Ethical, Sustainable, Profitable wool production wins two Premier’s Sustainability Awards

Sustainability Victoria Media Release

The Finnegan family wool-producing farm, Kia Ora, has won the Small and Medium Enterprises category Award and the Premier’s Regional Recognition Award in this year’s Victorian Premier’s Sustainability Awards for their cross-operational commitment to sustainability.

E.S.P. or Ethical, Sustainable, Profitable wool production is now a feature of the farm, just north of Warrnambool. The Finnigans approach pulls together existing data and knowledge to change farm practices such as reducing chemical use, changing genetic selection of sheep, sowing permanent pastures, slowing or stopping runoff into rivers and increasing carbon sequestration.

In 2018 Kia Ora, as part of the Fox and Lillie Genneys Group, was accredited under the International Wool Textile Organisation’s Responsible Wool Standard. There is no higher wool quality standard.

At the annual Awards’ ceremony in Melbourne, the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, the Hon. Lily D’Ambrosio presented Enable Social Enterprises as winner of the Premier’s Recognition Award for their work training and employing disadvantaged people in a thriving e-waste business.

Sustainability Victoria’s interim Chief Executive, Carl Muller, said the awards showed how management of environmental issues was of growing importance for all Victorians – no matter age, no matter where they live or what they do.

“Each year, the Premier’s Sustainability Awards continue to discover Victoria’s best and most inspiring Victorian individuals, organisations and businesses who are developing and implementing new sustainable practices,” he said.

“Congratulations to all of this year’s winners. Your contributions will have positive long-term benefits for us all.”

For more information visit sustainabilityawards.vic.gov.au