2025 Program

Tuesday 3 June 2025

0830 - 0915, Tue 3 June 2025 | Demo Day Registration (Level 1 Foyer, NEX)
0915 - 1630, Tue 3 June 2025 | Demonstration Day

The Demonstration Day buses are scheduled to depart NEX from 9:00 – 9:30am and will return between 4:30 – 5:00pm.
NOTE: For safety reasons, delegates may not drive themselves to the location, all delegates MUST arrive and depart via the coach from NEX.

SEE EQUIPMENT IN ACTION AT THE AORA DEMONSTRATION DAY

Sponsored by:

See grinders, screens, turners and other equipment in operation with live demonstrations and take the opportunity to see the equipment up close, compare different models and meet with suppliers all in the one place.

On display will be:

  • Grinders and Shredders
  • Screens
  • Windrow Turners
  • Loaders
  • Excavators
  • Mobile Picking Stations
  • and more…

All participants are required to wear long pants and steel capped safety boots. Hard hats and safety vests will be provided along with lunch and afternoon tea. We recommend you bring a hat and water bottle.

1730 - 1930, Tue 3 June 2025 | Networking Function

Exhibition Area, (Level 1, NEX)

Join us after the Demonstration Day for an evening of drinks, canapes and networking with the exhibitors, speakers, sponsors and other attendees.

Sponsored by:

Dress: Casual

Tickets: Included in full registrations or optional event for $125. Please indicate on the registration form if you wish to attend this function and the ticket will be added to your invoice.

Wednesday 4 June 2025

0800 - 0830, Wed 4 June 2025 | Registration, tea and coffee (Level 1 Foyer, NEX)
0830 - 1030, Wed 4 June 2025 | Opening Plenary
0830 Welcome and housekeeping
John McKew, NEO – Australian Organics Recycling Association & Matt Taylor, Master of Ceremonies
0850 Official welcome
Charlie Emery, Chair – Australian Organics Recycling Association
0900 Opening address
0910 INTERNATIONAL KEYNOTE
Kathy Kellogg Johnson, Kellogg Garden Products (USA)
0940 AUSTRALIAN KEYNOTE
Lisa Rawlinson, Loop Organics
1010 Questions and discussion
1030 - 1100, Wed 4 June 2025 | Morning tea break
1100 - 1230, Wed 4 June 2025 | Shifting Perspectives
1100 Disrupting Composting: The Impact of Global Advancements on Organics Processing
Callum Hickey, Urban Utilities
1120 Composting in California, landfill ban leads to environmental innovation
Jeff Ziegenbein, WM
1140 Attitudes to food waste composting (lessons learnt in Canberra and beyond)
Dr Brook Clinton, Canberra Region Joint Organisation
1200 Questions and discussion
1230 - 1330, Wed 4 June 2025 | Lunch
1330 - 1500, Wed 4 June 2025 | Panel: Kerbside Innovations and Challenges

In recent years, we’ve seen progress and challenges in kerbside organics collection. This panel session, featuring representatives from local governments across Australia, will highlight some of the successes, challenges, and lessons learned. Topics covered will include educational campaigns, responses to FOGO bin services, managing contamination, financial and regulatory considerations and more. 

Facilitated by: Angus Johnston, New Resource Solutions

Panelists include:

  • Dr Tim Harrison, Ararat Rural City Council
  • Elfi Blackburn, City of Newcastle
  • Rachel McIntyre, Inner West Council
1500 - 1530, Wed 4 June 2025 | Afternoon tea break
1530 - 1700, Wed 4 June 2025 | Navigating Contamination
1530 Understanding and managing PFAS and compostable microplastics in FOGO waste
Dr Emily Bryson, Central Queensland University
1550 The fate of PFAS through commercial composting facilities
Sali Khair Biek, RMIT University
1610 Questions and discussion
1620 PANEL: Working with the organics recycling industry towards a circular economy Led by: Martine Poulain, Australasian Bioplastics Association
1700 Close Day 2
1715 - 1830, Wed 4 June 2025 | Happy Hour Showcase
1715 Sorting Technology to Improve Organic Recycling and Ensure Regulatory Compliance
Carina Arita, TOMRA Recycling
1725 AI Technology Safety: Reducing people and plant injuries by a massive 99.6%
Chris Newton & David Hassab, Earthmoving Technology Solutions
1735 Biogas and Beyond: Advancing AD technology in Australia
Emma Mountjoy, LMS Energy
1745 Harnessing nature’s power through advanced processing & bioenergy technology
Sean Galdermans, OREZ
1745 Comparison of Australian & European Standards: Contamination, Trends & Strategy
Björn Fahle, WESTERIA and Eric Paulsen, CEMAC Technologies
1805 Removing black plastic contamination
Bronte Abrahams, Steinert Australia
1815 XROPS – Regional Organics Processing Solution
Philip Parekalam, NALG & Dr Marc Stammbach, Kanadevia Inova
1900 - 2230, Wed 4 June 2025 | Conference Dinner

The Arena, NEX

The Conference Dinner is traditionally a highlight in the AORA Annual Conference program and provides an opportunity for the participants to relax and engage in the type of networking that is vital to furthering the recycled organics industry.

Sponsored by:

Dress: Business / Smart Casual

Tickets: Included in full registrations or optional event for $200. Please indicate on the registration form if you wish to attend this function and the ticket will be added to your invoice.

Thursday 5 June 2025

0800 - 0845, Thu 5 June 2025 | Registration, tea and coffee
0845 - 1030, Thu 5 June 2025 | Cultivating Change
0845 How Sustainability Victoria partnered with industry to grow organics markets
Andrew Dougall, Sustainability Victoria
0905 How to start a movement and pioneer resilience in organic recycling
Jaclyn Lees & Alizee Le Goff, enrich360
0925 Making It Matter: A three-pillar approach to transform FOGO education
Cate McQuillen, mememe productions
1010 Questions and discussion
1030 - 1100, Thu 5 June 2025 | Morning tea break
1100 - 1300, Thu 5 June 2025 | Transformative Partnerships
1100 KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
Tony Chappel, NSW Environment Protection Authority
1130 Powering a Resilient Organics Future: Industry-Government partnerships in Queensland
Kali Martin, AORA & Claire Anderson, DETSI
1150 Councils leading the way to new market opportunities
Ian Clarke, Sustainability Victoria
1210 Organics Processing for Regional Communities – Keep your Compost Close!
David Anderson & Rod Tuttle, Gaia EnviroTech
1230 Questions and discussion
1300 - 1400, Thu 5 June 2025 | Lunch
1400 - 1600, Thu 5 June 2025 | Thinking Beyond the Windrow
1400 Thinking beyond windrow composting
Aurel Lübke, Compost Systems
1420 Composting Anaerobic Digestate: Controlling Odours/ VOC’s and Compost Quality
Brian Fuchs, W. L. Gore & Associates
1440 Using municipal composts to make soils deeper, drought resilient and productive
Bill Grant, Federation University, Future Regions Research Centre
1500 The role of biochar compost in the circular economy
Don Coyne, ANZ Biochar Industry Group
1520 Questions and discussion
1550 Conference wrap up and closing remarks
Charlie Emery, Chair – Australian Organics Recycling Association
1600 Conference Close

Every effort has been made to present all the information contained in this website as accurately as possible.
The organisers reserve the right to change, without notice, any or all of these details.

Thank you to our 2025 Conference Supporters

AORA would like to acknowledge our National Sponsors who play an active role in realising our vision: