Oct Breakfast - Environmental Sustainability for Small Business

Hear from the Honourable Meaghan Scanlon, State Minister for the Environment & the Great Barrier Reef * Minister for Science & Youth Affairs.

Minister Scanlon will outline support available for small businesses, to assist in implementing sustainability strategies.

We will then hear from a panel of local business leaders, who will share lessons learned and successes achieved in this area.

Meaghan Scanlon MP

Meaghan Scanlon is the Palaszczuk Government's Minister for Environment and the Great Barrier Reef and Minister for Science and Youth Affairs, a portfolio she is well suited to being the state's youngest Cabinet Minister in history.

Prior to entering politics, she worked as a solicitor and was then elected on the Gold Coast in 2017, serving as the Assistant Minister for Tourism Industry Development before being appointed as a Minister in 2020.

Her portfolio oversees the protection of the world’s largest coral reef system as well as more than 1,000 national parks and protected areas – double the size of Tasmania.

She is currently delivering major investments for the environment including the recent announcement of single-largest investment ever to acquire new national parks and protected areas, building on the 1.2 million hectares declared as protected areas since the Palaszczuk Government was formed in 2015.

As Minister for the Environment, she is driving Queensland’s Climate Action Plan, which outlines the state’s economic and environmental blueprint to drive jobs and reach net zero emissions, headlined by a $2 billion renewable energy fund and the $500 million Land Restoration Fund.

The Minister also recognises the importance of supporting young Queenslanders and giving them a voice in parliament, with the government backing young people through record investment in schools, free TAFE for under-25s and jobs through a $50 billion-plus infrastructure guarantee.

As Environment, Science and Youth Affairs Minister, she understands the role her portfolio also plays in creating good jobs and great lifestyles, with environmental initiatives protecting the reef’s $6 billion tourism economy and the $2.6 billion economic impact our national parks support.

Larissa Rose

Larissa is a locally and nationally highly recognised Environmental Consultant who has contributed at an United Nations level. Her leadership in Sustainability and Environmental Management, has seen her advancing policy for the use of renewable fuels in Queensland, while enabling projects opportunities to decarbonise the transport sector. Larissa is a Board Director of the World Bioenergy Association, Australian lead for the below50 initiative of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, is an Environment & Sustainability Adjunct Lecturer at Bond University, and Director of GG Enviro, her environmental consultancy company for 12 years on the Gold Coast.

Kerry Shepherd

Kerry is a skilled marketer, manager and administrator who has enjoyed corporate and small business roles as well as own business.

Her experience includes working in community consultation, property development, property sales and marketing, product branding, creative and design implementation, advertising, media and public relations.

Working roles have created a vast network of contacts in many sectors of industry including all tiers of government and commercial as well as community groups.

She has a commitment and passion for innovation and taking a project to success. Kerry thrives when engaging with minorities and at-risk, in need groups and she loves a good challenge.

Kerry’s love of the environment resulted in co-founding the award winning The Ecovillage at Currumbin – a residential estate based on sustainability principles. The project won the World’s Best Sustainable Development and is still considered Ecologically Sustainable Development World’s Best Practice.