Action on the Environment

The City has become Australia’s first carbon neutral Council through energy‑saving measures and the purchase of GreenPower. City energy savings will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 1.75 megatonnes per year and water savings by 72 megalitres (48 Olympic Pools).

Image: Artist impression of greening City buildings

 

CitySwitch

Our CitySwitch Green Office program, with North Sydney, Parramatta and DECC, reduces energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from commercial offices. 57 organisations with 600,000m2 of office space have committed to the program.

We have joined the global C40 Climate Group and through Earth Hour and Live Green (our first carbon neutral event) we promote sustainability. With Marrickville Council, we fund the Watershed Sustainability Resource Centre.

Image: Clover at C40 Summit with mayors from Seoul, London and chief minister of Delhi, working to reduce city emissions

Green Energy

“Green Transformers” (co- and tri-generation) are an exciting Sustainable Sydney 2030 proposal to use gas for generating electricity locally while capturing the heat by-product to cool and heat buildings.

The large Carlton  United Brewery (CUB) site development is to use this method of local sustainable power generation. Green Transformers could help meet the City’s target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Image: Artist impression of the planned Main Park at CUB site, by Harry Roberts

And for Good Governance

Council has consulted with you, holding more than 280 public meetings, including 73 community forums and 89 separate consultations on Sustainable Sydney 2030.

We completed eight village planscovering all the City’s neighbourhoods and 900 local priorities were identified, with 319 completed so far and 571 underway. Priority has been given to improving customer service, with a 24 hour call centre and Neighbourhood Service Centres.

Full Council reports are published on the City’s website and decisions are made in open Council and Committee meetings. We go beyond the legal requirements of the Freedom of Information Act (FOI), providing free archive searches (about 250 per month). Development Applications are placed on our website and projects are notified widely.

Image: Councillors at work

A Safer City

Work is underway to minimise the impacts of drug and alcohol use and reduce negative impacts from licensed premises. Our Public Space Liaison Officer links street drinkers to support services. Our Public Housing Liaison Officer works with public housing tenants to address safety issues.

We extended alcohol free zones and we are increasing Licensing Compliance Officers. We have extended our 82-camera CCTV network, complementing broader anti-crime strategies which include lighting, safety audits and ranger patrols.

Image: The City’s CCTV control room

 

Inclusion

The City holds regular disability access forums and awareness training for staff, and accessibility is required in new developments. Our Inclusion Project Coordinator advises us on projects such as the major all-abilities playground at Sydney Park.

Image: Artist impression of Sydney Park all-abilities playground