Community questionnaire

Access to Information

How easily council displays information about what it is doing for environmental sustainability.

Q1.   Does this Council display eco-sustainability information in its foyer or in other Council-owned buildings?
A.  

Q2.   Does this Council visibly advertise events that support eco-sustainability in the community? (ie hazardous waste collections, living smart courses, etc) Details?
A.   As the opportunities arise. These include, but are not limited to e-waste recycling information, Living Smart courses or any other educational course/seminar on the environment or sustainability issues, battery recycling, printer cartridge recycling, local planting days etc.

Q3.   Does this Council website display eco-sustainability information in 1 or 2 clicks from its home page? Please include the link for eco-sustainability information.
A.  

Q4.   Does this Council train frontline staff to deal with some public requests for eco-info? (vs always switching through to someone else’s messagebank). Details of issues covered by frontline staff?
A.   Where possible.

Q5.   Does this Council have other policies/practices in this category?
A.  No

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General Support for Environmental Sustainability

General ways that this council promotes environmental sustainability.

Q1.   Does this Council employ 2+ environmental / sustainability officers (or similar role by a different name)? Please provide job titles, areas of responsibility, and which department they are in.
A.   Council employs eight full-time and two part-time environmental and sustainability focused officers within two separate teams: Climate Change Services section: Coordinator Climate Change Services Environmental Projects Officer Projects Officer Administration Officer 0.4 FTE 4 x part time Sustainable House Officers Ecoservices section: Coordinator Ecoservices Environmental planner Foreshore Rehabilitation Officer Community Landcare officer Environmental Planning Assistant Bushland Management Assets Officer 0.25 FTE

Q2.   Does this Council offer eco-sustainability awards to business or industry?
A.  No

Q3.   Does this Council offer eco-sustainability awards to residents or schools?
A.   Each year an environmental volunteers' award night is held to recognise the contribution of groups such as Bushcare, Coastcare, Men of the Trees and schools to environmental stewardship in the City of Mandurah.

Q4.   Does this Council offer eco-sustainability grants to residents/ schools/ community groups/ businesses? Details?
A.   Each year an environmental volunteers' award night is held to recognise the contribution of groups such as Bushcare, Coastcare, Men of the Trees and schools to environmental stewardship in the City of Mandurah.

Q5.   Does Council provide funding/assistance for school gardens?
A.  No Schools are not eligible to apply for our grant funding (Community Association Fund), but we envisage that they will have an opportunity to be involved with the community garden which is currently under construction. Partnerships formed with the City have however resulted in a school receiving grant money from other sources.

Q6.   Does this Council support any community gardening projects?
A.   The City is driving a Community Garden Project, with the expectation of handing it over to the community once it has been established.

Q7.   Has this Council hosted a Living Smart course, or similar in 2011/2012? Details?
A.   The City hosted two Living Smart courses last year at its Sustainable Mandurah Home.

Q8.   Does this Council have any Living Smart courses planned for 2012/2013? Dates, times, venues, booking contact?
A.  No

Q9.   Does this Council work with schools to provide education on eco-sustainability issues?
A.  

Q10.   Does this Council support Bushcare Friends and/or other environmentally focused community groups? Details?
A.   The position of Community Landcare Officer is funded by the City to support Bushcare and Coastcare groups and provide environmental education to schools.

Q11.   Does this Council support WA/national/international events to promote sustainability? (eg World Environment Day, Earth Hour, Sustainable September)
A.   The City supports many events to promote sustainability, some of these include Earth Hour, Sustainable September, Clean Up Australia Day, National Tree Day, World Wetlands Day, World Car Free Day, Ride to Work, Walk to Work etc.

Q12.   Does this Council report periodically to the community on the state of the local environment? How often? (include weblink)
A.   The City’s second SoE report will be released in in early 2013. Once this report is released, the City plans to report on this every five years.

Q13.   Has this Council declared itself a nuclear-free zone? Symbolic and/or embedded into Town Planning Scheme?
A.  

Q14.   Has this Council declared itself a GMO/GE free zone? Details?
A.  No

Q15.   Does this Council have other policies/practices in this category?
A.  No

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Protecting and Restoring Nature in Residential Areas.

How this council manages the air, water, land, plants, animals and micro-organisms - and their ecosystems - in its care.

Q1.   Does this Council have any demonstration native gardens? If so, where?
A.   Council buildings and public parks.

Q2.   Does this Council use native plants (vs exotics) for verges, traffic islands, around Council buildings, etc? What % of Council plantings?
A.   Almost exclusively.

Q3.   Does this Council involve the community in native planting days?
A.   Around National Tree Day the City offers free seedlings to residents.

Q4.   Does this Council offer residents free or subsidised native seedlings or plants? Details of when, where & prices?
A.  No

Q5.   Does this Council provide lists of appropriate local native plants? How are they publicised and distributed?
A.   The City has a “Greening Mandurah” guide outlining appropriate local species for domestic landscaping.

Q6.   Does this Council warn residents against planting exotic species that may escape into bushland? How?
A.   The City has recently adopted an environmental pest plant law which prohibits the cultivation of a number of environmental weeds. The City is in the process of publishing educational material in conjunction with this.

Q7.   Does this Council encourage residents to convert some of their lawns and/or verges to native gardens? How?
A.   The City partnered with Great Gardens to deliver the Waterwise Verge Makeover program. So far 20 verges have been funded.

Q8.   Does this Council award outstanding native gardens?
A.   The City ran a Waterwise Garden Competition and the awards were given based on a number of factors, one of those being the amount of natives the garden included.

Q9.   Does this Council offer incentives for owners of big backyards in high density areas to retain these blocks for biodiversity? Details?
A.  No

Q10.   Does this Council have other means of protecting mature trees in residential areas? Details?
A.   This City has established a “Significant Tree Register”, which protects significant trees within the City.

Q11.   Does this Council act on residents' complaints of cats preying on native fauna? What action is taken? On what % of complaints?
A.   The City employs a feral animal controller to eradicate feral cats from reserves as required.

Q12.   Does this Council have other policies/practices in this category?
A.  No

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Sustainable Building and Design

How this council supports the community to build sustainably

Q1.   Does this Council have a model Sustainable building or subdivision? Details?
A.   The City’s Sustaianble Mandurah Home sets a benchmark for the future of housing in the Mandurah and metropolitan area. Visitors to the home learn how to reduce their environmental impact without compromising the fantastic lifestyle that they enjoy. Unlike other similar demonstration homes in WA, the Sustainable Mandurah Home was the first to be specifically designed as a replicable project and display home that you can buy off the plan. More cost-effective, environmentally-sensitive design and living is becoming a core part of our lives in Mandurah.

Q2.   Does this Council have an interpretive display of sustainable features on any of its buildings?
A.   The City has installed a photovoltaic system on the roof of its Falcon eLibrary and Community Centre. At the Library, a real-time display of how much energy the system is producing and the amount of greenhouse gas emissions the system is prevented is available for visitors to take a look at.

Q3.   Does this Council provide support for residents wanting to build sustainable homes?
A.   The Sustainable Mandurah Home employs four Sustainable Home Officers with whom visitors to the home can talk to regarding anything from energy efficiency to sustainable building design. Visitors can also view and take home information and brochures on available and relevant suppliers from the Home also.

Q4.   Does this Council have measures in place to support businesses and residents to design above the minimum star ratings? Eg Hosting green building design courses etc.
A.   The City has just hosted a Green Gurus workshop on Sustainable Building Design which was available to real-estate agents.

Q5.   Does this Council discourage the use of rainforest or old growth timbers and recommend alternatives, when issuing building permits?
A.  No

Q6.   Does this Council require an independent vegetation survey before issuing a building permit and inspection after development to ensure no unauthorised removal?
A.   In designated tree preservation areas.

Q7.   Does this Council promote the use of renewable energy sources (eg Photovoltaic cells, wind turbines) to residents and businesses through funding, incentives or otherwise? Details?
A.   The City is currently running a community incentive scheme in partnership with Solar Shop Australia where for every 20 households to install a system on their home, Solar Shop Australia will donate a 1kWh system to a community building. The City has also completed a Wind Resource Study of the Mandurah area which is available for residents to take a look at. It is hoped this will help them decide whether a Wind Turbine would be useful on their home or business.

Q8.   Does this Council have other policies/practices in this category?
A.  No

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Sustainable Transport / Climate Change

Action being taken by this council to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Q1.   Is this Council offering any energy efficiency programs for residents in 2012/2013 (e.g workshops, home energy audits? Details?
A.   The City took part in the Living Smart pilot program and still actively supports the Living Smart and TravelSmart principles. The City is looking into running a community campaign to target energy efficiency among other things.

Q2.   Does this Council support businesses to improve their energy efficiency? Details?
A.   The City took part in the Living Smart pilot program and still actively supports the Living Smart and TravelSmart principles. The City is looking into running a community campaign to target energy efficiency among other things.

Q3.   Does this Council have measures in place to decrease private car use throughout the municipality? Details?
A.  No

Q4.   Does this Council promote the use of electric and/or hybrid vehicles? How? (eg providing ev recharge points)
A.   The City is taking part in an electric vehicle trial and is investigating infrastructure needs to support wider use of electric vehicles in the community.

Q5.   Does this Council provide free cycling/public transport maps to residents? Details?
A.   TravelSmart maps of the North and South of Mandurah are available to residents and visitors. The City also has way-finding signage detailing walking times installed throughout its City Centre.

Q6.   Does this Council contribute to security for bicycles at train & bus stations? Details?
A.  No

Q7.   Does this Council have a Travel Smart /Sustainable Transport officer? If so, what fraction of a f/t position?
A.   The City of Mandurah’s TravelSmart Local Government Officer contract (which involved a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department for Planning and Infrastructure to employ an officer over a 29 month period) concluded on the 6 February 2009. The City still actively promotes TravelSmart and maintains involvement in the State Government’s TravelSmart Program.

Q8.   Does this Council provide support for Walking School buses? How? Where?
A.   The City has developed a Programs for Schools brochure in which there is information on the Walking School Bus.

Q9.   Does this Council provide any local public transport additional to Transperth Services? Details
A.   A bus service that runs from the City centre to the train service on a circle route every day (daily service length varies between winter and summer).

Q10.   Does this Council show a comparison of its expenditure on infrastructure for road transport incl. carparks /public transport/cycling/walking?
A.  No

Q11.   Does this Council continue to monitor its community greenhouse gas emissions/ manage climate change?
A.   To the best of our ability. We are beginning the process of developing a new community emissions reduction strategy. Within this it is envisaged that this will incorporate and develop methods for monitoring community greenhouse emissions.

Q12.   Does this Council publish the annual energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with its operations (units of electricity, gas, transport fuel)?
A.  

Q13.   Has this Council consulted with the community on ways it is planning to reduce greenhouse emissions? When? How many members of the community attended?
A.  No A community reduction plan will be developed in the near future and a community consultation will be a part of this process.

Q14.   Has this Council consulted with the community on ways it may adapt to climate change? When? How many members of the community attended?
A.  No A community reduction plan will be developed in the near future and a community consultation will be a part of this process.

Q15.   Does this Council support community led initiatives for climate change adaptation? (eg Transition Town)
A.   If a community initiative was carried out, the City would support this.

Q16.   Does this Council have other policies/practices in this category?
A.  No

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Waste Management

How this council works towards the goal of zero waste.

Q1.   Does this Council have measures in place to prevent plastic bags from entering the environment? eg removal of bags from pollutant traps, plastic bag bylaws, etc
A.  No The City is exploring options to reduce plastic bag usage and plastics in general in the City. The City has stopped the release of helium balloons at its events.

Q2.   Does this Council provide receptacles just for cigarette butts in public places? Details?
A.   Cigarette butt containers are installed at some of Council’s buildings.

Q3.   Does this Council provide its own local drop-off facilities for recycling of spent fluoro globes & tubes, batteries and mobile phones?
A.   A fluorescent globe recycling bin is provided at the City’s Waste Management Centre. Battery disposal bins are provided in a number of the City’s main public and administration buildings. The batteries are collected regularly and sent to the Eastern States for recycling.

Q4.   Does this council provide local drop off points for recycling of e-waste? Details?
A.   An e-waste collection bin is also located at the City’s Waste Management Centre. Printer cartridge recycling points are set up at various Council outstations.

Q5.   Does this Council offer residents financial incentive for reducing their general rubbish? Details?
A.   Residential premises are entitled to a fortnightly co-mingled 240 L MGB recycling service.

Q6.   Does this Council offer businesses incentives to reduce general rubbish? Details?
A.   Businesses are entitled to a fortnightly co-mingled 240 L MGB recycling service.

Q7.   Does this Council promote recycling within its industrial zone? Details?
A.  No Only advice is provided on the City’s website.

Q8.   Does this Council collect and compost kitchen waste?
A.  No However, the City did conduct a 16 week food and garden waste trial in Meadow Springs in 2010. The Council is yet to decide on the future of this type of collection.

Q9.   Does this Council offer practical support for household composting and/or worm farming? Details?
A.   We have a demonstration worm farm at our sustainable demonstration house.

Q10.   Does this Council participate in Resource Recovery Park or tip shop for residents?
A.  No But the City is proposing to construct a recycling tip shop at the Waste Management Centre in Meadow Springs. It is hoped that the tip shop will be operational within the next year.

Q11.   Does this Council provide local drop-off points or collection days for HHW (Household Hazardous Waste)?
A.   An approved HHW storage facility is located at the Waste Management Centre and residents can dispose of their HHW at this facility.

Q12.   Does this Council have other policies/practices in this category?
A.  Unknown

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Water Management

How this council assists and educates local businesses and community to conserve water resources.

Q1.   Does this Council support residents to improve their water efficiency? (eg waterwise verges, workshops on waterwise gardening/ food production, rebates). Details?
A.   The City has so far provided funding for twenty waterwise verge makeovers throughout the community in partnership with the Beyond Gardens verge makeover program. It has also run a Waterwise Garden Competition to raise awareness on waterwise and native gardening. This was intended to reward those residents who are currently practicing these techniques.

Q2.   Does this Council support businesses to improve their water efficiency? Details?
A.   Information on water efficiency can be found at the Sustainable Mandurah Home.

Q3.   Does Council support residents to harvest rainwater (e.g. through provision of rebates)? Details?
A.   The City ran a rainwater tank incentive scheme with local businesses and has since seen over 60 rainwater tanks installed throughout the community with this number still growing.

Q4.   Does this Council promote and provide support for residents to reuse greywater? How? How many applications from residents have been received?
A.   Greywater information folders have been developed for the community.

Q5.   Does this Council take any other action for water conservation? Details?
A.  No

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