Highlights from the Qantas Foundation Landcare Week Celebration Event in Sydney

A night where various stake holders of Landcare Australia gathered to celebrate Landcare Week and the the launch of the “Donate”
campaign.

Highlights from the Qantas Foundation, Landcare Week 2010 event in Sydney

Coral Love, Chair of Australia Framework for Landcare Reference Group
I can still remember over 2 decades ago, on the 20th of July 1989 hearing the announcement by Bob Hawke on plans for the Decade of Landcare.

Bob Hawke MP, Former Australian Prime Minister

It’s funny the way history goes round isn’t it, bringing people together like that. It’s what I set out to do and I think it’s appropriate that I further some of the things I said. Environmental problems today more than ever are global. Just over 200 years since the industrial revolution, human activity has significantly increased the earth’s temperature, threatening the onset of the green house effect, huge areas of the world’s tree cover has been destroyed.

Coral Love, Chair of Australia Framework for Landcare Reference Group

This was a very important moment, it signified national recognition and support of a growing movement and it gave us direction for the future.

Bob Hawke MP, Former Australian Prime Minister

We have polluted the world’s ocean seas and rivers, degraded the earth’s soils, we have even managed to punch a hole through the ozone layer.
From that basic exposition of the challenges, that dire and fundamental challenge, that we were confronting I tried to set out a programme for Australia as to how we would optimize our capacity as a nation, to lead those challenges.

Heather Campbell, CEO Landcare Australia

The movement is huge, and it is not just people who call themselves landcare groups, it’s bushcare groups, it’s friends of groups, it’s farmers doing productive sustainable agriculture initiatives. What landcare week is about is asking people to continue to be involved or get involved in new ways.
Whether you are a diver because there is aquatic species you can look at, an accountant or if you like number crunching, than help out a landcare group do their financial spreadsheet, whether you are out at a farm in the middle of no where, or in metropolitan Sydney.

Coral Love, Chair of Australia Framework for Landcare Reference Group

For the last 2 decades, the landcare movement, with support from the important corporate partners, has changed the face of Australia’s rural, urban and coastal landscapes. And played a major role in raising an awareness, influencing the adoption of sustainable farming and land management practices and achieving environmental outcomes.

Heather Campbell, CEO Landcare Australia

None of these would have been possible without our key partners, so thank you very much, particularly to the Qantas Foundation for being great supporters of Landcare Week and a great partners with it’s help and support in a number of key projects.

Shirley Davies, CEO Qantas Foundation

The Qantas Foundation was established as a charitable trust in 2008. And it is part of the Qantas group’s commitment in operating in a sustainable and socially responsible manner. And the vision of the Qantas Foundation is to harness the resources and people of Qantas, to empower and support organizations and initiatives dedicated to building a sustainable future for all Australians.

We are very proud of the partnership we have with landcare, so thank you to landcare for enabling us to engage our people in this very important work.

Bob Hawke MP, Former Australian Prime Minister

What you are saying to the Australian people is, that distinct from putting your coin in the tin and making your donation that way, we want you to put yourself in the tin, to contribute yourself. Bring the talents that you have, whatever they may be and contribute to the great challenge facing this country of dealing with our vast range of environmental problems.
This is a challenge, not just for government, but it is for all working together.

Jerry Ellis, Chairman Landcare Australia

The single thing you did for the country, was to bring us together as well as all the wonderful reforms that you contributed to our ongoing prosperity. Bringing us together was a great achievement and you epitomize tonight the great strength of leadership that you have, your commitment to us Australians, and of course your commitment to landcare. So it’s my privilege Bob to thank you for that, to thank you for putting your body and soul on the line again and will you join me in thanking Bob Hawke.
Coral Love, Chair of Australia Framework for Landcare Reference Group
The Landcare approach is based on the philosophy that people from all communities and cultures can actively take responsibility for the health of Australia’s environmental assets towards a more sustainable future. It’s all in our hands.