Recently the Community Recycling Network (CRN) "featured" in Wellington when the Executive Team impacted upon varying Ministry staff and even a couple of Ministers during their visit from 2nd to 4th August.

The week kicked off with Susa (CRN Coordinator) visiting Mana Enterprises, Trash Palace and the dynamic Poly Palace (Ritchie Moore's ingenious polystyrene recycling business) in Porirua City before she and Sue Coutts (Manager Wanaka Wastebusters) on Tuesday 1st August visited EarthLink in Upper Hutt and Environua Trust in Levin.

Big thanks to Sonia, Colin, Ritchie, Dave, Mike, Shirley, Graeme and Sandra for giving us the grand tour of the above mentioned operations! It was fantastic and inspiring to see the diversity of employment opportunities provided to the lower North Island and stimulating to see so many creative ways dedicated to diverting valuable resources from landfill.

Wednesday saw the rest of the CRN Executive Team rock into Wellington and with the Agenda already confirmed the afternoon saw a productive meeting with a representative from the Ministry for Social Development's Labour Market Development Team. In it we learned that Regional funding through Enterprising Communities will likely be the best funding opportunity for CRN and its members to support future growth and employment opportunities. By contacting the Regional Labour Market Manager of your local Work and Income branch you will be able to find out more about how they can assist your group.

A breakfast meeting with Nandor Tanczos (Green MP and driver of the Waste Minimisation Bill) and Chris Teo Sherell (Green Party personnel and contributor to the construction of the Bill) was fruitful and further confirmed that substantive submissions to the Bill from CRN and it's members will have more value than short / brief 'pro-forma' submissions ie: post cards or generic photocopied one pagers. So, may this be another reminder to you to knuckle down and write your submission before the 1st September.

Wednesday afternoon saw the Team enjoy a meeting with a NZ Lottery Grants Environment and Heritage representative before Rachel Dupree and Chris Purchas from the Ministry for the Environment met to discuss a number of things including recent changes within the Ministry. Changes include the new Chief Executive Hugh Logan (prior Director General of DOC) and what appears to be a 'directional' review of some strategic Ministry relations together with a commitment to take a closer look at the 'success' of the infamous Voluntary Packaging Accord.

On the last day of talks, Nicky Wagner Christchurch MP and Associate Spokesperson for the Environment for the National Party met with the Committee and asked a number of pertinent questions to assist with her own formulation of what the Waste Minimisation Bill is about. Her enthusiasm for matters pertaining to waste have extended from her involvement with what was the Recovered Materials Foundation (now Terranova) and includes an up and coming visit to the Kate Valley Landfill.

Before everyone flew back home on Friday the Executive Committee met with members of the Sustainable Management Fund Team (MfE) outlining to them a little of what CRN is all about and the groups we represent. Between mouthfuls of organic Banana and Walnut cake (big thanks to Lizzie, Whaingaroa Raglan) we also learned how CRN can potentially assist the Ministry in a process of determining a future funding review.

Meeting with 'Environmental Investigators' from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment was a thoroughly satisfying meeting in late Friday afternoon in that the authors of the recently published 'Changing Behaviour - Economic instruments in the management of waste' (available from www.pce.govt.nz) seemed to be up to speed with some of the work we (CRN and members) have been doing. The Commissioner, Morgan Williams, and his team has been asked to advise the Waste Minimisation Bill Select Committee. A comment was made to the 'investigators' that their work was greatly appreciated by those of us living and working for the environment and within our communities. Their work exploring 'sustainable development in action' was also discussed including the possibilities of this in-depth in pacific communities around the country.

David Benson-Pope was meantime well aware that the CRN Executive was also meeting with Luamanuvao Winnie Laban, Minister for Community and Volunteers and Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment. During this meeting it became clear that Winnie understood much of the kind of work we (that's you) do for our environment and our community and made strong suggestions that we arrange meetings for her and David Benson-Pope both to visit examples of community waste enterprises in action.

All in all, the visit to Wellington was a thoroughly positive experience and each of the Executive Committee members was pleased to have made the investment (both 'in kind' and fiscal) to attend.

If you have any questions with regards to the above please don't hesitate to contact Susa Kupa [email protected]

October 2007 - CRN Hui, Hamilton

April 2007 - WasteMINZ Workshops

March 2007 - Container Deposit Legislation

November 2006 - Thyme Festival, Alexandra

August 2006 - CRN visit Wellington