n o i s s i ? d e M h s i l p m o c c A
building designers’ association of queensland inc.
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Honour State President 1990 - 1991 1991 - 1992 1992 - 1994 1994 - 1996 1996 - 1997 1997 - 1999 1999 - 2001 2001 - 2003 2003 - 2006 2006 - 2008 2008 -
Board
building designers’ association of queensland inc.
Chris Raymond Jim O’Leary Adrian Pooley Keith Ratcliffe Russell Meikle Russell Brandon Phillip Buchanan Peter Nelson Jeff Osman Max Slade Greg Pershouse
Life Member 1992 1992 1994 2000 2000 2008 2008 2009
Jim O’Leary John Hooker Adrian Pooley Jeff Osman Russell Brandon Glen Place Bert Priest Phillip Buchanan
Fellow 2009 2009
Stephen Kidd Chris Vandyke
Honorary Member 1999 1999 2003
Margaret Hooker Meryl Pooley Barb Priest
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Mission Accomplished? twenty years of BDAQ supporting the building design profession in Queensland
Contents Prequel Chapter 1 A New RDC proposed
p2
Chapter 4 Building Designers and PI insurance p 25
p6 Chapter 5 Management
Chapter 2 Awaken the sleeping giant p 9 Chaper 3 Licensing the next mission
Chapter 7 Design Awards
p 37
Chapter 8 Magazine
p38
Chapter 9 People
p 40
p28
Chapter 6 Education, training, and professional development p33 p 17
Acknowledgements Thank you to all our interviewees for your valuable time:
John Hooker
Jim O’Leary
Adrian Pooley
Margaret Hooker
Jeff Osman
Chris Raymond
Phil Buchanan
Peter Nelson
Greg Pershouse
Max Slade.
Editor Russell Brandon
Art & Design Jon Walsh
Writers Russell Brandon Jess Hanrahan
Printer ABC Printing
Publisher Building Designers’ Association of Queensland Inc
PO Box 651Strathpine, Qld 4500 admin@bdaq.com.au www.bdaq.com.au
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Feb2010_003_new Tuesday, 23 February 2010 8:47:36 AM
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Prequel The story has its origins eighteen years earlier in 1972 when the Brisbane City Council introduced an ordinance which first prescribed Responsible Design. This ordinance required buildings of more than 400 square metres to be designed by registered architects or registered engineers. In 1972, it had little effect on the industry because non-architect designers were just beginning to make a name for themselves. They were often draughtsmen (as they were called in 1972) who worked in architecture or engineering offices who had been sought out by builders who needed faster turn-around times for plans in response to the booming housing market. These builders were delighted to find highly competent and technically sound operators who produced practical designs and high quality documentation, usually for much lower fees than architects. Soon a small and growing group of self employed designers were producing design and documentation for a large number of (mainly residential) buildings. Because the word “architect” and all its derivatives were protected by the Queensland Architects Act, these businesses became known as “Drafting Services”. As the housing market changed during the 1970s, some builders expanded their operation from housing to commercial or multi-residential buildings. They naturally sought to retain the designers who had been serving them well to design an expanded range of buildings. In Brisbane they soon came up against the Responsible Design ordinance. The designers, of course, were used to coming up with practical and innovative solutions to problems and so began the practice of having the engineer sign off on the documentation in terms of design responsibility. There had generally been a relationship between the designer and the engineer in terms of the design of structural elements of the building anyway, so having the engineer sign all the drawings was a simple extension. In 1974, the Queensland government proposed to introduce a Building Act to “Prescribe the powers of Local Authorities in relation to certain buildings and other structures”. (Hansard 20/8/1974) A Responsible Design clause identical to that in the Brisbane ordinances was proposed for the new building Act and appeared in some early drafts of the Act. Something had occurred between the first drafts and the enactment of the bill to cause the responsible design clause to be deleted from the Act which was proclaimed in 1975. According to the Institution of Engineers Australia at the time, the clause was “objected to by persons who were not Registered Architects or Registered Engineers”.
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Local Government Minister, Russ Hinze, was reported as saying that the “Responsible Design Clause was not intended to place drafting businesses in jeopardy”. (Hansard 31/3/1976)
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During 1976, Robert Akers MP directed a number of questions in parliament to the Local Government Minister, Russ Hinze, about the fate of the Responsible Design clause. Mr Akers was an architect prior to entering parliament and had retained his membership of the Institute of Architects. Eventually pressure from Mr Akers and the RAIA resulted in its reinstatement by November 1976. True to his word, Minister Hinze included an “exemption clause” which would allow “drafting businesses to continue to design the scale of buildings they had previously been responsible for”. The industry operated smoothly until April 1980 when Maroochy Shire Council decided it would implement a policy of not allowing exemptions. Before too long this policy was to inconvenience a young, talented designer by the name of Adrian Pooley. In what should have been a warning to bureaucrats throughout Queensland, Adrian was not prepared to be inconvenienced for very long and appealed a council decision to the Building Tribunal – and won.
On the 18th September 1980 the Advertiser Newspaper reported that:
Referee overturns shire policy Maroochy Shire Council has failed to convince a Local Government referee that it was correct in extending restrictions on draftsmen designers under the Responsible Design Clause of the Building Act. The referee has determined in favour of an architectural technician who had appealed against a council decision that he should not be permitted to design a building outside the provisions of the clause. ...... Maroochy Shire Council, following the example of Noosa Shire Council, voted to remove from itself these discretionary powers. The decision was challenged by Mr Adrian Pooley of Boongala Design and Drafting Service, Maroochydore who sought approval for the design of a specific building for which exemption might reasonably be expected. .......... Mr Pooley’s appeal was based on the argument that Maroochy Shire Council had acted illegally in seeking to remove from itself the powers given to it under the Local Government Act. ........ Maroochy shire clerk, Mr A. V. Smith, said yesterday that if the council decided at Monday’s meeting not to appeal, then he thought it would have to take another look at its policy on the matter.
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Feb2010_005 Sunday, 21 February 2010 4:38:57 PM
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Feb2010_006 Wednesday, 24 February 2010 10:14:26 AM
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1 A new RDC proposed By 1988, architects, engineers and design drafting services had operated in the Queensland building design industry for many years. Clause 8.1(2) – Responsible Design of the Queensland Building Act 1975 required that buildings of floor area greater than 400 square metres must be designed by an architect or engineer. The clause also allowed exemptions to be granted where others could prove competency to complete the work. It was generally accepted that design drafters would use engineers to complete structural components which were not of the standard established domestic scale of construction. Where buildings were outside those permitted under clause 8.1(2) engineers who were engaged to complete the structural design would sign off the documentation to comply with the responsible design clause. During the first half of 1988 there appears to have been some lobbying within the Department of Local Government to re-look at the operation of the responsible design clause. The department regularly issued “Building Notes” which provided important information about regulations and interpretations for the building industry and local authorities. In July of 1988, Building Note 96 – Responsible Design was issued to “bring to the attention of Local Authorities their duties with regard to building work”. The department used architect, Peter Gargett, to present seminars to explain the building note. He advised that if “there are not examples of buildings for which the exemption is sought commonly known in the area then the Local Authority does not have the power to approve the documents unless the drawings and other documents have been prepared by an architect or engineer”. The main industry advisory body to the department on building matters at this time was the Building Advisory Committee (BAC). Most Building Notes originated at the BAC. Building Note 96 did little to enlighten local government or the industry about Clause 8.1(2) of the Building Act. In fact there was a pretty strong reaction described by the chairman of the BAC as “a number of queries from Local Authorities and others”. As a result, the Local Government Department convened a meeting on 25 November 1988 to discuss the whole Responsible Design Clause issue. The November meeting was attended by the Royal Institute of Architects (RAIA), Institute of Engineers (IE), representatives of various councils, government departments, the BAC and the Institute of Drafting and Design (IDDA). Some design drafting services were members of IDDA. It was, however, an organisation with members drawn mostly from government departments and engineering offices. The leadership was largely made up of public servants and most of their activities revolved around engineering infrastructure and was of little interest to the building designers. They proved to be ill-equipped to represent the interests of this very small part of their membership. It was at this meeting that a branch of the RAIA put forward a submission that recommended changes to the Responsible Design clause. Among the recommendations in this submission was one which suggested that the documentation of all buildings covered by the clause should be signed by an architect and engineer and another recommendation which would remove the exemption clause. The impact of these would be to ensure that only architects would be permitted to complete the architectural design of these buildings by effectively outlawing the practice of having the engineer sign the architectural drawings.
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Reports from the meeting indicated that those present “generally agreed that the Act should be amended”. It was also reported that the discussion at the meeting would be used in the redrafting of clause 8.1(2) and other administrative provisions which would come into effect late in 1989 in conjunction with the new Building Code of Australia. A paper prepared by the International Union of Architects published in 1997, perhaps sheds some light on the thinking of Queensland architects in 1988. In what was to become part of a UIA (Union Internationale des Architects) Accord, the policy on regulation of the profession recommends that governments regulate the “practice of architecture” rather than the traditional method of regulating the title, “architect”. The policy defines the “practice of architecture” as; the provision of professional services in connection with town planning and the design, construction, enlargement, conservation, restoration, or alteration of a building or group of buildings. The discussion proceeds to list just about every part of the planning, design and documentation of buildings including “designs, models, drawings, specifications, and technical documentation” as well as overseeing construction. The policy goes on to say that “no person should be permitted to engage in the practice of architecture unless registered”. The highest profile speaker on responsible design in the first part of 1989 was RAIA member, Peter Gargett, who declared in a series of seminars that the “clause when first introduced was intended for structural design but, over the period, it has taken over the broad issue of design”. By July 1989, the IDDA had received a draft of new “administrative provisions” and were asked to make a submission on the provisions. They made a submission but received no further advice on the outcome.
Russell Meikle made a submission on the RDC. Went on to become the th 5 President of BDAQ
The BAC had received submissions on the draft from Housing Industry Association, Queensland Master Builders Association, RAIA, Local Government Association, Building Owners and Managers Association, IDDA, IE and Mr R. Meikle. The committee met on 12 July 1989 and considered the submissions and formulated recommendations for changes to the Responsible Design clause.
That one action would prove to have consequences that those present could never have foreseen. It would be a date which would change the course of the building design industry in Queensland forever. On 2 December 1989, after a period of political turmoil in Queensland, a state election saw the ALP gain control of parliament for the first time in over 30 years. Tom Burns became Deputy Premier in the Goss government and took over responsibility for the Building Act. After his death in 2007, Tom Burns was to be described by former premier, Wayne Goss as someone with a “wonderful Aussie larrikin streak”. Peter Beattie, who was premier in 2007, remembered him as “someone with a heart too. He was someone for the battlers. He always looked after the battlers”. As fate would have it, these were just the qualities that would prove crucial in the months that followed as building designers fought for the survival of their businesses. We wonder if Tom Burns knew that he was about to open a Pandora's Box when the draft Clause 3.7 of the amended Building Act was released soon after the new government had taken over. 100
The new clause retained most of the provisions of clause 8.1(2) but removed the exemption clause and added a requirement for Local Authorities to require architects to design all buildings that were prominently located in the built environment. Clause 3.7, if adopted, would take away the right of non-registered practitioners to “carry out the practice of architecture” in Queensland.
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Feb2010_009 Sunday, 21 February 2010 4:59:36 PM
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2 Awaken the sleeping giant The Japanese admiral behind the attack on Pearl Harbour that heralded the entrance of both Japan and USA into World War 2 was portrayed as saying; "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve." 1 We suspect that the mastermind of the new Responsible Design Clause should have experienced a similar foreboding in 1990. In March 1990, Deb Buchanan of Burleigh Design had a call from their regular engineer who advised that new provisions would put an end to the practice of engineers signing architectural plans to comply with the Responsible Design Clause of the Building Act. Principal of Burleigh Design, Phil Buchanan, reports that: “the clause essentially required any buildings over 2 storeys or greater than 400 square metres to have authorship signed by an engineer or an architect. In those days we used to get the structural engineer to sign off. That day our engineer told us that pretty soon the legislation would read “engineer and architect”. Phil immediately wrote a long letter to the Premier and to Minister Tom Burns outlining the death of the design drafting industry and the backlash they would experience from builders who would be forced to deal with architects. Phil then went into panic mode and rang the only other “draftee” he knew, Steve Gray. Steve rang Chris Raymond, who rang John Hooker, who rang Robin Carless. Someone rang Trevor Jones, Rod Gibb, Rex Young, Don Wright and Rob Richards. The very next night, 20th March 1990, these ten men, who hardly knew each other and had always been just competitors in a very competitive market, met. The main order of business was to: form a Queensland based building design and drafting organisation and, in particular, a Gold Coast Branch of the Organisation. Don Wright and John Hooker had previously been involved in associations and were able to give some guidance on what should happen. The name Queensland Building Design and Drafting Association (QBDDA) was chosen and the basis for a structure with regional branches all represented on a state council was set down. A decision was taken to write to all building design businesses in Queensland to alert the industry about the Responsible Design Clause and to invite them to join the QBDDA. Phil Buchanan, Chris Raymond and John Hooker were given the task of formulating mailing lists. Easy job really, just, “google” building designers and drafting services, import them into excel and mail merge to word and send out with outlook. Think again!
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Fleischer, R. , Williams, E. (Producers), and Fleischer, R. (Director). (1970). Tora! Tora! Tora! [motion picture]. United States: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation.
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Feb2010_011 Sunday, 21 February 2010 5:16:30 PM
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Unfortunately, the world wide web (www) was only invented in 1989 and was not available commercially until the mid 1990s. Communication was via letters composed on a typewriter or by telephone with a cord attached. Phil, Chris and John, along with Deb Buchanan, Leslie Raymond and Margaret Hooker, who we are sure didn't really realise what they were getting into, met in one of their offices with a “mountain” of yellow pages books from throughout Queensland – and made lists. Within a few days a letter containing news about QBDDA along with a call to arms in regard to the Responsible Design Clause had been mailed to over a thousand practitioners in Queensland. In the meantime, Tom Burns had read Phil Buchanan's letter and was surprised to find that he was about to upset builders and destroy the businesses of “battlers” from throughout Queensland. Soon after, Phil was invited to Brisbane for a meeting with the minister and the department. He was “petrified about fronting Mr Burns and stating my case”, which has been the reaction of many BDAQ representatives fronting a government minister for the first time. As Phil has put it many times since then, “we were the little tadpole in a big pond”. He was relieved to find that John Hooker would accompany him and together they were able to put forward a strong case. The Hon. Tom Burns a wonderful Aussie larrikin streak looked after the battlers
If Tom Burns and his department hadn't yet realised that the sleeping giant was awake, they soon would.
Within the next month, the minister's office received more than a thousand faxes expressing concern about draft Clause 3.7. There was one story about the minister arriving in the office on a Monday morning to find so many fax messages that the fax machine had jammed and paper was everywhere. When the jam was cleared, many more faxes came gushing out. The second planning meeting for the fledgling QBDDA, with the original small group, was held just five days after the initial meeting. Amazingly, the draft constitution was tabled and approved, an interim committee was elected. Decisions were also made to formally apply for incorporation and to open an association bank account. The next day, 26 March 1990, an application was submitted to the Queensland Department of Justice for incorporation under the Associations Incorporation Act 1981-1988. A meeting was called for 29 March 1990, at the Kurrawa Surf Club to which prospective members would be invited. This meeting was just 10 days after Phil first heard about the Responsible Design Clause. Remarkably, sixty-four people attended and ten had submitted apologies. Most were from the Gold Coast but some had come from Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and Ipswich. Robin Carless chaired the meeting and spoke of messages of support that had been received, not only from those regions represented but also from Bundaberg, Rockhampton and Townsville. One guest was Mr Greg Rix who was from the Small Business Association. This was invaluable as he was instrumental in gaining significant publicity for the cause and also had contacts inside parliament.
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The meeting heard that the arguments for the inclusion of draft clause 3.7 given by the BAC were: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
The Institute of Engineers favoured its inclusion. Drafting services were not covered by Professional Indemnity insurance. Drafting services had limited liability. The BAC had seen many drawings that did not comply with the By-Laws. It was a consumer protection measure.
These points were discussed and it was agreed that in each case there was no valid reason for the inclusion of the Responsible Design Clause in its proposed form. It was condemned for destroying competition in the building design industry and for giving Local Authorities wide discretionary powers in regard to buildings in “prominent” locations. It became obvious that building design and drafting services had not been consulted about the impending amendments because there was no organised group for the government to consult. That was about to change! The outcome was a communiqué that the meeting: opposes totally the draft Building Act legislation to include a “Responsible Design Clause” and instructs the new association to do all possible to stop its proposed inclusion and to protect our future and the interest of the public at large. Steve Gray and Rod Gibb had the task of organising coordinators for the other regions. Soon a meeting at the Coorparoo Football Club in Brisbane was to attract another sixty to seventy designers and drafters from the Brisbane area. Springwood designers, Peter Modini and Kevin Smith, were instrumental in organising the Brisbane group. Among those at the Brisbane meeting were Jim O'Leary, Jeff Osman, Keith Ratcliffe and Russell Brandon, all of whom were later to become state presidents and would each play a significant role in the development of BDAQ. On April 10, a second meeting at the Kurrawa Surf Club was advised of the activity since the most recent meeting two weeks before. The letter writing campaign had moved focus onto builders with the main aim of influencing the position taken by Queensland Master Builders Association and the Housing Industry Association. These were seen as important and influential allies. Reports received from Townsville indicated that some very active members, led by Russell Meikle and Robert Page, had been approaching local members of Parliament with the R. Meikle submission on the Responsible Design Clause. A request for more information from the BAC on the clause and the reasons for the amendment had been met with a response that “the request was receiving attention”. A meeting with opposition front bench spokesman and local MLA, Ray Connor, had uncovered some bad news. It appeared that the Minister could approve amendments which only include “administrative provisions”, based on the BAC advice, without debate in Parliament. Discussions had been held with the Institute of Drafting and Design and it appeared that they might add their support to opposition to the clause.
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Feb2010_013 Sunday, 21 February 2010 5:35:50 PM
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Steve Gray had managed to attend a BAC meeting and reported that there was little sympathy to the cause of building designers. After this meeting, the point of attack shifted again, this time to local members of Parliament throughout Queensland and to the clients of building designers. The association, which was not yet one month old, was able to mobilise members in all branches with letter templates for local members and tips for use in attending the politicians' offices. The newspapers were also getting wind of what was going on. Greg Rix had received extensive coverage in the Gold Coast newspapers but all across Queensland, interest was growing in legislation that would destroy jobs in the design industry and force the cost of houses up. The RAIA was trying to get their own members motivated. Members were asked to fight back through the media and politicians with emotional headlines like “your profession is under attack�. Architects did get some media coverage but, although the institute had a hundred years start, they did not appear to be able to match the enthusiasm of the QBDDA. Late in April 1990, the Department of Housing and Local Government called a meeting of all interested parties to discuss the amended Responsible Design Clause. The meeting would be held on 5 June 1990. This time the design and drafting industry would be represented by the QBDDA. The organisation quickly spread throughout Queensland. More future state presidents had already become active in the branches. Adrian Pooley on the Sunshine Coast, Greg Pershouse in Fraser Coast, Russ Meikle in Townsville and Max Slade in Cairns all contributed to the early growth in regional areas. They weren't the only ones, as coordinators had been named for each region. By 26 May, just two months after the historic first meeting, the coordinators met in Rockhampton over two days as delegates for the branches. In 1990, there were no discount airlines and there was not funding available for flights after such a short time of operation so a combination of car-pooling and train travel got the delegates safely to Rockhampton. This proved beneficial, as groups of designers who had never met before were firm friends after many hours travelling together. The meeting was to establish a strategic plan for the association and thanks to the preparatory work by John Hooker this was achieved quickly, leaving most of the meeting to plan strategies for the June 5 meeting with the department. The BAC had based a lot of its argument around the fact that building designers were not professionals and hence could not access professional indemnity insurance. Phil Buchanan had led a small committee negotiating with insurers to prepare a policy specifically for designers. The negotiations were continuing right up until the Rockhampton meeting was underway. Phil was able to fax a report to the meeting which offered not one but four options sourced by insurance brokers Frank B Hall. The meeting agreed to one policy as recommended by the committee and the key argument of the BAC was destroyed. This fact was kept under wraps until the June meeting. Building friendships out of adversity proved to be one of the key ingredients for a very successful organisation. This happened in Rockhampton but it was also happening in every branch. People who had never been more than competitors became friends, united in a cause, a battle to save their combined futures. It was the ideal start for an association built on camaraderie.
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The June 5 meeting had been called to specifically discuss the Responsible Design Clause. QBDDA was represented by Adrian Pooley from Sunshine Coast and Peter Modini from Brisbane. Just over two months after the first thoughts of convening a new association, QBDDA came to the meeting with a membership of 200. The BAC finally began to realise that they were dealing with something of substance. In a summary of his report from the meeting, chairman John Mant suggested a path towards resolution which would retain the old clause 8.1(2) and have an independent committee examine the whole question of all building consultants' expertise and accountability. If that committee found it necessary, it would implement legislation applicable to all building consultants. The aim would be to provide consumer protection, require a proper balance of technical and design ability, encourage career path opportunities and allow for a greater reliance on appropriately registered consultants in the building approval process. The year 1990 was a busy one for the building industry in Queensland. The pending introduction, for the first time, of a national set of building standards, the Building Code of Australia (BCA), had provided the impetus for the BAC to re-assess the Responsible Design Clause. It appears that some people may have attempted to introduce similar provisions in all states but the concept had been rejected by those responsible for the BCA. There was evidence that success in the Queensland Building Act would lead to similar lobbying in other states. A comprehensive study of the building industry had been commissioned with prominent legal identity, Raelene Kelly, undertaking the Home Building Review. According to a 1997 report on the operation of the Building Tribunal, The "Home Building Review", was established in 1990 by the Queensland Government in response to the failure of the Queensland Builders Registration Board to resolve matters relating to building disputes. Tom Burns referred the outcomes of the Mant Report to the Home Building Review but the immediate effect of the June 5 meeting was that Clause 3.7 was gone. Mission accomplished? On 7 November, the department had prepared another Draft Building Note that the association became aware of. It was primarily to announce that the draft proposal for Clause 3.7 to amend the Responsible Design Clause had been deleted and Clause 8.1(2) was reinstated. It was, however, also an opportunity to advise local authorities on ways to assess an application for exemption under Clause 8.1(2). It spoke in terms such as “conventional”, “traditional” and “standard”. A week later, the Department of Housing and Local Government received at letter from the association (by that time known as BDAQ) expressing surprise at this attempt to redefine Clause 8.1(2) in a building note. Another week later the association was advised that the Draft Building Note would be held in abeyance until a system of registration of building designers in Queensland was established.
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3 Licensing
the next mission
Adrian Pooley and Peter Modini had attended the June meeting called by the Department of Housing and Local Government. They reported that the proposed Clause 3.7 - Responsible Design had been removed from the legislation and that Clause 8.1(2) would remain in place until a system of registration was found. And so it began! What followed was a long and sometimes bitter battle for control of the registration (later to become licensing) system. Particular angst surrounded the use of the word “design”. A Redland Bay designer with a good understanding of the corporate world, Jim O'Leary, had become involved through the Brisbane meetings and had provided a lot of background into the submission to the RDC meeting. Jim O'Leary and Adrian Pooley were to form a formidable negotiating team and took on the role of representing QBDDA. Adrian was young and fiery with a bit of anger from previous experiences with the RDC and architects, while Jim was a more reasoned but equally tough and a very shrewd negotiator. The association's position was strengthened when the incorporation process was finalised on 5 July Jim O’Leary with wife Sue. 1990. Following a report by John Hooker on Jim was a very shrewd negotiator discussions with the Building Designers Associations in South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia, a decision had been taken to change the name. Once incorporation had been achieved it was a simple matter for the change to be made. On 11 July 1990, QBDDA officially became Building Designers' Association of Queensland Inc (BDAQ). Jim and Adrian were supported by a registration committee chaired by Max Slade from Atherton in Far North Queensland branch. The committee worked on a submission to the Home Building Review chaired by Raelene Kelly. By August 1990, the submission had been made, along with a request for it to be presented personally to Raelene Kelly. About this time, the RAIA had urged its members to lobby for registration to be controlled by the Board of Architects and for the Responsible Design Clause to be strengthened in the meantime. By November, the BAC attempted to release a Building Note that aimed to redefine the scope of exemptions under the clause. BDAQ moved quickly to thwart that attempt. Brisbane member, Doug Pearson, was invited to present the BDAQ submission to the Raelene Kelly review on 16 August.
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Feb2010_019 Monday, 22 February 2010 5:45:46 PM
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The RAIA had submitted a proposal to register the whole design industry in response to the Mant Report. This proposal suggested three levels of registration. Level C was to be for design of houses and minor multi-residential buildings. Level B was for designers of all types of buildings but had restrictions which made it look suspiciously like a redraft of Clause 3.7. Level A was to be for architects and engineers. Not surprisingly, BDAQ advised the BAC, the minister and the department that this model was totally unacceptable. The BDAQ registration committee had been working on its own registration system which would ensure that building designers would continue to operate their businesses as they had in the past. An Annual General Meeting of the Association was required under rules adopted for the incorporation of the association. At the AGM the Gold Coast interim committee would stand down and allow for a committee which incorporated a broader geographical representation. The meeting was set down for 9 September. In typical BDAQ fashion, the Gold Coast committee decided that a two day conference should accompany the AGM. One of the conference speakers was to be Raelene Kelly who was heading up the Home Building Review. After listening to the presentation on the outcomes of the review, BDAQ members were in no doubt that registration or licensing was inevitable. The review was predominantly about housing but Ms Kelly broadened the recommendations to suggest regulation of the whole building industry. Her report was roundly criticised because, if implemented, it would change the way the whole building industry operated in Queensland. There was a recommendation to change the old Builders Registration system into a comprehensive industry wide licensing system. Trades were included, as were building designers. Ms Kelly reported back to BDAQ later that she was impressed and so was Tom Burns when the minister's office received 150 letters from BDAQ members supporting her and the review recommendations. During the first six months of 1991, Ms Kelly conducted a successful consultation process. BDAQ members in all regions became heavily involved in the consultation process. Following the consultation process, Parliament passed the Queensland Building Services Authority Act on 5 December 1991 and it was expected that proclamation of the Act would be July 1992. The new act would establish the Building Services Authority (BSA) and the Building Tribunal. The BSA would prove to be the ideal platform for building designer licences. BDAQ had (since the Mant Report of June 1990) been eagerly waiting for the promised building design working party. The working party was finally convened once the QBSA Act had been passed. It consisted of representatives from the Board of Architects, Board of Professional Engineers, IDDA, RAIA, Institute of Engineers, Department of Housing and Local Government and BDAQ. Each organisation had two representatives and it soon became obvious that BDAQ had a minority vote. Discussion was argumentative and tough going, especially for those with a minority view. Jim and Adrian reported that the minutes of the meetings were slanted very much towards the majority view and did not reflect the detail of the discussion. They were concerned that their message was not getting through to those outside the group who were the decision makers. Jim and Adrian prepared their own more detailed minutes of the meetings which were forwarded on to the minister.
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Mission Accomplished? - twenty years of BDAQ
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By February 1992, little had been achieved except that the parties were generally divided into two groups. One side only wanted to implement an RDC type regime controlled by and for the benefit of architects while the other sought protection of the building designers' right to practise. The first group had difficulty recognising the QBSA Act and it took some time to get the group actually talking about the relevant licence classes. The BDAQ dream team of O'Leary and Pooley didn't take a backward step. The big point of contention was whether non-architects should use the word “design”. At some stage during 1992, Tom Burns, was frustrated enough with the progress to demand that the chairman, Leo Blumkie, take the proponents into a meeting and “don't come out until there is an agreement”. There must have been an outcome because sometime after that, responsibility was handed over to a BSA Building Design Committee to finalise the licence classes and associated qualifications. “Design” continued to be an issue between the parties and with some sort of compromise required, the licence titles ended up being “building design/drafting”. The architects lobby fought hard for “building design drafting” which would make a very subtle but important difference. At the BDAQ general meeting of 15 November 1992, Adrian Pooley reported that the matter of licensing was “nearing finalisation, with the BSA Board accepting 12 of the 13 recommendations made to it by the BSA Design Committee”. BDAQ was now more confident than ever of a successful outcome but had to prove itself just once more before licensing became a reality. In addition there was still a responsible design clause in the Building Act even though it was the old clause designers had been working with for twenty years. In September 1992, Tom Burns, changed portfolios to become Minister for Administrative Services and Rural Communities. Perhaps his mission had been accomplished or maybe he was looking for a more peaceful life. Either way, BDAQ really appreciated Mr Burns' efforts to broker the best outcome for building designers. In the cabinet reshuffle, Terry Mackenroth, who was to become a long time friend of BDAQ, was given the portfolio of Housing, Local Government and Planning. Licensing and Responsible Design became the responsibility of Mr Mackenroth. Building designers were kept in suspense as the wheels of government ground out the licensing proposals of building designers and building trades.
Adrian Pooley young and fiery part of the BDAQ dream team negotiators
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Feb2010_021 Sunday, 21 February 2010 6:18:25 PM
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The historic day came on Saturday 19 June 1993 when The Honourable Terry Mackenroth opened the BDAQ State Conference in Townsville. He gave a stirring opening speech about housing options and the BCA, planning and population density strategies and just when the audience thought he was finished, he said; Before concluding, I would like to touch on one subject which is very dear to your hearts – the recognition of building designers and drafters through the licensing provisions of the Building Services Authority. Only two days ago I discussed this matter with your State President, Mr Adrian Pooley. The good news is that on the recommendation of the Queensland Building Services Board, I have decided to proceed with the licensing of designers under the Queensland Building Services Authority Act. When the applause died down, the minister went on to announce that the Responsible Design Clause would be removed from the Building Act. He received a standing ovation. Mission accomplished? BDAQ had held its first conference in September 1990, just over five months after the first meeting of building designers on the Gold Coast. Nobody knew how it would turn out but everyone was delighted when 115 people turned up and set a high standard for following conferences. After further successful conferences on the Sunshine Coast and in Brisbane, it was another huge gamble to take the conference to Townsville. Unbeknown to the committee at the time, the stakes were perhaps even higher than was imagined.
The Hon Terry Mackenroth which speech?
There has since been a story circulating that Mr Mackenroth came with two speeches in his pocket. One ended with bad news and the other with the good news he actually delivered. Which ending was used depended on the number of conference delegates in the room. With between 150 and 200 attending, the deal was sealed and building designers were licensed. There were still a couple of issues remaining which would prolong the mission. As the building designers became more professional and BDAQ continued to mature, the term “drafting” became an issue for some members. There was also a restriction of 25 metres effective building height for the top level of licensing and building designers were not permitted to undertake contract administration. Building designers were required to hold Professional Indemnity Insurance but also had to meet the financial requirements that were placed on all trade contractors. To deal with these issues BDAQ set out on another long road which would once and for all make building design an equal partner with other design professions. The next opportunity for change was the 1997 licence review. The BDAQ representative on the BSB, Adrian Pooley, delivered a detailed submission in support of building designers being permitted to undertake contract administration. Opposition from builders’ organisations, as well as other design professions, killed off that issue before it got started. As a trade-off, the Board did agree to drop the term “drafting” from the licence classes.
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Feb2010_023 Sunday, 21 February 2010 6:29:59 PM
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Another review was due to be completed by 2003, so BDAQ began to lobby for a raft of changes to building design licences. In 2000, President Phil Buchanan and Executive Director Russell Brandon set out to rid the “high rise” licence of the 25 metre effective height limit, to include contract administration and to free designers from the financial requirements that involved accountants in licence renewals. Russell was busy developing a competency based assessment process that would allow for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) which would facilitate experienced designers licence applications where they didn't have the narrow educational qualification requirements. A licensing committee was formed which included the president and executive director, along with Adrian Pooley, Jeff Osman and Peter Nelson. Together the group formulated submissions and strategies for meetings. There was plenty of behind the scenes lobbying going on and BDAQ was aware that the architects were also applying plenty of pressure. Russell Brandon remembers one meeting in the BSA Board Room.
“It was Ian Jennings' first day as general manager of BSA. He sat in on the meeting where RAIA president, Wayne Petrie, was on one side with Ian and a couple of BSA staff and Adrian Pooley, Phil Buchanan and I were on the other. The RAIA gave a spirited presentation with powerpoint and the works. Then Phil put a case for building designers, after which we went into some discussion time where Ian asked a few questions and got discussion going. All went well until Wayne made some remark about the design competency of building designers. Adrian responded and the meeting quickly degenerated into an argument. Phil and I were sitting quietly. We didn't need to say a thing or we couldn't get a word in, I can't quite remember which. I remember thinking that the new general manager will wonder what he has walked into.” Something must have gone right because, by the time dust settled, Ian Jennings had become a strong supporter of BDAQ. We should also acknowledge that, once his presidency was completed, Wayne Petrie became a friend of BDA and spoke at a couple of BDA conferences. In 2002, Peter Nelson became state president when Phil's term was completed. Phil stayed on the licensing committee to help see the project to completion. Peter came with a tremendous network of contacts, particularly within the government. His work was much more behind the scenes but was extremely valuable to the building designers' cause. It was little surprise that the 2002 Queensland Building Design Awards Premier Award was actually presented by the Premier, Peter Beattie. The amended licences were introduced on 1 September 2003 and in a major victory for BDAQ and building designers, the high rise licence became the open licence, with the scope of work including “plans and specifications for buildings of any height or floor area”. There was also unconditional “contract administration in relation to building work designed by the licensee” added to all building design licence classes.
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The Hon. Peter Beattie The first Premier to present the Premier Award
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Feb2010_024 Sunday, 21 February 2010 6:37:20 PM
Mission Accomplished? - twenty years of BDAQ
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Thirteen years after it all began, Queensland became the first (and to this date the only) state in Australia where building design is officially recognised in legislation as a design profession equal to any other. Mission accomplished? There was still the problem of the narrow educational qualifications. BDAQ was also concerned that building designers were required to have PI insurance and were also required to comply with the BSA financial reporting requirements which were regarded as a double cost impost and also had consequences to allowable annual turnover. The RPL proposal was not accepted but it did allow Russell Brandon to work with a Registered Training Organisation, S/T Construction Techniques, to develop an approved course which has since processed many building designers through RPL. State president, Greg Pershouse, has made it a goal for his term of office to reform the financial requirements provisions. Along with the executive director, Greg has lobbied for these to be removed. It is somewhat appropriate that BDAQ has been advised that 2010 will be the year that financial requirements other than PI insurance will be removed from the building design licence classes. Mission accomplished? Maybe! Maybe we will find a new crusade. Either way, building designers have come a long way in twenty years!
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Queensland Building Services Authority General Manager, Matt Miller, presented the first Building Design licence cards to delegates at the 2004 BDAQ State Conference.
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Feb2010_025 Sunday, 21 February 2010 6:44:37 PM
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4 Building designers and PI Insurnace Early in 1990, supporters of the Responsible Design Clause had been working within the Building Advisory Committee (BAC) to mount a strong case for placing restrictions on people they called “non professionals” operating within the design industry. The BAC had prepared an argument for the Responsible Design Clause based on the fact that non-architect or engineer designers would be unable to source PI Insurance and thus allowing them to continue to practise would put consumers and the general public at risk. The BAC, supported by the Institute of Architects, was preparing these arguments for a meeting with the Department of Housing and Local Government in early June 1990. It had become obvious that the BAC was discussing PI when BAC member Frank Turvey spoke at an Institute of Engineers meeting on 24th May and advised those present that engineers who signed off plans for designers under the responsible design clause would not be covered by their PI insurer in the event of a claim. Some designers, including Adrian Pooley, had taken out PI under an “architects” scheme. A comment had been made to the BAC that building designers who held PI under the architects scheme would not be covered in the event of a claim, leaving the engineer open to litigation if problems ensued. Adrian heard about this comment and sought clarification from his insurer. He was informed that his cover was rock solid.
Lynda McWatters presents Silvio Zammit with the Award of Excellence at the 1994 BDAQ Conference
Meanwhile, Phil Buchanan and his insurance research committee had been working hard to arrange PI cover for QBDDA members. They had found an ally in brokers Frank B Hall Insurance (later to become Aon) who had provided a range of four policies for the committee to consider.
The negotiations and their outcome were not made known to the BAC whose argument for the adoption of the new Responsible Design Clause was largely based around the fact that “non-professionals” could not access PI insurance. The Insurance Council of Australia had been invited to the June meeting with the department, presumably to support that argument. As luck would have it, one of the ICA delegates was Mr Geoff Frohloff, the state manager of Frank B Hall. The QBDDA State Meeting on 27 May 1990 voted to accept the committee recommendation to appoint Frank B Hall as the preferred QBDDA broker and the professional indemnity policy with CIC General Insurance Ltd was ratified as suitable for QBDDA members. (QBDDA became BDAQ soon after)
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Feb2010_027 Sunday, 21 February 2010 6:56:22 PM
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This began a long association with Frank B Hall who later became Rollins Hudig Hall before finally becoming part of the global broking company Aon who still hold a significant part of the building designer PI insurance market in Australia, particularly amongst BDAQ members. David Bidmead, from Frank B Hall, attended the first BDAQ Conference in 1991 and explained the complexities of PI to members. This was to be the beginning of a proud association where David, followed by Lynda McWatters (Rollins Hudig Hall and Aon) and Peter Lynch (Aon) attended and spoke at most state conferences during the nineties. Over the years, more insurers have entered the market for building designers custom. Some have come and gone once the reality of the risk becomes apparent. Perhaps the most famous was HIH. Through the turmoil that has been insurance over the years, Aon has continued to serve building designers well. BDAQ remains independent of insurers, preferring to recommend brokers with a good record and solid insurance companies behind their schemes. Aon remain one of just three building designer schemes that BDAQ is comfortable to recommend for members to approach for quotes. Through association with other state BDAs and through other means, BIS and Planned Risk have been added to the list.
Peter Lynch presents Risk Management to the 1999 BDAQ State Conference
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Mission Accomplished? - twenty years of BDAQ
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Feb2010_029_proof Monday, 22 February 2010 1:12:21 PM
5 Management Management Council We guess it was the influence of John and Margaret Hooker, who previously had broad experience with the Queensland Parents and Citizens Association and had lived in North Queensland, that had a lot to do with the development of an association structure that would truly represent the whole of Queensland. The founders were determined to build a structure that did not disadvantage the regional areas of the state. More than this, it was designed to make all members, regardless of location, feel included in the decisionmaking process of the QBDDA. A master stroke was the establishment of 11 branches. This allowed the first state meeting in May 1990 to be held with representatives from every relevant geographical region in the state, just months after the first meeting of a few designers decided to do something about the impending legislation. It was simply titled “state meeting” but this was to be the first of what was later to become the management council meeting. At least one management council meeting has been held every year since 1990 as a means of maintaining the member based policy making process and ensuring that regional members have the same value vote as their city colleagues.
The first management council meeting (clockwise from bottom left) Barry Hebinger, Margaret Hooker (obscured), Chris Raymond, Kevin Smith, Peter Modini, Mark Mahaffey, Geoff Kavanagh, Murray Kendrick, Wayne Thompson, John Hooker (taking photo), Russ Meikle, Terry James, Max Slade, Jim O’Leary, Adrian Pooley, Graham Matheson
Tr e v o r R u f u s , o n e o f t h e Rockhampton representatives, had organised to hold the meeting in the local QMBA hall. To some, it doesn't seem all that long ago but a glance at the list of “requirements for meeting” tells a story in itself.
Among the list, we find “typewriter and typist” and “overhead projector”. This was a time when only a handful of designers had ventured into CAD using computers with 20Mb hard drives, email had not been invented and some members were still coming to terms with fax machines. It was at this meeting that a new name and livery was agreed to. John Hooker had researched other like minded associations and discovered the Building Designers Associations in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. He presented the existing logos to the meeting. It was agreed that the association should be Building Designers' Association of Queensland and a modified version of the South Australian BDAA logo was adopted. 100
The apostrophe on “Designers'” was deliberately placed to ensure that all those involved understood (and still understand) that this is an association that belongs to the building designers not one that simply consists of building designers.
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Moves were made to ensure that incorporation was in place by the crucial June meeting with the Building Advisory Committee and the Department of Local Government. 25 5
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The original branches were: Far North Queensland Rockhampton Sunshine Coast South West
Townsville Bundaberg Brisbane Gold Coast
Mackay Fraser Coast Ipswich
The branch members met monthly and soon became friends first and business competitors second. The immediate effect was the development of a great level of camaraderie and pride within the branches and an almost parochial attitude to the operation of the branches and BDAQ. Only one branch, Fraser Coast, struggled to overcome personalities and professional differences, finally folding and being absorbed into the Bundaberg branch. Bundaberg became one of the most active branches in the mid nineties under strong leadership but when people like Wayne Thompson moved out of the area and Lyall Pohle left the industry in the second half of the decade, Bundaberg struggled as well. Some years later, one of the original Fraser Coast members, Greg Pershouse, who had spent a number of years as a newsagent, finally saw the light and returned to building design. With the encouragement of the state president Jeff Osman and executive director Russell Brandon, Greg set about reforming the branch. Its rebirth in 2004 as Wide Bay Branch was intended to remove the Bundaberg versus Hervey Bay/Maryborough distrust. Further north, the Rockhampton branch became Central Queensland as the Gladstone group began to grow in numbers and stature.
2009 Management Council
Meanwhile, back in the early days, BDAQ discovered a little quirk exhibited by people who live in Brisbane. The Brisbane River is more than just a geographical divide of the city into north and south but also divides the psyche of the population. By the end of 1990, two Brisbane branches had been established. Maybe it was also a result of rapid growth in member numbers.
Another important strategic move was to group branches into regions. Northern region included Far North Queensland and Townsville branches; Central was Mackay, Rockhampton, and Bundaberg; Southern incorporated Fraser Coast, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Ipswich, South West and Gold Coast. It was soon obvious that Central and Southern regions were geographically too big to be serviced properly and by the end of 1993, Bundaberg, Fraser Coast and Sunshine Coast branches were incorporated into the Mid-Coast Region. After incorporation, BDAQ Inc. was managed by a management committee made up of a State President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Subsequently Northern Vice-president, Central Vice-president and Southern Vice-president were added. The committee was later still expanded to include a Committee Coordinator but that position lapsed when the Mid-Coast Vice-president was added. By 1994, the work of the association had increased to the point where an additional position was warranted and a Technical and Education Director was added. After that first State Meeting, the Management Council became a twice yearly meeting made up of the management committee and one delegate from each branch. Management Council is the body that sets the agenda and decides on policy for BDAQ. At the meetings, the committee can contribute to debate but only the branch delegates vote, ensuring that the members, through their branches, remain in control. The careful way in which the BDAQ founders built the structure of the association allowed it to grow rapidly, instantly becoming a strong united group, to achieve outstanding results for the profession in Queensland and to remain strong and united for twenty years.
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Feb2010_031 Sunday, 21 February 2010 7:10:59 PM
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Management Committee Management Committee has been responsible for managing the implementation of the management council policy on a day to day basis. The first management committee was elected at the AGM held at the first conference on 9 September 1990. There has been an election of members of the committee each year since that date.
1990 The first elected management committee take the stage at Ocean Blue Resort Surfers Paradise. l to r John Hooker Secretary Jim O’Leary President Graham Matheson Peter Modini Treasurer
Management Committee 1990 President: Jim O’Leary Vice-president: Adrian Pooley Secretary: John Hooker Treasurer: Peter Modini NVP: Max Slade CVP: Wayne Thompson SVP: Mark Mahaffey
Management Committee 1991 President: Jim O’Leary Vice-president: Adrian Pooley Secretary: Keith Ratcliffe Treasurer: Peter Modini NVP: Max Slade CVP: Keith Wright SVP: Steve Gray
Management Committee 1992 President: Adrian Pooley Vice-president: Russell Meikle Secretary: Keith Ratcliffe Treasurer: Kevin Smith NVP: Max Slade CVP: Keith Wright SVP: Chris Raymond Coordinator: Silvio Zammit
Management Committee 1993 President: Adrian Pooley Vice-president: Russell Meikle Secretary: Mark Mahaffey Treasurer: Kevin Smith NVP: Max Slade CVP: Keith Wright SVP: Ray Lane Tech & Ed: Silvio Zammit
Management Committee 1994 President: Keith Ratcliffe Vice-president: Max Slade Secretary: Doug Mayes Treasurer: Jeff Osman NVP: Geoff Apps CVP: Trevor Rufus MCVP: Wayne Thompson SVP: Silvio Zammit Tech & Ed: Ray Lane
Management Committee 1995 President: Keith Ratcliffe Vice-president: Max Slade Secretary: Doug Mayes Treasurer: Jeff Osman NVP: Geoff Apps CVP: Fred Scott MCVP: Adrian Pooley SVP: Silvio Zammit Tech & Ed: Russell Brandon 1991 The team introduced to the conference delegates at Twin Waters Resort. l to r Peter Modini, Keith Ratcliffe, Keith Wright Max Slade, Steve Gray, Jim O’Leary Adrian Pooley.
Management Committee 1996 President: Russell Meikle Vice-president: Russell Brandon Secretary: Les Briant Treasurer: Phil Buchanan NVP: Ron Baldwin CVP: Fred Scott MCVP: Adrian Pooley SVP: Kevin Smith Tech & Ed: Doug Mayes
Management Committee 1997 President: Russell Brandon Vice-president: Phil Buchanan Secretary: Les Briant Treasurer: John Hooker NVP: Ron Baldwin CVP: Fred Scott MCVP: Steve Gray SVP: Peter Nelson Tech & Ed: Dawn McKell
Management Committee 1998 President: Russell Brandon Vice-president: Phil Buchanan Secretary: Les Briant Treasurer: John Hooker NVP: Bill Barber CVP: Don Jones MCVP: Steve Gray SVP: Peter Nelson Tech & Ed: Dawn McKell
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Mission Accomplished? - twenty years of BDAQ
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1994 Management Committee l to r Keith Ratcliffe, Doug Mayes, Max Slade, Jeff Osman, Geoff Apps, Trevor Rufus, Wayne Thompson, Silvio Zammit, Ray Lane
Management Committee 1999 President: Phil Buchanan Vice-president: Peter Nelson Secretary: Barry Smale Treasurer: John Hooker NVP: Bill Barber CVP: Don Jones MCVP: Adrian Pooley SVP: Silvio Zammit Tech & Ed: Jeff Osman
Management Committee 2000 President: Phil Buchanan Vice-president: Peter Nelson Secretary: Ron Baldwin Treasurer: Jeff Osman NVP: Rod Butland CVP: Glen Place MCVP: Adrian Pooley SVP: Silvio Zammit Tech & Ed: Brian Douglas
Management Committee 2001 President: Peter Nelson Vice-president: Silvio Zammit Secretary: Ron Baldwin Treasurer: Jeff Osman NVP: Rod Butland CVP: Glen Place MCVP: Brian Douglas SVP: David Leth Tech & Ed: Brian Douglas
Management Committee 2002 President: Peter Nelson Vice-president: Silvio Zammit Secretary: Owen Batchelor Treasurer: Jeff Osman NVP: Rod Butland CVP: Glen Place MCVP: Brian Douglas SVP: David Leth Tech & Ed: Brian Douglas
Management Committee 2003 President: Jeff Osman Vice-president: Silvio Zammit Secretary: Barry Smale Treasurer: Max Slade NVP: Mark Hall CVP: Glen Place MCVP: Bert Priest SVP: David Whittaker Tech & Ed: Brian Douglas
Management Committee 2004 President: Jeff Osman Vice-president: Silvio Zammit Secretary: Barry Smale Treasurer: Max Slade NVP: Mark Hall CVP: Glen Place MCVP: Bert Priest SVP: David Whittaker Tech & Ed: Brian Douglas
1999 Management Committee l to r Phil Buchanan, John Hooker, Bill Barber, Adrian Pooley, Silvio Zammit, Jeff Osman, Peter Nelson, Don Jones, Barry Smale
Management Committee 2005 President: Jeff Osman Vice-president: David Whittaker Secretary: Barry Smale Treasurer: Max Slade NVP: Rod Butland CVP: Glen Place MCVP: Bert Priest SVP: Bill Slade Tech & Ed: Brian Douglas
Management Committee 2006 President: Max Slade Vice-president: Jeff Osman Secretary: Bert Priest Treasurer: Greg Pershouse NVP: Rod Butland CVP: Glen Place MCVP: Barry Smale SVP: Colin Roe Tech & Ed: Arthur Martin
Management Committee 2007 President: Max Slade Vice-president: Colin Roe Secretary: Bert Priest Treasurer: Greg Pershouse NVP: Brad Owens CVP: Glen Place MCVP: Barry Smale SVP: Stuart Osman Tech & Ed: Arthur Martin
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Feb2010_033 Monday, 22 February 2010 1:36:45 PM
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Management Committee 2008 President: Greg Pershouse Vice-president: Colin Roe Secretary: Arthur Martin Treasurer: Ian Darnell NVP: Brad Owens CVP: Glen Place MCVP: Steve Claridge SVP: Stuart Osman
Management Committee 2009 President: Greg Pershouse Vice-president: Colin Roe Secretary: Arthur Martin Treasurer: Ian Darnell NVP: Brad Owens CVP: Glen Place MCVP: Steve Claridge SVP: Stuart Osman
Administration BDAQ was begun as a volunteer organisation and continues to rely on volunteers for much of its operation. Sometime in 1990, as the membership grew rapidly, the management committee found that there was a definite need for administrative assistance. Don Willshire, whose business was the provision of administration services to associations, was appointed as the first executive officer. By 1992 it had become obvious that someone closer to the profession was needed and the contract was not renewed. President Adrian Pooley invited Margaret Hooker to be executive secretary. Margaret had already worked tirelessly alongside husband, John, in the early establishment of BDAQ. She accepted the role and served as executive secretary of BDAQ until 2000. She was responsible for many of the procedures BDAQ still uses to manage a decentralised, member based association. Branch manuals were prepared for all branch and state executives to assist in the financial and operational management of the association. An ex-president has told the story of how he appeared to be knowledgeable about every item on the management committee agenda but, in fact, he had incredibly detailed notes on his agenda that no one else had. They were know as Marg’s “cheat sheets”. Margaret built up a tremendous reputation among BDAQ members and contacts as an incredibly competent administrator and helped the hardworking committees to build the association into a position of real strength in the industry. In 2000, it was decided to extend the role of the BDAQ office to take some of the load off the president and management committee. Immediate past-president, Russell Brandon, took on the full time role of executive director and employed staff to fulfill the administration role.
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Margaret Hooker, a huge part in BDAQ history
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Mission Accomplished? - twenty years of BDAQ
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6 Education, training & professional development From the very beginning, BDAQ set out to make professional development a high priority. A conference culture began just five months after the first meeting in 1990. That first conference included building material sponsors along with professional and technical presentations. The association was born at a time when the new Building Code of Australia was in the process of being introduced. The first BDAQ road show got underway in 1991 when John Hooker and Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning officer, Mark O’Leary (we understand that Mark was no relation to Jim) and Adrian Pooley travelled the state introducing members to the BCA. In 1991, that meant hiring a car and driving most of the way. By that time, the BDAQ boasted between 200 and 300 members and most were keen to attend the seminars as the BCA was causing some concern among building designers. It was also the launch of some very basic BCA Summary Sheets. These were to be developed over the years and the latest revision, 2009 BCA Compliance Sheets, are quite sophisticated.
The BDAQ PD Road Show has become one of the association’s most successful events.
By the end of 1992, Brisbane South branch had developed drawing check lists and these were being shared with other branches. Each branch reviewed the lists and made suggestions for improvements. John Hooker was planning to incorporate the check list into a full blown Quality Assurance system which later became a reality and eventually allowed members to access government design work.
Branch meetings were held monthly and most meetings had guest speakers presenting professional development material. The magazine “The Designer” was packed full of technical information and arrived in the mail every month. In mid 1993, Brisbane North branch was given the responsibility for professional development. Branch president, Russell Brandon, and delegate, Keith Ratcliffe, set about organising a road show of seminars. The second professional development road show was delivered over two weeks in March 1994. With Keith unable to undertake the trip, Russell was joined by BDAQ executive director, John Hooker, to form a team that would represent BDAQ in a number of forums over the next few years.
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The success of the road show prompted another series to be run in September of the same year. This time Keith Ratcliffe was state president and accompanied John Hooker on the trip.
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Feb2010_035 Tuesday, 23 February 2010 8:54:05 AM
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Also in 1994, Adrian and Meryl Pooley organised the first overseas study tour. This was a raging success, with 47 Aussies invading USA. The designers enjoyed visits to housing estates and great buildings, while the partners enjoyed the shopping. It was on this tour that the first contact with the American Institute of Building Design occured. By the end of 1994, an Education Committee was formed. Gold Coast designer Ray Lane (BDAQ Technical and Education Director), Brisbane’s Russell Brandon, Wayne Thompson from Bundaberg and Far North Queensland’s Max Slade were representative of the whole state. The committee began to get involved with the TAFE colleges, investigated government assisted traineeships and began planning the 1995 professional development seminars. Russell Brandon was elected to the management committee in 1995 as technical and education director. He had not long before graduated with a Bachelor of Building Surveying from Central Queensland University. He realised that the degree course, which is delivered in external study mode, could easily be converted to a Bachelor of Building Design. Early in 1996, Russell was on a road trip with Adrian Pooley, assisting designers who held “transitional” licences to meet the BSA deadline for upgrading their licences. While in Rockhampton, Adrian and Russell visited the university and spoke with the building studies staff. Russell worked closely with CQU until August, when he was able to announce that the Bachelor of Building Design and Advanced Diploma in Building Design courses would commence at the beginning of 1997. Russell has been closely associated with these courses ever since as part of course advisory committees, accreditation parties and as a casual lecturer. The building design program has been one of CQU’s most popular and a number of graduates have since joined BDAQ. The BDAQ professional development road show has remained one of BDAQ’s most successful activities and now extends to Darwin every second year. In 2008, Russell Brandon instigated the move to establish a BDAA national committee on national curriculum. The work of this committee has enabled a project to develop a national training package to be undertaken. Glen Place has taken a leading role in the committee and Glen and Russell both sit on the national training package Steering Committee.
CONFERENCES It was just five months after the first BDAQ meeting that the first conference was held at Ocean Blue Resort at Surfers Paradise. The conference culture was born with a hugely successful event which was attended by 115 delegates including Gold Coast mayor Lex Bell, DHLGP officer Mark O’Leary and Opposition spokesman Bob Quinn. The 1990 conference committee are given a standing ovation after a successful event. l to r John Hooker, Margaret Hooker, Debbie Buchanan, Phil Buchanan, Steve Gray
In BDAQ’s first venture into sponsorship, seven companies attended. These were Frank B Hall, Qikdraw, Montoro Tiles, CSR, Wide Bay Bricks, Stramit and Ramset.
As soon as the dust settled on the 1990 conference, Adrian Pooley began putting together a committee of Sunshine Coast members to run the 1991 conference at Twin Waters Resort on the Sunshine Coast.
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The 1991 conference was also a success with more delegates, more sponsors and more great speakers. 25 5
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The 1992 conference organisation was awarded to Brisbane North and Keith Ratcliffe chaired a committee of dedicated members. The conference at the Brisbane Sheraton (now Sofitel) Hotel, once again built on the success of previous conferences. The 1992 conference was significant because it hosted the inaugural BDAQ Design Awards presentation dinner. The design awards had been the vision of Jeff Osman and he had set up an awards committee of Brisbane South members to organise the event. The management committee had asked Jeff if his idea would work when he first proposed the concept. The answer was a resounding yes! The 1990 conference was said to put some pride into the profession but the advent of the design awards sent it through the roof. Jeff Osman is still known as the “father” of the design awards and remains involved as a regional coordinator, judge and entrant (not at the same time).
1991 Twin Waters
Conferences had by this time been firmly established as the major annual event and each year appeared to introduce something new, different and spectacular. The conference moved to Townsville in 1993 and experienced the historic opening speech by Minister Terry Mackenroth which announced the approval of building designer licences. Russ Meikle and Bob Page led an enthusiastic committee who ensured the event was another great success. Gold Coast in 1994 was managed by John Hooker and his team and Brisbane in 1995 was managed by Russell Brandon and a committee from Brisbane North. John Hooker was the first conference manager to introduce the comprehensive sponsorship prospectus. Russell’s innovation was the BDAQ golf day. The golf day preceded the conference and 45 players made it a successful first time event which has been repeated annually ever since. The 1996 conference in Cairns was significant because it introduced Ron Baldwin into the role of conference convenor. Ron was to go on to manage BDAQ sponsorships for five years. He expanded the scope of sponsorships by including magazine advertising and other BDAQ events into the prospectus. He is credited with making sponsorship a significant income stream to take the pressure off membership fees. The Ron Baldwin philosophy that sponsors want interaction and must BSA’s Ian White in 1999 receive value for their investment still underpins the BDAQ corporate partner relationships today.
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Feb2010_037 Monday, 22 February 2010 1:49:53 PM
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In 1997, Adrian Pooley once again coordinated a team from Sunshine Coast and in 1998 the conference was managed by Trevor Rufus and his committee from Central Queensland. In what could be described as a gamble, it was held in the most remote location yet. The conference at the Capricorn International Resort in Yeppoon was another big success. For the 1999 conference at the Marriott Surfers Paradise and the 2000 conference at the Brisbane Hilton, BDAQ engaged KC Conference Management under the direction of Leigh Kilpatrick to manage the events. The KC team were members who had been involved in both previous Sunshine Coast committees. The 1999 conference introduced a study tour of Couran Cove Resort as an alternative to golf and the design awards were special because for the first and only time the State Premier, Peter Beattie, was on hand to present the Premier Award.
Minister for Housing Robert Schwarton in 2000
By 2001, the BDAQ office and the executive director, Russell Brandon, had taken responsibility for conference management. That year the event returned to the scene of the 1996 conference, Cairns Colonial Club, and in 2002 it was back to the Surfers Paradise Resort.
The 2003 conference at Twin Waters Resort was branded a National Conference but actually turned into an international conference, with delegates from US, Canada and New Zealand attending. The design awards evening saw what is still a record number of 350 in the room. Following the huge success in 2003, it was decided not to continue with state conferences and to support the national conference concept. Russell and his team managed the 2007 national conference at Royal Pines on the Gold Coast and are currently working on the 2010 event at Twin Waters.
Mark O’Leary from Building Codes Queensland in 1999
Between 2003 and 2007, BDAQ ran successful regional conferences in Toowoomba, Rockhampton, Mackay and Townsville.
Current BSA General Manager Ian Jennings addresses the 2003 National Conference
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Then BSA General Manager, Matt Mmiller talks about licences in 1994
Internationally acclaimed sustainable design speaker, Robert Vale in 2003.
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7 Design Awards The 1992 conference marked a special occasion in the life of BDAQ. It was the first time the BDAQ Design Awards were presented. The awards were later to become the Queensland Building Design Awards and the presentation night has been the flagship event for Queensland building designers for the past 18 years. The ‘father’ of the design awards is Jeff Osman who had the forward vision to realise that the awards would lead to greater recognition of building designers and their work, and also of BDAQ. Jeff Osman Father of the Design Awards
The awards have witnessed some amazing moments over the years but perhaps none more poignant than the 2001 presentation when the first Peter Modini Memorial Award for commercial buildings was presented. When the management council decided to name the award in memory of Peter, they had no way of knowing that the very first award, presented by Cathy Modini, would be to Kevin Smith, Peter’s partner in Modini+Smith. It was an incredibly emotional moment for all involved. After the 1993 conference, Deputy Premier Terry Mackenroth and wife Mary became regular faces at the design awards. In 1999 they were accompanied by Premier Peter Beattie and wife Heather. Jeff Osman always said that if the top award was called the Premier Award, a premier would eventually turn up to present the award. As always, Jeff was right. Since the National Design Awards began around 1996, Queensland designers have always been among the winners.
A very special moment Kevin Smith with Cathy Modini
There have been so many category winners over the years that we are unable to show them all but we can list the Premier Award winners for each year except for 1992, as we have been unable to locate a record of the winner. Premier Award winners are: 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Gary Cox Paul Toulson and Geoff Hurne Peter Modini Chris Vandyke Chris Vandyke Chris Vandyke Robin Payne Jeff Lee Terry James Stephen Kidd Tim Cronin Paul Clout Benjamin Hennig Paul Clout Chris Vandyke Paul Clout Paul Clout
Brisbane South Gold Coast Brisbane South Far North Queensland Far North Queensland Far North Queensland Brisbane South Sunshine Coast Far North Queensland Sunshine Coast Sunshine Coast Sunshine Coast Brisbane North Sunshine Coast Far North Queensland Sunshine Coast Sunshine Coast
During the latter half of the 1990s, responsibility for the display and presentation of the awards was given to the BDAQ publicist, Angela Whitaker. Angela worked tirelessly to manage the collation of entries, the judging and trophies right through to the display, on-screen display and presentation on the night. She also organised the publicity and wrote media releases. Much of the success of the awards during this time was due to Angela’s efforts. Angela Whitaker
Premier announces the Premier Award 1999
then it’s serious business
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Feb2010_039 Monday, 22 February 2010 2:04:33 PM
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8 Magazine The first record of an association newsletter was the Gold Coast branch news named “Boardtalk”, written, typed and distributed by Phil and Debbie Buchanan in 1990. The first statewide publication also originated on the Gold Coast and was simply titled QBDDA Newsletter. The first issue was May 1990. At the general meeting in September 1990, the newsletter was given a name. The Designer was one of a number suggested by members at the 1990 conference. By the start of 1991, Russell Meikle and Townsville branch had taken over editing The Designer which remained a couple of photocopied pages. The executive officer had the task of distributing the publication. The development of the newsletter over the last twenty years is a pretty good reflection of the development of BDAQ. In 1992 it was decided to change from the simple newsletter format to a magazine style. Jim and Sue O’Leary were given the task of editing and publishing The Designer. The format proved to be extremely popular with members. It was full of technical material and news. Members were kept up to date with the progress of building designer registration. By May 1994 James Hardie had come board to sponsor the front cover of the magazine. The resulting glossy cover made a big difference to the look of the publication. The content remained strongly technical in nature. Jim and Sue continued to publish the magazine until the end of 1994. Brisbane member Peter Armitage and wife Vicki took over the publishing in 1995. They changed the layout and format but maintained the technical and information content. They continued the development with cleaner lines and higher quality paper. By the end of 1995, marketing company BigM thought they could make some money out of the magazine and bid for the rights to publish. They added some colour to the internal pages and sold more advertising. By August of 1996, BigM had pulled out of The Designer and president Russ Meikle announced that Angela Whitaker, who had worked on the magazine with Peter and Vicki Armitage, would assist until Christmas as an interim arrangement.
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That “interim arrangement” was to last another 6 years during which time Angela became an integral part of the BDAQ organisation. Her journalist skills made her invaluable as a publicist and PR consultant. Angela became synonymous with the design awards over those years.
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By July 1997 Caroma and its associated businesses appeared on the front cover. The cover changed product on a monthly basis. The management council of November 2002 decided it wanted to better utilise the publicist and PR skills Angela had to offer and asked Russell Brandon and the BDAQ office to take over the publication. With the growth in the use of email, council decided that the magazine should become more of a tool for the promotion of good design done by building designers an in particular the design award finalists. Technical and news items would be circulated to members using email newsletters and alerts. The February 2003 (issue no 113) featured a fabulous Sunshine Coast home designed by Trevor Reitsma. The BDAQ magazine became a full colour glossy magazine. Improvements over the last eight years have ensured that the publication continues to evolve. In mid 2003 it was decided to change the name to The Building Designer to further promote the name “building designer”. Each editor of the magazine has contributed positively the its development. Members have been the beneficiaries. 1992 - 1994 Jim & Sue O’Leary Issue 1 to 27 1995 Peter & Vicki Armitage Issue 28 to 38 1996 BigM Issue 39 to 45 1997 - 2002 Angela Whitaker Issue 46 to 112 2003 - 2010 Russell Brandon Issue 113 to 158 (and counting)
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As Angela said in Issue 100 over eight years ago. “We’ve come a long way.”
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Feb2010_041 Monday, 22 February 2010 5:31:45 PM
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9 People - Key players have their say Jim O’Leary At the time of the early meetings with Tom Burns and the architects, draftsmen were seen as low profile people, bottom of the chain. So we were at a disadvantage to start with. After the first meeting where the RDC was put on hold, we were instructed to attend additional meetings with the other stakeholders. There were usually two building designers and six architects and the chairman was an architect. As a result of the Raelene Kelly review, the Builders Registration Board became the Queensland Building Services Authority. As part of the deal, building designers were written into the legislation as having a seat on the board. I was lucky enough to be appointed to the board. I succeeded Chris Raymond as state president at our first conference. We had a magnificent committee. The wives were in there too and they all made a great contribution to the way that BDAQ evolved. Everyone had a job to do and everyone pulled their weight. Once a solid BDAQ was established, we felt that there should be a national organisation. We contacted people in the other states and found there were various building designer organisations around Australia. There were a lot of state differences then and there still are, so it was a monumental task. Looking back, my fondest memories would probably be the impact that BDAQ had. It promoted harmony between a lot of people who had simply been competitors. They joined together at conferences and significant events run by BDAQ and a new professionalism came out of it - a new mutual respect. I often describe the BDAQ as having been sired by adversity out of determination. That describes its very origins, but where it has gone from there is probably going to be my fondest memory. It is a sense of achievement and a sense of friendship. It has been a huge privilege for me to have been there at the beginning, to have seen it grow and to see the results that have come from those humble beginnings.
Adrian Pooley In the early days of the government’s industry working party on registration, meetings were chaired by the chairman of the Board of Architects. Jim O'Leary and I made sure we went to every meeting. Opposing parties didn't and they ultimately paid the price. We also had the backing of the BDAQ licensing committee which met every time before we were due to meet with the working party. The deliberations were going nowhere, which must have frustrated the government of the day. Finally, for one particular meeting we were under instructions from the minister to go into a room and not come out until there was a solution. There was a whiteboard on the wall and it was well used. We started around midday and finally shook hands on the deal at around 6.00pm. After that meeting, some of the group became a building design committee under the QBSA with Jim O’Leary as chair. We set about developing the building designer licensing regime. Some of my fondest memories of the BDAQ were state conferences and networking with members from all over Queensland. Another is the famous study tour to America. My wife, Meryl, was the main organiser of the tour. It was fantastic and everyone had a really good time. We saw a lot of different things in California and the way they build their buildings. We hosted a second tour some years later. The BDAQ is all about friendship, the dissemination of information amongst members and recognition from the government of building designers.. We didn't have that previously. It's great to see that, twenty years on, a lot of the guys are still around and running professional building design practices. Without the hard work of an enormous number of people originally, it just wouldn't have happened and I'm proud to be a part of it.
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Phil Buchanan We found out about the Responsible Design Clause when I was working on a job. We were doing three storey walk ups and we needed engineering. The engineer let me know that I wouldn't be able to continue doing these jobs after the change to the legislation. As soon as I found out about it I called a good mate of mine, Steve Gray, who called Chris Raymond and before you knew it we had a meeting that night at Chris's house in Burleigh Heads and went from there. That next night in Chris Raymond's office, we got a copy of every Yellow Pages in Queensland, divided them up and started writing letters the old fashioned way with the old pen and paper and licking stamps. Having been at the first meetings surrounding the RDC and coming back again ten years later for the removal of the final design restriction, I could see how very different the two experiences were. One was a battle and one was a crusade. Before the BDAQ, I didn't really know any other draftsman and we were so uninformed. We didn't know how to model a business, or even run a business, some of us. Once BDAQ was formed, we were exposed to so many people who had so much great advice and I learned a lot from them. The ability to network with other people in the industry, people that I now have a great deal of respect for, really changed the way I did business.
Greg Pershouse One of the most obvious differences between the early days and the BDAQ of today is the professionalism of the members. The building designer of today is in fact a professional running a serious business with staff and huge turnovers. Twenty years ago, very few of us were in full time practice or had staff. Another of the obvious differences is the camaraderie between the members. When we kicked off all that time ago, some of the guys were very suspicious of each other. They saw each other as competitors. Today they are people in the same business, but not a competitor as such. One of the biggest things to come out of the BDAQ is credibility. The association has given me the opportunity to build a profitable design practice and the ability to be able to compete for major project work. Twenty years ago building designers felt intimidated. The fondest memories that I have of the BDAQ are the friendships. Travelling on road shows and meeting members throughout Queensland and The Northern Territory is a feeling that will live with me forever.
Max Slade One of the biggest differences between the 1990 state meeting at Rockhampton and the more recent management meetings, that I chaired as president, is the camaraderie. We now talk to other Building Designers as our peers. At the very first conference at Ocean Blue Resort, the rest of the state was surprised at how close knit the Far North Queensland group of members was. It was because we are so laid back in the north and because most of us knew each other beforehand. The operational model has been excellent in allowing the regional branches have their say in the management of the association. During my time as state president and as a member of the committee, I sought to continually remind the South East Queensland guys that there is more to Queensland than that part south of Bundaberg. Some of my fondest memories of BDAQ are the first couple of meetings and the inspirational performances of John Hooker and the inspiration that came from Marg Hooker. The 1994 study tour was an exceptional time, too. Also, my years as president and vice president and the challenges it brought. Really, it's about the David and Goliath things we started back in 1989. Our hard working and long time sponsors are to be commended for their efforts. They add to the heart of BDAQ as much as anyone else. BDAQ has certainly enhanced my business and professional development. I have also made a lot of friends throughout Queensland, even throughout Australia.
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Feb2010_43 Monday, 22 February 2010 4:56:18 PM
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John Hooker At that first meeting, I didn't know any of the people in the room and when I did meet them, I was in awe because it was quite an intimidating meeting. Names like Chris Raymond, Steve Gray and Phil Buchanan were there and they had “staff�, something I'd never heard of before. Then there was me, a little draftee. I felt a bit intimidated really. We needed to convince the government we represented building designers, so when we wrote the constitution we had to ensure the association represented everyone in Queensland - not just us but the best and the worst of us. Having lived in North Queensland for much of my life, I knew how important a decentralised management would be for everybody in the state. The seminars introducing the BCA were very exciting for me. It was something that none of us had done before and four of us travelled up and down the coast over a couple of months presenting something brand new to all of the members. Thinking back to the management committees of the early days, I'd have to mention Chris Raymond and his understanding, foresight and sense of argument regarding the RDC. Without him, we would never have got off the ground. Then there were the endless philosophical debates that used to go on into the wee hours of the morning and the heated exchanges between Adrian Pooley and myself. Camaraderie is something that was established in those days and it's still around today. We made a lot of friends. I've gained a lot personally and professionally from the association. Without the creation of the BDAQ, self employed Building Designers would not be in existence today because legislation would have removed us from the industry. My life membership, Jeff Osman and the first Design Awards, BDAQ conferences and the joys and pains of licensing are just some of what makes the BDAQ so special and memorable for me.
Margaret Hooker Before BDAQ, John had been involved with the Queensland Council of Parents and Citizens Association for many years and he knew that the operational procedures used in that association were tried and true. We thought if we adapted those for BDAQ, we'd have a really good model. We would start at about 5.30 in the morning and it was often dark before we realised we hadn't had lunch yet. Chris Raymond obtained a copy of the Code of Ethics and a Membership Certificate from the HIA and pretty soon we had our own, which were bigger and better. We got a generic copy of the Rules of Association from the Justice Department and we worked on that until we felt that it represented the BDAQ. Our treasurer, Rex Young, opened up bank accounts and the phones, fax machines and type writers just didn't stop. Through all of the hard work, there are many fond memories, but one of the highlights for me had to be when Adrian Pooley invited me to take on the role as the Secretariat of the BDAQ. I was able to work with a lot of great people; the different presidents, the branch delegates, the secretaries and treasurers, it was just a privilege to be involved. I often felt like the mother of the association. It was sometimes difficult to deal with the volunteers. Their first commitment had to be their own business. Once I realised this and became more patient and more forgiving, the model worked. Of course the members were just so enthusiastic, so thirsty for knowledge and so proud to belong to the association, so it was a pleasure for me to be able to work with them. In addition to the business side of the BDAQ, I certainly have enjoyed the friendship of the partners of the members. People like Sue, Jan, Meryl, Lesley, Debbie and all the ladies that have come to meetings and conferences over the last twenty years. I always remember Russell Brandon in the early 1990s he was a very quiet, conservative delegate but with a lot to offer, always willing and enthusiastic. It didn't take him long to work his way up to the top as state president and now the executive director of BDAQ. He continues to uphold the traditions of the BDAQ and maintain the standards and the aim that we first created.
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Jeff Osman Before the association began, we were mostly independently operated designer drafting businesses and probably a bit suspicious of all the competition that was around us. When we joined the BDAQ those barriers started to come down and information started to flow a little more freely. A sort of camaraderie was starting to evolve and it was good. I first heard about the association when I, probably like most members, got a letter in the mail from the Building Design and Drafting Association, as it was called in those days. We had a bit of an information meeting and joined up because back then the Responsible Design Clause was really hindering us. So the battle was on and that was probably the glue that kept us all together with a common enemy in the legislation. Once we set up branches, I thought I'd better go along to my branch meeting. I obviously missed the first one because, when I walked in, the guys said “You weren’t here for the election, so you were voted in as branch president”. It was 1992 when we came up with the idea of the Design Awards. Jim O'Leary was the president at the time and he agreed it was a good idea. After the budget was finalised, we formulated the entry rules and the categories and figured out how it would all go together. We then organised regional coordinators and three months later held our inaugural presentation at the Sheraton Hotel. I looked after the Awards from 1992 to 2003, apart from 1993 when Max Slade from North Queensland looked after it. When I became president of BDAQ, the workload was a bit much to continue handling the event, so I handballed it over to Russell and the crew in the BDAQ office, where it has just grown from there. My fondest memory of the BDAQ would have to be the fellowship and friendships that were formed. This might be an association, but it's really turned into a big family.
Russell Brandon I remember life before BDAQ and that’s really what drives my passion for the association. Business life revolved around clients, staff, consultants, builders and building inspectors. We were drafting services and definitely made to feel less than real professionals.
Registering at the 1991 conference. By pure coincidence Stan Rabjohns is next in line.
My most feared competitor was Doug Mayes. He was located in a posher suburb, did great work and had the best clients. My world was about to change at the end of March 1990 when I got the letter from Peter Modini and Kevin Smith about the RDC and headed off to Coorparoo Football Club to find out what all the fuss was about.
I went to the first conference and sat next to Stan Rabjohns who I had never met before. We chatted and I began to learn about others who were in the same boat as I was. I didn’t come across Stan again until the 1991 conference but we were still mates. That’s what BDAQ is all about. I became the first secretary of Brisbane North branch and have held some sort of position in BDAQ ever since. Others on the branch executive were Doug Mayes, Doug Pearson and Keith Ratcliffe. Suddenly we were a team and no longer competitors, just friends in the same line of business. I became state vice-president to the first president from outside the south-east corner of the state. That meant that I had to do a lot of the representation on behalf of the president, Russ Meikle. I still remember the first time I represented BDAQ to government. Greg Quinn from QMBA and Warwick Temby (HIA) were there, as were a number of other high profile names. Then the Minister, Di McCauley, came in. My first thought was; “What am I doing here?”. I think my time as what John Hooker calls “humble draftees”, my four years on a branch executive and four more years on the state executive gave me a unique insight into the needs of members and BDAQ. When the opportunity came up to become full time executive director, I took it and set out to take BDAQ to the next level. Mission accomplished? I don’t think so but we have certainly come a long way in twenty years!
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Feb2010_045 Monday, 22 February 2010 5:00:13 PM
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Chris Raymond Those early days were all about meetings. There were discussions in my office with guys like Phil Buchanan and John Hooker and others and the wives joined in as well. We had government meetings and, of course, our first public meeting at the Kurrawa Surf Club stands out as a special moment. We established facilitators in each area around the state. People like Max Slade, Russell Meikle, Wayne Gamble, Adrian Pooley, Peter Modini and Kevin Smith really stepped up. The lead up to the first state conference was a pretty exciting time, especially as president of the BDAQ. It was just such an incredible scenario that a bunch of guys and girls could get together and have such camaraderie and share a common goal. The lead up to the first state conference was a pretty exciting time to be president of BDAQ. It was just such an incredible scenario that a bunch of guys and girls could get together and have such camaraderie and share a common goal. Probably the fondest lasting memory is of the conference in Townsville where Terry Mackenroth announced that licensing for Building Designers in Queensland was to go ahead. Also, the lasting friendships that go hand in hand with those early meetings. It’s mischief and hard work are what make the BDAQ so special.
Peter Nelson Tom Burns was such an important figure in the early history of BDAQ. I was privileged to meet Tom years later on trade missions to China. He was a very gregarious guy, he used to get along with everybody and always had a smile on his face. He was extremely well respected in China. It was probably lucky for us that Tom was in charge back in 1990. Because of my experiences overseas and my involvement with the trade department, I was on several government committees, including Construction Queensland. Through this involvement, I became friends with Robert Schwarten (Minister for Public Works and Housing) and others. When I became president, we were in the midst of discussions about licence reviews and those contacts proved to be extremely helpful in making sure BDAQ was able to be heard. My first contact with BDAQ, or what was to become BDAQ, was with John Hooker. I saw a notice in the paper and I got in touch with John to get more information. I joined BDAQ as a means of protecting my business and the livelihoods of many others like me. So the BDAQ, to me, meant a group of guys fighting together to get a just result. My fondest memories are probably mixing with all the chaps at conferences and making very good friendships. The way in which everyone worked together to get the goal was very impressive.
The Unsung Heroes My time on the branch and state executive convinced me that there are many people who have made tremendous contributions to BDAQ over the last twenty years, but are not showcased in this history book. Silvio Zammit, Ron Baldwin and Doug Mayes all served on branch and state executives. Silvio and Doug became our most prolific representatives to other industry organisations. Les Briant and Barry Smale also were long term state secretaries and served that position well. They also contributed strongly at branch level. Steve Cooper is an associate member who assisted Jeff Osman in the early years of the design awards. David Whittaker has been on his branch executive for almost all of the last twenty years, has also been on the state management committee and continues to manage the construction documentation awards every year.
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Trevor Rufus, Eric Ireland, Rod Butland, Wayne Thompson, Doug Pearson and in later years, Bert and Barb Priest, Glen Place and Peter Latemore are just some of the names that come to mind but please accept them as representatives of the hundreds that have contributed at branch level and state level over the years. Every one of you should be proud of what you have accomplished. Take a bow!
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A meeting of ten colleagues on 20 March 1990 at Burleigh voted to form the Queensland Building Design & Drafting Association, so these people became
Founding members of BDAQ Inc. Phil Buchanan
Trevor Jones
Steve Gray
Rod Gibb
Chris Raymond
Rex Young
John Hooker
Don Wright
Robin Carless
Rob Richards THANKS GUYS
Those we remember fondly Last but certainly not least we pay tribute to three members who put plenty into BDAQ in the early years but who we have lost in very sad circumstances over the years. Peter Modini Peter took on a leading role in BDAQ from the very beginning. He, along with Kevin Smith became a coordinator of the Brisbane branch in March 1990. Their role was to start the branch in Brisbane, call and chair meetings of building designers giving information on the RDC and sign up new members. Peter was at the first state meeting at Rockhampton, became the first state treasurer and the first national treasurer. He was also a great designer winning many design awards over the years. Peter worked hard for BDAQ over many years, particularly those difficult early days when the RDC and Licensing battles raged. His efforts only ceased when he needed to use all his strength attempting to fight cancer. We lost Peter in 2000. He will always be remembered through the Queensland Building Design Awards category, The Peter Modini Award for Commercial Buildings. John Rose John was another branch representative at the Rockhampton state meeting in 1990. He represented Mackay well and worked hard at branch level in the early days. He made his office available for meetings and contributed resources for the branch’s development. We lost John to a heart attack but his memory lives on. 100
Will Kudelka Will was one of the mainstays of Ipswich branch for many years. He worked hard in the early years and served as the Ipswich delegate on management council. Like Peter Modini, Will also lost a battle with cancer and we at BDAQ were saddened at his passing.
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Feb2010_047 Monday, 22 February 2010 5:05:03 PM
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THE
DESIGNER No. 159, February 2010
r.r.p. $5.95
20
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years of
BDAQ 1990 - 2010
Feb2010_048 Monday, 22 February 2010 12:47:31 PM
25 5 0