contribution to our industry and in leading the WMRR Board. His hiring skills are not too bad either, as he was on my interview panel for this role! Geoff has a clear passion for this industry and giving back and we look forward to seeing where he takes that energy next. No doubt WMRR will be in that mix too!
To say that the first half of this year has been busy, would be an understatement. I genuinely think this is the busiest year I have experienced with WMRR with almost every state actively looking at key documents, policies and levers for WARR. We have states reviewing their strategy (SA and Queensland), levy (NSW), infrastructure plans (Victoria and NSW), Organics strategy (Queensland), responses to battery crises (NSW, Queensland, SA), implementation and reviews of container deposit schemes (Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania) being progressed, PFAS NEMP 3.0, conversations about EFW … it does not matter where you look, there is serious and significant work being done that WMRR is a part of, none of which we could do without the support and knowledge of our members, which we are extremely grateful for.
Last month’s #2025EFW conference was a shining example of how all that work comes together for both WMRR and a WARR sector. The programme was terrific, and I would like to acknowledge the work of WMRR members that participated in the programme committee that helped to bring this together, being Chair – Luke Holt (Ramboll), Phil Carbins (Veolia), Amal Jugdeo (Kanadevia Inova), Duncan Lummis (Dartmouth Consulting), Miles Mason (SLR Consulting), Andrew Newman (Clearview Advisory), Sergio Puente (SMEC), Scott Reynolds (Acciona / Kwinana Waste to Energy), and Paul Visser (Blue Pheonix Group). A big shout out also to Jason Pugh (Kanadevia Inova), Ed Nicholas (Tribe Infrastructure Group), Kate Dryden (Sphere Infrastructure Group) and Kevin Souster (Veolia) who worked with the WMRR team to deliver an interactive workshop leading into the conference.
And finally massive thanks to our sponsors, who backed both WMRR in delivering this conference and are also supporting the development of this sector on the ground in Australia, being:
Platinum sponsor – City of Gold Coast;
- Platinum sponsor – City of Gold Coast;
- Gold sponsors – HRL + Veolia;
- Dinner sponsor – Kanadevia Inova Australia;
- Barista sponsor – Tribe Infrastructure Group;
- Name badge sponsor – ACCIONA / Kwinana Energy Recovery;
- Silver sponsors – Blue Pheonix + Deloitte;
- Welcome sponsor – Cleanaway, and
- Bronze sponsors – Ramboll, ResourceCo, and SUEZ .
There is so much (hard) work going on to make the EFW a success right now in Australia, it is fabulous that we can finally see one of these energy recovery facilities in action in Perth (and if you haven’t been yet, contact Scott at Acciona to arrange). It was also great to be able to touch real incinerator bottom ash aggregate (IBAA) from the west thanks to Blue Phoenix – we really are on the path to busting myths.
Also make sure you check out the fabulous work that is now being done in the Gold Coast ARRC showing the clear role that energy recovery has as part of the waste management hierarchy and as part of an integrated recycling and recovery precinct.
So much good and exciting stuff going on in WARR – I really am looking forward to seeing what the next six (6) months bring!