Elected Members

REGIONAL COUNCILLORS

The SMRC’s current elected members are:

Cameron Schuster – Chairman, Regional Councillor, Deputy Mayor of Melville

City of Melville Cameron was elected to the City of Melville in 2013 and subsequently to the SMRC where he was elected as Chair in October 2013. Cameron strongly supports the SMRC and its purpose and hopes to make a strong contribution to the efficient, safe and effective operations of the SMRC while ensuring the Regional Council continues to build strong and transparent bonds with its various community and organisational stakeholders. Following long term careers in the Western Australian public sector and the Wesfarmers Group, Cameron now operates his own consulting business in the areas of planning, sustainable business and environmental management. Cameron is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management. Cameron lives in Mount Pleasant with Robin and his family, and is active in community organisations. He is also a passionate member of the Essendon Football Club. [su_divider top="no"]

Doug Thompson – Deputy Chair, Regional Councillor

Cr Kevin Allen – Regional Councillor

Michael McPhail – Regional Councillor, Deputy Mayor of East Fremantle

Wendy Cooper – Regional Councillor

• Once bulky non-biodegradable items and hazardous material are separated from the waste stream, the remainder is batch-fed into the first compartment of the three compartment rotary digester (known as Eweson Digester). Liquid waste is also fed into this compartment when required. If no liquid waste is received, it is replaced by water.
• An aerobic decomposition process takes place in the digester as it rotates, and temperatures are maintained at an average of 50ºC. The waste is batch transferred between compartments each day until after three days the resulting material is prepared for secondary composting stage.
• The raw compost is then transferred to the aeration floor building for further maturation for 28-29 days. After which it passes through a fine screening system to produce the finished compost.

• Farmers use compost for enhancing crops.
• Landscapers use compost as a soil amendment and for decorative purposes at properties, golf courses, and athletic fields.
• Nurseries use compost for enhancing plant and forest seedling crops in reforestation projects and to prevent certain plant diseases.
• Public agencies use compost for landscaping highway median strips, parks, recreational areas, and other public property and remediating contaminated or eroded sites.
• Homeowners use mature compost to enrich gardens, improve the soil around trees and shrubs, use as soil additive for house plants and planter boxes and as protective mulch for trees and shrubs.

• Compost returns organic matter to the soil which improves soil structure, water infiltration, and water holding capacity of the soil. This has many beneficial implications, including reducing the demand for irrigation water used in intensive agriculture and working towards sustainable yields.
• Improved water quality by cost effectively converting liquid and solid wastes (that often pollute waterways) into recycled organic products that reduce the leaching of nutrients into natural water bodies.

• Compost can contribute to sustainable land management by improving soil quality, assisting plant growth and vegetation establishment, increasing water holding capacity, storing carbon in the soil and reducing the need for chemical fertiliser and pesticide inputs.
• Composting can assist to address the cause of nitrification and salinity.
• Compost slowly releases macro and micro-nutrients for plant growth. This reduces the need for fertiliser, and makes existing fertiliser programs more effective.
• Soil enriching composts improve the structure of sandy soils allowing them to retain moisture and nutrients longer; they also provide the nutrients necessary for healthy plant growth.[/section]

• Around 90% of greenhouse gas emissions from landfills are a result of decomposing organic material. Composting garden materials and food scraps diverts this organic matter from landfill.
• Composting reduces the quantity of waste going to landfill. This means that only waste that cannot be composted will be disposed of at landfill. This inert waste is not organic and does not release damaging leachates and methane, a potent greenhouse gas.[/section]