CEO Megan Houghton's update 

 The start of this year is one we’ll never forget and I hope that you, your families and staff have stayed safe. What is apparent, and not surprising to me, is the amount of support and offers of help that have come from our partners.

All CitySmart's partners have contributed to the flood relief in one way or another and helped create a stronger sense of community. Some partners such as The Good Guys, who lost a complete store at Oxley and all its stock, has come out with offers of assistance and white goods at cost price to help those in need. Others, like Nova, has offered office space and infrastructure to help businesses continue to operate in these difficult times.

At CitySmart we all know a friend or family member that has had their house inundated by flood waters. Apart from digging in and helping as individuals, CitySmart helped organise the Lance Armstrong charity ride in a short five days to raise over $175,000 for the Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal. Our team spent five days frantically calling in favours and pulling together volunteers. We must mention Rio Tinto, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Westpac who provided volunteers, Coca-Cola Amatil who supplied 10,000 bottles of PowerAde for the event and Ithaca Iceworks who made sure it was cold at the end of the ride!

Just prior to Christmas, I had the honour of participating in a US Government sponsored Visiting Leaders Program in Climate Change and Sustainability.  This program has provided CitySmart with many new ideas, opportunities and relationships that we look forward to leveraging with you over the coming months.  By global standards, Brisbane has achieved many in-roads towards a sustainable future and it's exciting to learn from other countries and adapt ideas to our environment and Queensland way of life.  This includes ideas on rebuilding Brisbane sustainably after the floods.

I'm pleased to confirm a comprehensive partner events calendar this year with speakers the calibre of Brisbane Lord Mayor, Cr Peter Matic and Minister Kate Jones.  These sessions are planned to be informative, networking opportunities to help you progress on your individual sustainability journeys.

I'll also take this opportunity to let you all know that Allison Powell, our Commercial Manager, started maternity leave this week and Amanda Zaal is her very able replacement while she is away.

2011 will be a year of rebuilding our great city and continuing to make Brisbane Australia's most sustainable city.  We look forward to another busy year working together with our partners. 

Megan Houghton

CEO CitySmart Pty Ltd

 

CitySmart's EzyGreen partners have banded together to support EzyGreen residents affected by the floods. Here's an overview of what's on offer from some of the EzyGreen partner

Brisbane City Councilare distributing newsletters containing flood clean-up information and advice. The newsletter is available online at Brisbane City Council's website: http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/

Queensland Governmenthas a range of financial assistance measures available including personal hardship assistance, essential household contents grant, structural assistance grant and a sport and recreation services disaster recovery program. To find out information about Queensland Government initiatives and support for those affected, as well as opportunities for everyone to help others in need,

Ingenerois providing a free damage assessment of solar power systems to flood-affected households. To take up the offer of this free damage assessment service to your solar power system you should call 1800 99 33 34 to discuss your specific situation. This offer ends 30 June 2011.

All The Good Guys stores are offering free delivery of white goods (fridges, freezers, washers and dryers) to help those affected by the floods until 14 February 2011. The Good Guys Capalaba is offering white goods (fridges, freezers, washers and dryers) at invoice price (cost) to those people who lost appliances due to the floods. This offer is available in-store at Capalaba only.

AGL Assistis offering flood affected residents of the Brisbane community 15% off gas and/or electric hot water systems, heaters, air conditioners, cooktops and BBQs. This offer ends 31 March 2011. The 15% discount applies to the unit price only for these replacement products

National Australia Bankhas deployed a number of mobile ATMs and financial support staff to QLD disaster recovery centres and is offering additional assistance measures to those affected by the floods. To talk about your personal circumstances and how NAB can help, call the NAB Careteam on 1800 701 599 or NAB Small Business customers can call 1300 961 577.Thank you to the EzyGreen partners who are supporting flood-affected residents and helping rebuild a greener, stronger Brisbane. 

CitySmart partners offer immediate flood assistance

CitySmart's EzyGreen partners have banded together to support greater Brisbane residents affected by the floods. Here's an overview of what's on offer from some of the partners: 

• Ingenero is providing a free damage assessment of solar power systems to flood-affected households. To take up the offer of this free damage assessment service to a solar power system, call 1800 99 33 34. This offer is available until 30 June 2011.
• The Good Guys stores across Brisbane are offering free delivery of white goods (fridges, freezers, washers and dryers) to help those affected by the floods until 14 February 2011. The Good Guys Capalaba is offering white goods (fridges, freezers, washers and dryers) at invoice price (cost) to those people who lost appliances due to the floods. This offer is available in-store at Capalaba only
• AGL Assist is offering flood affected residents in Brisbane 15% off gas and/or electric hot water systems, heaters, air conditioners, cooktops and BBQs. This offer is available until 31 March 2011. The 15% discount applies to the unit price only for these replacement products
• National Australia Bank has deployed a number of mobile ATMs and financial support staff to QLD disaster recovery centres and is offering additional assistance measures to those affected by the floods. Call 1800 701 599 for more information or for small business customers, call 1300 961 577.

 Thank you to the EzyGreen partners who are supporting flood affected residents and helping rebuild a greener, stronger Brisbane.  If other partners have products or services with targeted offers that would benefit the flood rebuild please let us know. 

 

Additional flood recovery support 

 CitySmart partners have been supporting local flood affected communities, businesses and customers through flood recovery advice and assistance. Here are some further examples of what our partners are doing:   

• RACQ Insurancehas provided an extensive $20m flood assistance package-  Click here for more information.
• Novahas offered office space and infrastructure at their Teneriffe premises to Brisbane businesses affected by flood damage. Please contact Sean Ryan on 3872 6804 for more information.
• GreenBizCheckis offering businesses affected by the floods a free sustainability audit to assist with the rebuild process. Please contact Nathan Lingard on 0403 251 814 for more information.
•  CSR Bradford is offering impartial advice and free inspections to those who have suffered flood damage. Call 3632 6000 or click here for a technical datasheet.
• ENERGEX, in addition to crews working tirelessly to restore power,  has compiled detailed information about what to do before, during and after a flood to increase flood safety. Click here to visit ENERGEX's website flood safety page.
• Business South Bankhas had to move offices due to flood inundation.  However they have tirelessly gathered contact information on grants, support agencies and waste for South Bank precinct businesses. Click here for more information (may also be beneficial to other areas of Brisbane). 

  

Partners ride for flood relief

CitySmart partners were amongst the peloton of thousands to ride with cycling superstars Lance Armstrong and Robbie McEwen as they raised over $175,000 for the Queensland Flood Appeal.

Recently retired from international racing, the seven time Tour de France champion took to the streets of Brisbane in one of his famous ‘Twitter’ rides with a cast of thousands to raise much needed funds for Queenslanders affected by the recent disasters.

Lance was vocal in his appreciation of the volunteers, praising the efforts of the thousands of Queenslanders, including those present on the day, who have put up their hand to help out their neighbours.

“The cool thing... is the way the Australian people have rallied behind Queensland,” the champion cyclist said on the day.

“The way you people have stepped up is unbelievable.”

CitySmart was a major supporter of the event and we’d like to thank our corporate partners for their support on the day and participating cyclists that rode in the front pack with Lance and the Premier, including ENERGEX CEO Terry Effeney, BDO PartnerRolf Larson, Thiess Services Smart Network ManagerMatthew Dodson and Rio Tinto Global Head of Information Systems and TechnologyJohn Becker. 

 

Sustainability in rebuilding        

As Brisbane focuses on rebuilding areas of the city that have been damaged by the floods, doing it sustainably is never far from the mind of Cr Peter Matic, Chair of Brisbane City Council’s Environment, Parks and Sustainability Committee. CitySmart will host a partner’s lunch with Cr Matic as guest speaker where he will  discuss the issues facing the rebuild of Brisbane’s environment. .

Cr Matic is tasked with progressing sustainable development in Brisbane, a focus which includes issues like   energy efficiency, air quality, climate change and integrated water management.

As Committee Chair, Cr Matic knows the challenges confronting urban communities and our environment and the opportunities that often present themselves to local governments willing to take risks when progressing sustainable development. Cr Matic has been instrumental in driving outcomes to deliver Council’s Vision 2026, which includes Brisbane becoming carbon neutral.

The floods have greatly impacted Brisbane and the recovery process will take the best part of 18 months to two years, however the big task ahead has not affected Cr Matic's resolve to make Brisbane Australia's most sustainable city.

CitySmart will be hosting a partners’ lunch in February with special guest Cr Matic to discuss Council’s recovery plan for flood affected parts of Brisbane, with a particular focus on the Environment Recovery Sub-Committee, which has been tasked with directing the efforts of volunteers towards the restoration of the city’s damaged natural areas and waterway corridors. 

 

After the floods - securing business sustainability

In the aftermath of the flood crisis, returning to a ‘business as usual’ environment is a challenge for many Brisbane businesses.

In response, CitySmart partner BDO is working with its clients and Brisbane businesses impacted by the floods to secure the sustainability of their operations – now and into the future. 

For businesses affected by the floods, BDO provides the following tips as a guide for where to start the recovery process:

• Keep everyone informed
• Liaise with suppliers and renegotiate terms if necessary
• Engage with bankers, financiers and investors to avoid surprises
• Talk to customers and understand their circumstances, but be sure to agree terms that suit all parties
• Understand the particulars of loans, including covenants, and negotiate early if covenants may not be met as a result of the crisis
• If additional funding for working capital or to re-build is needed, revise forecasts and business plans
• Maintain clear lines of communication with employees and Trade Unions
• Establish a clear path for cash flow under varying scenarios to ensure business objectives can be met.

For information about how BDO can help your business, please call 07 3237 5999 or visit www.bdo.com.au 

 

Successful Quest for carbon neutrality

CitySmart print media partner Quest Community Newspapers, which is part of News Limited, has achieved an 18.4% reduction in carbon emissions for 2010 and the company as a whole is now carbon neutral.

In a trend that is being followed by many large corporations, including CitySmart partners, carbon neutral is becoming an increasing priority.

News Limited has become carbon neutral and is on track to achieving its goal of reducing its carbon emissions by 20%. Since launching its company‐wide energy reduction plan ‘One Degree’ in June 2007, News Limited had achieved emission reductions of 18.4% in FY2010 and was confident that an audit currently underway would confirm it met its 20% goal in CY2010.

Efficiency measures introduced over the past three years have reduced carbon emissions by 8.4% from 146,166 tonnes of carbon dioxide to 134,880 tonnes, with an additional 10% reduction coming from renewable energy certificates. The 20% goal is expected to be reached when figures become available for the end of 2010.

News Limited started with one idea and a single commitment. This resulted in an audit of over 85% of its operations and identified 179 carbon reduction projects to change how it approached every aspect of its business.

As a result, Quest and News Limited have cut almost 30% of vehicle fleet emissions, business travel is down by 22% through the use of video conferencing and the company has invested in more energy efficient equipment to reduce emissions from lighting, cooling and printing.