2005 Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships

24 August 2005

TransGrid and Greening Australia's long term GreenGrid Partnership was today recognised through the receipt of the Judges' Encouragement Award in the 2005 Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships.

TransGrid the NSW High Voltage electricity operator and Greening Australia entered into GreenGrid partnership some eight years ago with the aim of helping Greening Australia achieve its mission to engage the community in vegetation management, to protect and restore the health, diversity and productivity of our unique Australian landscape.

TransGrid's Regional Manager Southern, Mr. Garry Smith said " The partnership has enabled TransGrid and its staff in the Yass - Wagga Region to demonstrate in a hands on way, its strong environmental focus, through the propagation and planting of 120,000 native trees to date.

" The result of this partnership has been a significant contribution to the protection of the local environment for future generations." Mr. Smith said.

This partnership is one of several of TransGrid's environmental committees, working groups and specific environmental positions to manage TransGrid's activities in an environmentally sensitive manner.

Mr. Toby Jones, Executive Officer for Greening Australia thanked TransGrid for the longstanding relationship and the significant contribution TransGrid has made to the work of Greening Australia through the GreenGrid initiative in greening nearly 500 hectares of private lands outside reserves.

"The title of our Award submission; Bringing Life to Landscape, Bringing Landscapes to Life, articulates what TransGrid and Greening Australia are about. Greening Australia has been able to draw on its partnerships with TransGrid to scale up its on-going revegetation program as well as its technical advisory services. To extend the impact of its work across the Murray Basin through GreenGrid and importantly has been able to bring people together to address key biodiversity, water and salinity issues." Mr. Jones said.

" The GreenGrid Partnership has helped TransGrid achieve one of its main aims by providing a platform for positive interaction with landholders and the broader community. TransGrid has a challenging job in often demanding conditions and the goodwill and co-operation of the wider community is greatly appreciated." Mr. Smith said.

" Winning this Award is satisfying as a public recognition for the efforts of TransGrid, its staff and all those community minded people who have collaborated with TransGrid, however the biggest win is for our shared environment".

"The emphasis for all of us, including businesses, employees, the farming community and consumers is that we need to work together if we value the protection of our natural environment'. Mr. Smith said.

Mr.Smith accepted the Award on behalf of TransGrid, its staff and Greening Australia, emphasising his appreciation for the granting of the Award to the GreenGrid Partnership.

"We are immensely encouraged by your recognition." Mr. Smith said.

For further information:

Contact: Mr Joe Zahra
Telephone: 02 9284 3300
Facsimile: 02 9284 3522
Mobile: 0411 258 566