Our involvement with the community is reflected in our commitment to our partnership programs. Read about some of our major partnerships below.
Cairns Indigenous Art Fair
The Cairns Indigenous Art Fair showcases Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander art. Held over three days in August (17-19), visitors can immerse themselves in artwork by over 250 artists, performances by Injinoo dancers from Cape York, children’s art workshops, artist’s talks and theatre.
The children’s program supported by Ergon Energy, is a series of interactive activities and artists talks specifically developed for children and families. These activities are aimed at encouraging children to learn about and share in Indigenous art and culture.
The schedule of free family art activities encourage children to get hands on and learn new skills at workshops run by professional artists. Activities will include traditional painting techniques, weaving, sculpting and dancing.
Brisbane Mining Club
The aim of the Brisbane Mining Club is to hold a regular lunchtime forum to provide:
- An informal venue for networking
- An opportunity to hear high profile speakers give personal insights into the Australian and global mining industries
- An opportunity to build stronger relationships between those working in the mining community in Queensland
- A forum to support and encourage youth to join the mining industry.
The Brisbane Mining Club supports several organisations including:
- The Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section)
- Australian Student Mineral Venture
- University of Queensland student groups to assist with field trips and special projects.
Maryborough Technology Challenge
Ergon Energy continues its partnership with the Technology Challenge in Maryborough. Now in its eighth year, the Maryborough Technology Challenge is recognised as Queensland's premier innovation and technology event for youth.
Held on the last weekend of Term 3, this weekend of youth innovation hosts entries from schools from Townsville to Brisbane. The seven categories of activities focus on alternative energies. Within the challenge there are five Queensland championships hosted in Human Powered Vehicles, Solar Model Cars and Solar Model Boats, Smilie Pushcars, and CO2 Dragsters events.
The aim of the event is to encourage students, schools, communities and industries to:
- Engage students in the investigation of alternative energy options
- Encourage students to explore and design alternative energy sources to propel vehicles
- Encourage the development of partnerships between industry and education to solve technological challenges
- Encourage healthy lifestyles based on good nutrition and exercise
- Encourage community and volunteer participation in school-based extracurricular activities
- Provide an opportunity for the community to celebrate youth achievement.
Royal Flying Doctor Service
Our partnership with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) (Queensland Section) began in 2000 with the formation of a voluntary donation scheme for our electricity customers and employees.
Ergon Energy offers its customers and employees the opportunity to donate a nominated amount ($2 or $5) monthly or quarterly to the RFDS (Queensland Section). All donations are wholly received by the RFDS (Queensland Section) and assist with the Aircraft Replacement Program and with updating essential medical equipment.
The RFDS (Queensland Section) has 220 employees and ten aircraft that travel in excess of four million kilometres every year. There are eight bases in Queensland which provide emergency and routine medical services to Queenslanders 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.
To date, Ergon Energy customers and employees have donated more than $6 million to the RFDS (Queensland Section).
North Queensland Cowboys
Ergon Energy and the North Queensland Cowboys are undertaking a partnering to encourage North Queensland households and communities to join Team Energy Sense.
Using your energy sense means being aware of how you use electricity and knowing what you can do to save money and help the environment.
Through the partnership, Ergon Energy and the Cowboys will be working on a number of initiatives to ensure we use our energy sense so we can all enjoy our lifestyle while using electricity wisely to stay on top of costs.
QUT Business Leaders' Forum
The QUT Business Leader's Forum is recognised as the pre-eminent business leadership event in Brisbane.
Over more than a decade, the Forum has developed a national and international reputation for attracting dynamic, world-class leaders in dialogue on today's leadership challenges. The Forum informs, challenges and inspires its audiences on the topics of leadership, excellence in business, corporate social responsibility, sustainability and related public policy.
The Forum gives key members of Queensland's business and political communities the opportunity to hear prominent speakers explore trends, issues and ideas that are shaping the economy and politics of the nation while also allowing for high-level networking opportunities.
The Forum features a presentation from a speaker followed by an informal interview and questions from the audience. Past events have been moderated by one of Australia's most respected journalists, Kerry O'Brien from ABC Television's 7.30 Report.
Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers
The Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers is Australia's longest running floral event, having started back in 1950. It is more than just a floral celebration; it offers a wide variety of experiences rich in colour and floral fanfare.
The Carnival captures the tastes and scents of spring bringing together horticulture, entertainment, and gourmet foods and local wines. Over the years, the Carnival has evolved to become a quality event of local, national and international reputation. The Carnival also hosts Australia's largest independent floral design competition.
Ergon Energy’s involvement with the Carnival is the Ergon Energy Flower, Food & Wine Festival. Like the Carnival as a whole, the Ergon Energy Flower, Food & Wine Festival is a true community event which brings together businesses, industries, residents, community groups, volunteers and visitors.
Held over three days in scenic Queens Park, the Festival offers a delicious showcase of gourmet food and wine experiences, floral design, art installations, live entertainment, interactive workshops, children’s activities and much more.
Visitors can see the crème of Australian floral designers at work as part of the annual Floral Design Competition, pick up landscaping and gardening tips from onsite experts, savour tempting restaurant menus featuring regional specific produce and wines whilst also taking in three full days of live entertainment with performances by local and headline Australian artists.
Unplugged
Ergon Energy has teamed up with the Queensland Arts Council to produce “Unplugged”, an interactive theatre performance that teaches students how to become energy savvy.
The 40 minute performance features Gemma, a student concerned about her family’s increasing electricity usage and teaches them practical ways to cut down on energy wastage.
School children from regional Queensland learn about energy use and ways to live a more sustainable lifestyle in a fun and engaging way.
Beyond the performance, students and teachers will be encouraged, through Ergon Energy’s teacher resources, to measure power consumption and their school or home’s carbon footprint.
Unplugged follows on from the successful production, Powertrip: The Adventures of Watty and Volt, which entertained nearly 55 thousand, school students between 2007 and 2009.
UDIA
Ergon Energy is supporting sustainability in developments in Regional Queensland communities through our partnership with the UDIA (Urban Development Institute of Australia) and EnviroDevelopment. EnviroDevelopment is a scientifically based certification system which rewards exemplary sustainable development practice in projects with the right to use unique environmental branding symbols that reflect a development project's level of achievement in one of all of six key areas - ecosystems, waste, energy, materials, water and community.
A development displaying this EnviroDevelopment - Energy symbol has taken positive steps to reduce production of greenhouse gas and the use of fossil fuels. Instead, these developments create efficiencies in energy consumption as well as using renewable and non-polluting energy sources such as solar power. Under the current EnviroDevelopment standards a development displaying the energy symbol must demonstrate a 45% reduction in greenhouse gas production from energy use across the development. Once certified, developments must be assessed every 12 months.
Beef Australia 2012
Ergon Energy is proud to once again be a partner of one of the world’s great beef cattle events - the 2012 Australia's National Beef Exposition. This event attracts more than 75 000 local, interstate and international visitors who come to Rockhampton, Queensland for one great week every three years. Beef Australia is a non profit organisation and has a rich history dating back to Australia’s bicentennial celebrations in 1988. This will the fourth Beef Australia Exposition that Ergon Energy has partnered.
The 2012 National Beef Exposition is being held from 7 – 12 May 2012 at the Rockhampton Show Grounds and will feature a range of stud cattle, carcase and commercial competitions, hundreds of trade displays, seminars, tours and social events.
Ergon Energy's partnership with Beef Australia, shows support for the Beef Australia 2012 Ergon Energy Volunteer Program.This program encourages the local community to volunteer and be involved in Australia’s national cattle industry exposition. It will involve approximately 300 volunteers who will perform a range of volunteer duties during the five days of the event. Our support is also shown through the Big Beef BBQ which will feature well known chefs cooking up a storm.
