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Media Release
City of Yarra becomes the FIRST Fair Trade municipality in the Southern Hemisphere
Date Released:1 May 2006
What: During Fairtrade Fortnight, Yarra City Council is holding a special launch to celebrate becoming the first Fairtrade municipality in the Southern Hemisphere.
When: Friday 5 May from 5.30pm - 8.00pm
Where: Richmond Town Hall , 333 Bridge Road (access via trams 48 or 72, stop No 19)
At the launch, internationally renowned Chef and Fairtrade Ambassador, Kylie Kwong will present Council with a Fair Trade Community Award.
Flying in from Papua New Guinea , a coffee farmer will speak at the launch about how the program has helped him and many people in his region.
Fairtrade is a growing international movement, which supports farmers from developing countries by providing them with a fair price for their crop, long-term contracts, income security, better working conditions and information about sustainable land use practices.
To become Fairtrade, an organisation must meet requirements set out in the Fairtrade Awards Program, developed by the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand (FTAANZ).
Over the past six months, Yarra City Council, with the help of a Community Steering Group , successfully worked through the awards program to become a Fairtrade organisation and the first Fairtrade municipality in the Southern Hemisphere.
City of Yarra Mayor, Cr Jackie Fristacky, said she was extremely proud of both Council and the community for achieving this important milestone.
"By participating in this program, we can provide the local community and Council staff with the opportunity to help farmers and their communities in developing nations," she said.
"For example, every dollar we spend at the supermarket on tea, only 15 cents goes back to the farmer. By purchasing Fairtrade tea, that figure is increased to 50 cents in the dollar."
City of Yarra Councillor , Gurm Sekhon, and Chair of the local Fairtrade Community Steering Group, said one of the requirements Council needed to meet to become a Fairtrade municipality was to have one local outlet (retail shop or café) purchasing or selling Fairtrade products per every 5,000 population.
"For the City of Yarra , with a population of about 70,000, we needed at least 14 local outlets involved and participating in the program," he said.
"With such an active local community, it is not surprising that, so far, there are 19 outlets involved in the program, all now selling and providing Fairtrade produces like tea, coffee and chocolate.
"Although this is a great result, we want to encourage other sectors of the local community like businesses, schools, churches and community groups to also use Fairtrade products and become Fairtrade organisations .
"Yarra City Council is now a Fairtrade organisation , purchasing Fairtrade products to be used by staff and at Council events, including coffee from farmers in Peru .
"Local trader and this year's City of Yarra Ambassador, Merilyn Parker, played a key role in helping the City of Yarra become a Fairtrade municipality.
"Merilyn's business, Jasper Coffee, became Victoria 's first licensed Fairtrade coffee roaster in October 2003 and I am delighted that she will be a guest speaker at our upcoming celebrations on Friday 5 May."
Details of the launch
Cocktail reception/ 150 to 200 guests
5.30pm: Screening of Fairtrade documentary (sponsored by Yarra City Council)
6.30pm: Presentation of award to Council by Kylie Kwong and Chair of the Fairtrade Association of Australia and New Zealand
6.45pm: Guest Speaker - Coffee farmer from Papua New Guinea
7.00pm : Guest Speaker - Merilyn Parker , Director of Jasper Coffee and City of Yarra Ambassador
7.15pm: Drinks and food
7.30pm: Screening of second Fair Trade documentary
At their launch their will be samples of Fairtrade products and all guests will take home a show bag of goodies.
Further information
For media enquiries about this issue, please contact:
Media Officer
Richmond Town Hall
333 Bridge Road Richmond
Telephone 9205 5047, 0438 664 050
Email info@yarracity.vic.gov.au
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