General Meeting
Georges Riverkeeper is the business name of the Georges River Combined Council’s Committee Incorporated (GRCCC)
Formed in 1979 by councils with a collective responsibility for the health of the Georges River to work together to improve its environmental condition and ongoing management.
The eight member councils – Bayside Council, Campbelltown City Council, City of Canterbury Bankstown, Fairfield City Council, Georges River Council, Liverpool City Council, Sutherland Shire Council and Wollondilly Shire Councils – of the Georges River catchment make up the Georges Riverkeeper.
A General Meeting is held four or five times per year and is attended by Georges Riverkeeper staff, Host Manager, member councils' nominated representative Councillors, council staff and community representatives.
Georges River Combined Council’s Committee Incorporated is an independent and non-for-profit organisation governed by the Georges Riverkeeper Executive Group, who is elected annually.
Georges Riverkeeper’s Executive Group meet monthly to make operational and management decisions. The Georges Riverkeeper Executive Groups consists of:
- Georges Riverkeeper Chairperson: Councillor Adrian Wong
- Georges Riverkeeper Vice-Chairperson: Councillor Michael Banasik
- Georges Riverkeeper Treasurer: Councillor Rey Manoto
- Georges Riverkeeper Program Manager: Beth Salt
- Georges Riverkeeper Host Management: Ian Drinnan
Changes to Georges Riverkeeper meetings due to member Council elections
Georges Riverkeeper’s member Councils must comply with special arrangements in the lead up to elections, known as the caretaker period. With NSW Health Orders in place as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic, the NSW Council elections were rescheduled from 4 September to 4 December 2021. Due to this, Georges Riverkeeper has been flexible and cancelled monthly Executive meetings but met in August and October 2021. We also cancelled the August and November General Committee meetings but had a General Committee meeting in October 2021. Georges Riverkeeper has also postponed our Annual General Meeting, usually held in November of every year. Georges Riverkeeper Executive will meet in February 2022, after the Council elections have been completed, and will have a General Committee meeting and Annual General Meeting in February 2022 as well.
2020/21 member councils’ nominated Councillor Representatives:
Cr. Adrian Wong
Executive Chairperson
Fairfield City Council
Cr. Michael Banasik
Executive Vice Chairperson
Wollondilly Shire Council
Cr. Rey Manoto
Executive Treasurer
Campbelltown City Council
Cr. Khal Asfour
City of Canterbury Bankstown
Cr. Tom Croucher
Sutherland Shire Council
Cr. Peter Harle
Liverpool City Council
Cr. Alex Kuskoff
City of Canterbury Bankstown
Cr. Ben Moroney
Campbelltown City Council
Cr. Peter Scaysbrook
Sutherland Shire Council
Cr. Geoff Shelton
Liverpool City Council
Cr. Warren Tegg
Georges River Council
Cr. Andrew Tsounis
Bayside Council
Georges Riverkeeper stakeholders, who may be represented on the Committee, include but are not limited to:
- Corrective Services NSW
- Environmental Education Centre (Georges River and Botany Bay)
- Greater Sydney Local Land Services
- Lands and Water – Crown Lands
- Local Aboriginal Land Councils
- National Parks and Wildlife Service
- NSW Department of Land and Property Information
- NSW Department of Planning and Environment
- NSW Department of Primary Industry
- NSW Office of Environment and Heritage
- NSW Roads and Maritime Service
- NSW State Emergency Service
- Sydney Water Corporation
- Various environmentally focused community groups and other regional organisations
Five focus areas for Georges Riverkeeper were identified through a stakeholder engagement process undertaken in the development of the Strategic Plan 2019-2022 and are represented by the five programs, which are:
- Catchment Actions Program
- River Health Monitoring Program
- Stormwater Program
- Research Program
- Education & Capacity Building Program
Although these are distinct Programs they are integrated and work together to protect the health of the Georges River.
Georges Riverkeeper staff comprises of professionals with diverse career backgrounds. The team includes a Program Manager, Aquatic Ecologist & Programs Coordinator, Programs Coordinator, Administration Officer and Communications Officer.
Georges Riverkeeper would like acknowledge and thank Sutherland Shire Council for hosting Georges Riverkeeper.
