Netherlands Ambassador visits Hume
Published on 21 March 2024
From left to right: Honorary Consul to the Kingdom of The Netherlands for Victoria Mr Richard Mendelsohn, Ambassador to the Kingdom of The Netherlands H.E. Mrs Ardi Stoios-Braken, Hume City Mayor Cr Naim Kurt, Hume City CEO Sheena Frost
Hume City Council’s drive to make Hume Australia’s first urban circular municipality has received international recognition with a visit from the Ambassador from the Kingdom of The Netherlands to Australia on Thursday 21 March.
H.E. Mrs Ardi Stoios-Braken met with Hume City Mayor Cr Naim Kurt and a number of Council staff to discuss the advancements being made by Hume in the Circular Economy space.
As world leaders in Circular Economies, the Dutch have taken an interest in the initiatives being developed by Hume to extend the life cycle of products, promoting sustainability and creating economic growth.
A business case prepared by KPMG found that Hume’s circular economy could add $903 million to Gross Regional Product and create 1,500 jobs per year in Hume by 2040. The report has been the basis for the “Towards Hume as a Circular City” project, which sets out a road map for reusing and recycling for Hume’s heavily industrialised business base.
In a nutshell, it is expected that a progressive Circular Economy will bring in new, smart businesses, creating jobs for locals, all while reducing waste and pollution – a must in a city the size of Hume.
During her visit, Mrs Ardi Stoios-Braken discussed these initiatives and how they can benefit business opportunities between the two countries.
Other Hume City Councils efforts include the ‘Collaborate to Thrive’ project, a partnership between Council, Circular Economy Victoria and Victoria University, exploring and supporting circular economy opportunities for Hume and contributing to the Towards Hume as a Circular City program.
It’s the way of the future for business, and this interest from world leaders shows that Hume is leading the way.
Quotes attributable to Hume City Mayor, Cr Naim Kurt:
"Council's vision is to create a sustainable future for our community, and the Circular Economy is a critical component of that goal."
"The recognition Hume is now receiving from global leaders like the Netherlands validates the significant progress we are making in this space."
"We look forward to investigating how we can partner with the Dutch on Circular Economy initiatives to drive economic growth and jobs for our region."