2016 September Consulting Matters

SPRING 2016

Better Buying, Better Outcomes

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Infrastructure owners face a time of change

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Better data, better decisions: Integrating capital planning and facility management

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2016 Policy Wins & Advocacy Highlights

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Consulting Matters

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CONTENTS

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#WordsAtWork

Curtin 410

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Cover image: Curtin 140 photo courtesy of GHDWoodhead

Industry updates 2

New members

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What’s happening in Consult Australia From the President

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From the CEO

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Introducing new board member – Sue Holliday

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Policy update – Federal Election

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Division updates

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2016 policy wins & advocacy highlights

Features Better data, better decisions: Integrating capital planning and facility management

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Infrastructure owners face a time of change

Weaving the past into the present—200 George Street, Sydney

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Does timber high-rise equal high risk?

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Bennelong Bridge—a new model for public infrastructure

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Curtin 410: New learning complex at the forefront of design

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Business essentials Corporate Social Responsibility

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Sydney Engineer Provides Clean Water and Sanitation to Refugees

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The $400m difference a year can make

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#WordsAtWork 29

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Project case studies Perth Busport brings a new level of passenger comfort and safety

Do relationships still matter in the new world of procurement and technology?

Understanding Slip Resistance Laws

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Re-imagining engineering through leadership in design

Industry updates

Bennelong Bridge

Industry comment Show me the vision

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John Rankine – Consultant to the world

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Consulting Matters

Industry updates

Industry updates NEW APPOINTMENTS GHD welcomes Colin Dominish as Transport Market Leader for the Sydney region. Colin was previously Global Client Relationship Director at Aurecon and brings more than 20 years of experience in business development and account management in the infrastructure sector.

Steve Dickinson has been appointed as Technical Director in the Cost Consulting business specialising in Civil & Infrastructure works at AECOM. With over 30 years’ experience in the estimating and management of costs across a variety of civil projects in the power, transport, water and mining industries. Steve has gained his experience working on some of Australia’s most iconic infrastructure projects.

With more than 25 years of traffic engineering, transport planning and infrastructure project delivery experience, TTW welcomes Sonja Jovanovksa as Transport & Traffic Manager. Sonja has previously held senior positions in various state and local governments as well as significant private sector projects. A senior engineer, she has been responsible for the design, planning, development and delivery of significant transport infrastructure projects throughout NSW, Queensland and Victoria.

WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff is strengthening its sustainability expertise with Senior Sustainability Consultant, Andrew Williams, appointed to manage their new team in South Australia following his move from Queensland, and Associate Director Sustainability, Brendan Tapley, relocating from the UK where he headed up the firm's

successful sustainable energy business, to join the team in Victoria.

WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff has recently appointed Glenn Fyvie as Director for Building Structures New South Wales.

With more than 25 years’ experience as a design consultant in the construction industry, Glenn brings a wealth of local, national and international experience to the Sydney-based team.

MWH, now part of Stantec, continues to build its transport capability with the appointment of Stephanie Bullock as Transport Planning Leader for NSW. Stephanie’s experience in regeneration and urban renewal, integrated transport planning, traffic management and engineering was gained from over a decade in private and public sector agencies.

Richard Sellers has been announced as the new head of Transport in WA. He will concurrently hold the positions of Director General of the Department of Transport, Commissioner for Roads WA and Chief Executive Officer of the Public Transport Authority. Richard is currently the Director General of the Department of Mines and Petroleum, a position he has held since June 2009. Prior to this, he was Executive Director of Minerals and Energy with the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines in the NT. He started his new role on September 12.

SLR Consulting has appointed Paul Delaney as Technical Discipline Manager in its Civil and Structural Engineering team.

Paul has over 30 years’ experience in managing the design development of civil engineering projects in the infrastructure, mining and urban development sectors, and has held senior management and executive level positions with Calibre Consulting, AECOM and WSP | Parsons Brincherhoff.

WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff has appointed Clive Baker as Section Executive, Transport Infrastructure in Australia

and New Zealand. Clive has over 30 years’ experience delivering a range of infrastructure projects and leading large teams in Australia and the United Kingdom, and most recently was the Director of Operations for a global consultancy firm responsible for major road, rail, maritime, airport and transport planning projects across Victoria. He replaces Scot Coleman, who has been appointed to lead the firm’s new delivery strategy initiative.

Aurecon has announced the appointment of Sukumar Pathmanandavel as its Global Service Leader for Ground & Underground Engineering. Sukumar will lead an integrated team of geotechnical, tunnel and pavement specialists to drive knowledge sharing, shape future capabilities, and guide the use of new technologies.

The Chairman and Board of Norman Disney & Young are pleased to announce the appointment of Stephanie Disher as a non-executive director. Stephanie remains the Director Operations at Cummins Inc where she is a key member of the South Pacific leadership Team where she has been recognised across the business for her leadership and focus on people, and her ability to think strategically and improve commercial outcomes for the business.

Carl Duckinson has been appointed as Chief Information Officer at Aurecon.

Carl recently led the Toll Group’s technology transformation, which included a period as Toll’s Interim CIO. Prior to that, he was CIO of Australia’s largest independent gold miner, Newcrest Mining, for seven years.

Norman Disney & Young has appointed John Bowes in the Group Executive role of Director of Clients to oversee the client relationship management and business

Industry updates

development functions across all NDY operating regions. John brings with him a wealth of high-level relationship management and business development team management experience, gained from over 20 years in the banking sector, where he held a range of senior roles, most recently with the Commonwealth Bank.

Arcadis has appointed Gary Davey as Business Leader – Rail. Gary brings over 25 years’ experience in the initiation, design, construction and commissioning of major rail projects. Recent experience has been in the development of major freight projects within TfNSW. Gary recently spent two years in the role of Project Director for the construction readiness phase of the Maldon to Dombarton Rail Link. Gary’s experience in the rail market spans government client roles, consulting engineering and construction contracting.

MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS Lowther-Rolton International and Draco Industries are pleased to announce that they have formed a global alliance (“LR&D”).

LR&D will provide specialised services across the heavy industry, oil & gas, mining, manufacturing, building and civil engineering infrastructure sectors and will combine the experience and track record of both companies to deliver the entire project services suite from concept to completion.

Consulting Matters

Parsons Brinckerhoff who were received merit in the Brookfield Scholarship for Future Leaders (NSW); Jacobs for winning the Master Builders Association & Clinton Recruitment Award for Team Innovation (NSW) for consistent team work on multiple health infrastructure projects and Bernadette Fitzgerald - WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff for winning the University of Melbourne Award for contribution to Environmental Sustainability (VIC/TAS).

Editor

IN MEMORIAM

Kisanne Dulin

President

John Rankine (of Rankine Hill) passed away aged 95 with family and friends by his side in Bowral Hospital on 13 July. Our condolences go to his wife Suzie and the rest of his family.

John was a well known and respected member of ACEA and you can read a reprint of an article we did on John for the February 1998 issue of Innovate on page 42.

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) WITH AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Andrew Mather

Chief Executive Officer Megan Motto

EA to CEO Accounts/Administration Coordinator Guillaume Marchand

Director – Membership & Commercial Services Kisanne Dulin

Senior Advisor Policy & Government Relations Ryan Bondar

Business Development Manager Jennifer Kelly

Marketing & Business Administration Assistant Shannon Walsh

Corporate Designer Voltaire Corpuz

Editorial submissions kisanne@consultaustralia.com.au

Advertising enquiries info@consultaustralia.com.au

AWARDS Congratulations to AECOM Transport Technical Director, Athena Venios, who was awarded the Judy Raper Award for Leadership at the annual UNSW Women in Engineering Awards presentation, held in Sydney last week. Athena has been a dedicated leader and mentor over her 20-year engineering career, highlights of which include leadership of transport and infrastructure programs for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

Congratulations to following National Women in Construction (NAWIC) Award winners: Samantha McWilliam, WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, who won the Built Project Manager Award (NSW) for Sydney Metro City and Southwest; Jane Moran, Aurecon and Penny Campbell, WSP |

Consulting Matters is produced by Consult Australia. Phone: (02) 9922 4711.

Website: www.consultaustralia.com.au

Consult Australia and the Australian Institute of Project Management have signed a MOU in recognition of their ongoing cooperation. The MOU identifies synergies and a non exhaustive list of shared objectives between the two organisations, and provides a platform for joint co-operation and representation. Consult Australia CEO, Megan Motto, said “With infrastructure and building in Australia heading to the realm of complex mega-projects, Project Management skills are critical to deliver projects on time, on budget and with confidence. Consult Australia is thrilled to have developed this partnership to demonstrate our commitment to project management professionalisation in Australia.”

NEW MEMBERS (since July 2016) AALTO Acciona Infrastructure Australia ACS Engineers (Aust) Pty Ltd Arcadium Design Bryant Concepts (Aust) Elegant Engineering JCIS Consultants Law & Dawson Pty Ltd Salients

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Consulting Matters

Industry updates

From the President Most of our state governments are working towards improving their procurement practices, and are working towards becoming “model clients”, so that they can be role models for industry. In a recent media release, Consult Australia set out to define what constitutes a ‘model client’.

projects, and achieving mutually beneficial outcomes rather than seeking to ‘beat’ industry.”

One of Consult Australia’s foremost advocacy positions over the last 12 months has been to advocate for best practice procurement and fairer contracts, particularly with respect to government contracts. Consult Australia has been championing this cause through various channels. We have published position papers and reports, supported Government enquiries into better procurement practices, and participated in joint industry workshops on procurement. This advocacy has taken place at both Federal and State Government levels.

We have demonstrated that better procurement practices and fairer contracts, will in fact bring down the cost of contracts to governments, as firms will not have to price for the additional layers of risk that are created through poor procurement practices and unfair contracts. Our “More for Less” and “Better Buying, Better Outcomes” reports have informed this debate, and have been used as inputs to procurement enquiries that have been initiated by a number of states.

Most of our state governments are working towards improving their procurement practices, and are working towards becoming “model clients”, so that they can be role models for industry. In a recent media release, Consult Australia set out to define what constitutes a ‘model client’.

“Practically, being a model client means working collaboratively with industry on

It is generally accepted that to be a ‘model client’ government agencies should: • operate in good faith and act ethically, fairly, and honestly in all dealings • never use status, power or authority to gain unfair benefit or advantage

There is still a lot of work to be done, but through collaborative efforts with government and other industry bodies, we should see an improvement in procurement practices used by Federal and State Governments. This will save governments and industry both time and money during the procurement process. It should also reduce litigation in the industry, which is obviously a desirable outcome for all parties.

• undertake appropriate risk assessment, management and allocation • avoid use of non-standard contracts and explain why variations occur • be clear, consistent, and transparent in procurement and delivery methodology • naintain open and constructive communication between all necessary parties • foster productive and healthy working relationships throughout the supply chain • avoid making assumptions about industry capacity or capability • keep costs and documentation requirements to a minimum • deal with all potential suppliers and existing suppliers equally • provide clear, well structured, accurate briefs • allow reasonable review and response times • review lessons learned and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Andrew Mather President

What’s happening at Consult Australia

Consulting Matters

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From the CEO We live in a society where we want more for less and where we want to ‘buy better and get better outcomes’ for our money.

It’s reflected in everything around us.

The sharing economy promises all of the benefits of transport/accommodation etc, but with less cost, commitment and responsibility. Politically we live in an era where the entitlement culture dictates that we want more services and protections, but simultaneous tax cuts.

Whilst the idea is great, it’s not always that straight forward.

For example, we all know instinctively that paying less for inferior products in our lives (the shoes, the car, the dishwasher) can and usually does lead to more expense and headaches down the track. We also know it’s not just about price. The fit/size has to be right. It has to do the job we want it to. We want to feel confident with its capability to deliver. We want to know we can get it fixed in the future if a problem arises. We want it to be beautiful and respected. We want it to be used.

Infrastructure and buildings are no different.

So too, in procurement of design, building and construction works (be it for large infrastructure projects or a residential dwelling), clients want more bang for their buck. Often this translates to lowest cost selection (which has damaging long term consequences), without much consideration of the corresponding innovation or quality trade-offs, but it can also result in suppliers incorrectly raising expectations of outcomes which they cannot deliver, potentially resulting in costly litigation down the track.

Consult Australia not only understands but supports clients being smarter in their choices to drive efficiency dividends, but in a complex delivery environment those choices

which will deliver the best outcomes are not always the most obvious or convenient. They are not achieved, for example, by adding unnecessary complexity to briefs, nor by simply transferring risk through the supply chain. This is why Consult Australia has committed significant resources over many years to become experts in procurement in our industry – so that we can help to inform and encourage better decision making which will in turn deliver more return for investment.

In the last year Consult Australia delivered a number of landmark reports looking at the quantitative and qualitative costs of poor procurement practices in Australia with regards to public infrastructure projects. This issue of Consulting Matters highlights some of that work, and how it is being used to lobby government clients around the country to improve procurement practices in order to achieve not just the time, quality and cost improvements available, but to enhance innovation, skills and relationships over the longer term.

Over the course of the next year we will look to further deepen and consolidate that expertise on behalf of private sector consultants so watch this space for more to come.

On that note, Consult Australia itself has been engaged in a process of delivering more for less for our members. Members renewing this year might have noticed that a new algorithm was applied to membership subscriptions which reduced the price of membership for all firms, but especially making ongoing membership more affordable for smaller and medium sized members. In addition to reducing fees, however, over the same period we have INCREASED services (introducing ConsultHR and ConsultED) to provide even more value. And we’ve done so whilst maintaining our strong advocacy work and events program.

In the last year Consult Australia delivered a number of landmark reports looking at the quantitative and qualitative costs of poor procurement practices in Australia with regards to public infrastructure projects.

Speaking of our events program—don’t miss our annual Awards for Excellence dinner in Melbourne on 25th November. It’s a great opportunity to celebrate our ingenuity and commercial prowess, and to give a nod to excellence in all its glitter (the theme this year is disco)! Tickets are on sale now.

We know that we must also demonstrate excellence in providing value for our members in an increasingly competitive association landscape. It is this knowledge that keeps us on our toes. But it is also this that helps us drive innovation, productivity and efficiency. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how the private sector thrives.

Megan Motto Consult Australia

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Consulting Matters

What’s happening at Consult Australia

Introducing new board member - Sue Holliday Sue Holliday is Professor of Planning Practice at UNSW, and Managing Director of Strategies for Change, an urban strategy consultancy. Sue had a long career in the public service in NSW after arriving in Australia in 1978. She was Director General of Planning in NSW from 1997 to 2003. She was the National President of the Planning Institute of Australia from 2005-7. Sue has been held various Board roles since 1997. She was a Director of the Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation from 2004-10; President of the NSW Building Professionals Board until June 2013; Chair of the Built Environment Industry Innovation Council from 2008-12, a member of the COAG Expert Panel on Cities; and a member of the National Housing Supply Council and a member of the High Speed Rail advisory council. Sue chairs the ANU Campus Development Committee, and is currently a Director of Hume Community Housing Association as well as Consult Australia.

Building a strong reputation for competence and collaboration is the other key factor for success. Without that the global opportunities will bypass the sector.

ConsultHR

Consult Australia introduces ConsultHR

ConsultHR is an online web-based subscription tool that enables businesses to comply with current Australian industrial relations laws and demonstrate best practice in their human resources, industrial relations and work health and safety management.

You can view ConsultHR here or get more information by clicking here.

1. W hat are the biggest issues facing the consulting sector in Australia?

Skills and reputation. Finding the right people with the advanced skills is essential for success whether working in infrastructure, IT, or government policy and advisory. And the right people are not only technicians, but also people with the ability to work in teams and to build relationships with clients and communities. We must also support companies to grow IT skills and knowledge as the business world transitions to a more knowledge based economy.

Building a strong reputation for competence and collaboration is the other key factor for success. Without that the global opportunities will bypass the sector.

2. Why did you accept appointment to the Board and what would you like to achieve?

Working with Consult Australia gives me the opportunity to help build the education programs to support members with the right skills for the future. This includes working with government and the community. And because I have had a long background in the government sector, I also hope to be able to broaden the membership base to include consulting firms outside our strong engineering membership. I hope my role on the Board will strengthen the strategic thinking about how we can best support our members.

Consulting Matters

AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

INDUSTRY DINNER Tickets now on sale!

Click here to register

Event details Friday, 25 November 2016 Pullman Melbourne on the Park 6:30pm til late Black tie

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Consulting Matters

What’s happening at Consult Australia

Policy update – Federal Election After a record length campaign, the first double dissolution election in 30 years, and almost two weeks of counting, the Federal Parliament is now in full swing.

The incumbent Turnbull Coalition Government experienced a national swing against it of over 3 per cent. Put more simply the Coalition won 76 seats in the lower house (down from 90 seats in the last Parliament), out of 150 seats, giving them the slimmest of majorities.

The tight election outcome of the 2016 election is not that surprising when you look at previous results, not just domestically, but across the world. For example there were shock election results in Victoria, Queensland and recently in the Northern Territory, where incumbent first term Governments were voted out after just one term.

For political analysts it is becoming particularly difficult to predict how the electorate will vote. This was recently demonstrated in the United Kingdom where the decision to abandon its membership of the European Union shocked the entire world, not just the United Kingdom. If we look to the United States Donald Trump a reality television star could well become the next leader of the free world, something most political observers wouldn’t have predicted.

While the Turnbull Government did get over the line, the Labor party secured 69 seats, picking up an additional 14 seats in the lower house. However, the real winners from the 2016 election were independents and minor parties (including the likes of Pauline Hanson and Nick Xenophon) independents and minor parties now account for 5 seats in the House of Representatives.

The Senate crossbench now contains 11 Senators from minor parties and this is

the largest Senate crossbench since the expansion of the Senate in 1950.

Given the tight election result and the unknown factor that is the new Senate, the question is how will this impact on the longer term policy agenda, and how does this, or how will this impact on our member firms?

Importantly Consult Australia has worked hard with both the Government and Opposition to ensure that our agenda is still front and centre.

Much of the political agenda will focus on growing the economy and boosting the fragile economic position. This was the policy the Government took to the election and the focus for this term is squarely on the budget, promoting investment and productivity, and increasing living standards.

Importantly the Government acknowledges that Infrastructure is a key enabler of productivity across the economy and central to our international competitiveness.

We will focus our attention on ensuring the government understands the importance of moving beyond short term political thinking and focusing on the long term infrastructure that Australia so desperately needs and this will be at the core of our advocacy.

Additionally highlighting the need for new ideas and fresh thinking to stimulate productivity, jobs and growth is central to ensuring that our industry grows and can prosper in difficult economic times.

This focus has seen the Australian Government release their Smart Cities Plan that encapsulates much of what Consult Australia has long advocated; including alternative infrastructure funding, value capture, a Public Infrastructure Investment Strategy and leveraging debt.

While infrastructure will continue to be a key focus, it is important that Government understand that improvements to procurement can offer significant savings and better value for money outcomes for all governments. Additionally recognising the skills shortage that many firms are experiencing, and ensuing a long term pipeline of work, is vital if government is to achieve their ambitious infrastructure goals.

Despite the challenges of a slim majority in the lower house and a Senate cross bench that is equal to a football team, we know industry is crying out for certainty.

This will be the continued focus of Consult Australia during this term. We will continue to work with the Government, Opposition and Cross bench members of parliament to ensure that the firms operating in the build environment can prosper.

Ryan Bondar Senior Advisor, Policy & Government Relations

We believe that increased infrastructure investment that improves economic capacity and productivity must be the first policy response to the challenges arising from increasing congestion and the declining quality of life across Australia.

We believe that increased infrastructure investment that improves economic capacity and productivity must be the first policy response to the challenges arising from increasing congestion and declining quality of life across Australia.

What’s happening at Consult Australia

Consulting Matters

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Division Updates With varying market conditions around the country Consult Australia’s state and territory managers share their insights on key challenges and opportunities for our member firms.

ACT

NSW

Kevin Keith

Matthew Trigg On November 29th 2014, a promise to tear up a contract to deliver the $8 billion East West Link saw voters in Victoria remove a first-term government for the first time in 60 years. Industry involved was shocked a new government could refuse to honour a contract yet campaign strategists saw a new template as to how elections could be won.

In the ACT it is the promise to ‘tear up’ contracts over a substantial light-rail project which is dominating campaign even though the narrative surrounding the politicisation of long-term infrastructure projects is well documented: it costs the taxpayer when contracts are cancelled; it damages industry confidence; it raises sovereign risk issues and debilitates long-term planning.

So why is this happening and what can be done to avoid it?

It is happening for three reasons: a lack of understanding about debt creating short-term external pressures; leaders not communicating a vision of which infrastructure forms a part; and strategy not being implemented due to a clash of short-term reactive (media/political) and longer-term (economic/infrastructure) cycles.

Understanding debt. The conversation around the management of Australia’s debt since the GFC has become one-sided. Worldleading economists say debt-funded spending on good infrastructure is a good thing yet many believe the contrary due to rhetoric about the ‘national credit card’. An open discussion about debt and its relationship to reform and growth so as to address longer-term structural challenges in Australia’s economy is well overdue.

Stronger leadership. The Australian Overland Telegraph Line would not have been completed had jobs been all that was at stake. It was the vision to connect a growing nation with the developed world that led to people losing their lives to make it happen. Sir William Hudson’s would inspire 100,000 workers on the Snowy Mountains Scheme with his vision: “Let us all, from pick and shovel men to the top bosses, keep before us all the time that we are building the greatest work ever contemplated in this country and one which our Nation needs.”

Strategy. The key to retaining long term focus is strategy. Constant reinforcement of progress towards a vision; the development of clear objectives broken down to three to four-year milestones to overcome political cycles; tactics aligned to achieve those objectives.

If Australian cities are to rise to the infrastructure challenge a broader understanding of the relationship between good and bad debt, a strategic approach, and above all, leaders with vision are required.

National Strategic Partner

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Over the past year we have sought to further align the events and professional development being offered in New South Wales with our advocacy agenda and the varying needs of our member firms.

This has seen a range of highly successful events that have delivered not just clear value for participants, but that have directly helped us to improve the policy and business operating environment for those working in our industry.

For example, August saw the milestone Built Environment Meets Parliament forum presented by Consult Australia with the support of a range of other partner and supporting associations. Sponsored by the Minister for Planning and by UrbanGrowth NSW, this forum achieved tangible progress on a wide range of issues, including the NSW Opposition expressing strong support for greater adoption of value capture financing to unlock and bring forward more infrastructure projects and praising the long-standing work of Consult Australia in the area.

The strong pipeline of work and high levels of business confidence allow New South Wales to continue to be a test bed for a range of topics and formats that can then be rolled out for the benefit of member firms and their staff located throughout Australia.

This approach will see us deliver an event on Implementing a BIM Mandate in Sydney in October that aligns with our wider work on data and supporting the increasingly digital approaches used by our members. This work will continue and be further supported as the discussion is continued by similar events in Adelaide and Perth in the coming months.

Our events and advocacy work (as with all services by Consult Australia) is built on the feedback we receive from members. If there is a particular area you or your firm would like us to be more involved in, keep in mind that our door is always open.

National Strategic Partner

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Consulting Matters What’s happening at Consult Australia

NT

QLD

Jan Irvine

Stacey Rawlings Late August saw a change in government for the Northern Territory (NT) and as at the time of writing only the Chief Minister Michael Gunner, Treasurer Nicole Manison and Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Natasha Fyles had been sworn in.

Once final polls are declared the remainder of Cabinet will follow.

The NT Division’s focus over the past 12 months on not only strengthening relationships with Cabinet Ministers but also building them with the Shadow Ministry should stand us in good stead to continue our strong connection with both the Northern Territory Government (NTG), Department of Infrastructure (DoI) and the Department of Business (DoB).

The NT is part of a global economy and trade and investment are the NT’s lifeblood. With a strong focus on Developing the North at both a Territory and Federal level, the NT Government’s (NTG's) Asian Engagement, Trade and Investment strategic plan outlines the NTG's direction for international engagement over the next five years, from 2015 to 2020.

A strong private sector is central to this plan, and for the creation of greater wealth for the NT through international trade and investment.

Critical enablers for the private sector include the ability to identify, connect and strengthen engagement with suitable international investors to attract new investment, including investment in the development of major infrastructure. The NT consulting sector must ensure our capacities and capabilities are promoted and well known to both the NTG and investors so we are better positioned to tender for contracts – and win them.

An integral piece of the puzzle for a strong future is the ability of our industry to retain ongoing capability through highly engaged, motivated and committed staff. Recent reports show Australia faces a shortage of high-skill candidates within our industry, so with skills in short supply, employers need to maximise their existing human capital investment.

Our NT October Industry Breakfast, as part of October Business Month, will explore the above and examine how best to position your business for success and help build a strong future for the Territory.

The event details can be found on the NT page of our website www.consultaustralia.com.au The Division will continue to engage and work collaboratively with the Government to achieve best possible business outcomes for our members, which in turn will support our industry to sustainably deliver best possible outcomes to its clients and the greater community.

Recent weeks have seen Queensland play witness to what can only be described as a game of political ping pong. The back and forth comes as our state and federal governments try to reach a decision over funding for the M1/M3 upgrade in South East Queensland.

As yet, no decision has been made and it appears we have reached a stalemate.

Which begs the question, how can we move beyond the political back and forth and push forward to ensure that Queensland’s productivity enhancing infrastructure is built at the right time, in the right place?

As one of the key freight routes between Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba and linking to the Port of Brisbane, the upgrade is critical to the economic development of the SEQ Region. In response, Infrastructure Australia has recently added the project to its priority list.

The importance of this project is not just related to the jobs that will be generated through the individual project’s design and construction phases, but to providing the best path forward for the long term good of the state and country.

Further, projects like the M1/M3 upgrade are crucial to Queensland’s ability to retain key skills. Queensland is facing the real risk of losing these skills to the more abundant amount of projects down south which presents the additional risk of project costs of Queensland infrastructure projects rising. The Queensland market has been very competitive and government has consequently reaped the financial benefits. These savings from a competitive market could be redirected to priority projects and spur much needed activity.

We are in a no-win situation where the election cycle is the main driver for project announcements, with projects required to be shovel-ready within the cycle. Getting the right project at the right time involves effective planning, and effective planning takes time.

We urge the Government to increase their investment in pipeline development - upfront planning, business cases and pre-construction work to ensure projects are shovel-ready. Past project savings could be redirected to this cause! However the balance needs to be right.

There is no point investing in planning for projects that lose political support.

This leaves us with the question, are the structures in place via Building Queensland and Infrastructure Australia enough to de-politicise the decision making process for Queensland’s future infrastructure needs?

If not, we all need to consider, what else needs to happen.

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What’s happening at Consult Australia Consulting Matters

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SA

VIC & TAS

Consulting firms operating in the built and natural environment often need to work within the contractual environment of a public sector faced with the challenge of operating within a political environment that does not tolerate failure and is increasingly risk averse. Often, public sector agencies include onerous terms in contracts without understanding their implications for insurance cover, or the less desirable project outcomes they may drive. If external legal advice is relied upon by public sector agencies, a failure to understand the differences between contractors and consultants and their respective business models may also play a role in the inclusion of onerous terms.

Our Victorian Regional Managers from member firms have hosted a lunch for the Victorian Treasurer, The Hon Tim Pallas on the 23 August, hosted by Colin Biggers & Paisley. Our members had the opportunity to exchange views on current policy objectives. We were pleased to hear the Victorian budget builds on the strength of the Victorian economy to deliver the things that matter the most – hospitals, schools, jobs, transport and our quality of life.

Jan Irvine

Under these conditions, a collaborative procurement culture becomes a significant factor in delivering best value for money outcomes – for the government, for the community, and for the State’s economy.

Past experience shows a collaborative approach that sees procurement as a relationship based on trust rather than a process will ultimately drive more successful project outcomes. Unfortunately, an early collaborative approach often does not occur, and the ability and willingness of government departments, agencies and industry to engage in meaningful discussion and negotiation becomes paramount to deliver best possible outcomes for all.

The Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) conducted a procurement review over the past months and in late July released: •A discussion paper and draft guidelines for proposed changes to the Building Prequalification System; and •R evised Special Conditions of Contract and Annexure to the Australian Standard General Conditions of Contract for Consultants AS4122-2010.

These proposed amendments to the prequal system and contract conditions caused considerable concern to our members and the wider consulting industry. The aspects of these changes related to the abolishment of a pre qual system for the Discipline Professional Services Contractors, clauses on ‘fit for purpose’, standards of care, variations and notice periods, novation deeds, changes to ownership, subcontracting and liability.

The Division is working with the Australia Institute of Architects SA (AIA) and the Association of Consulting Architects SA (ACA) in response to the proposed changes and further discussions are scheduled with the Department to achieve best practice procurement which in turn will support our industry to deliver best possible outcomes to its clients and allow the best possible public infrastructure outcomes from limited budgets.

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Zeina Iesa

What happens when the traditional structure of insurance policies meets emerging forms of technology? Our members expressed an interest to learn more in this area and we were fortunate to engage PI Pathway partner, Planned Cover, to assist our members in understanding the impact on insurance cover of specific technologies like BIM. Colin Biggers & Paisley, Partner, Patrick Tuohey, also shared his expertise in professional indemnity litigation.

Making the most of government infrastructure investment is becoming increasingly important, in terms of unlocking development potential, capturing some of the value uplift to create stronger business cases, and enabling funds to go even further! The Victorian division together with, Weston Williamson Architects and AECOM, hosted an invitation only breakfast briefing to discuss the latest insights on best-practice implementation of value capture and how it has been effectively utilised in transit-orientated-development (TOD).

In early October, the Tasmanian division is hosting a seminar on Contractual Liabilities and Insurance. Darren Pavic, Broking Manager, Bovill Risk & Insurance Consultants will explore the evolving world of client drafted contracts, how they impact upon your professional indemnity insurance and the extent to which you can transfer your contractual risk to your insurer.

Are you interested in becoming part of the Tasmanian Division committee? Please register your interest, by emailing zeina@consultaustralia.com.au

National Strategic Partner

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12

Consulting Matters What’s happening at Consult Australia

WA

Steve Coghlan The Perth Transport Plan – Transport @ 3.5 Million The recent release of the Perth Transport Plan for 3.5 Million People and Beyond is a welcomed step towards better long term infrastructure planning for the State of Western Australia. Whilst the plan makes a significant contribution towards identifying long term transport infrastructure requirements for the State, it unfortunately lacks critical and necessary detail which would best serve the people of Perth and Peel as we head towards an estimated population of 3.5 million by 2050.

Of course one of the most feasible ways to overcome such deficiencies, as continually advocated by Consult Australia, is for the State’s long term infrastructure planning to be undertaken by an independent statutory authority (Infrastructure WA) by tasking it with the development of a rolling 30 year infrastructure plan for the State.

Whilst there are mentions in the plan of the need to consider alternative financing methods like value capture and the impact of technological advancements like autonomous vehicles, a lack of key fundamental details like estimated costs, prioritisation of projects, and a clear link of each forecasted requirement to key population growth milestones, means that the plan falls short of what is needed to help shore up Perth’s overall vision.

Without this crucial detail it is hard to see how identified infrastructure requirements within the plan all contribute to ensuring Perth, and the greater State of WA, remains one of the most liveable places on the planet.

An economic forecast for consulting in the built and natural environment On sale now To purchase your copy go to http://bit.ly/2016economicforecast

Only business case proven, priortised infrastructure planning, which is devoid of the politics of the day (at least initially anyway) will help ensure the State’s future long term social and economic prosperity.

The establishment of an independent statutory authority in WA is the way forward.

National Strategic Partner

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What’s happening at Consult Australia Consulting Matters

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Consulting Matters What’s happening at Consult Australia

January – June

2016

& ADVOCACY HIGHLIGHTS

WINS

BEST PRACTICE PROCUREMENT & FAIRER CONTRACTS Campaigning for fair allocation of risk between contracting parties, standard contract terms and liability reform at all levels of government:  Supporting the New South Wales Procurement Inquiry, Consult Australia NSW’s detailed submission collates and builds on our More for Less and Better Buying, Better Outcomes reports. We provided further detailed evidence in the public hearings supporting the Inquiry and are working closely with Committee members as they deliberate on evidence collected thus far.  A roundtable with Consult Australia Qld and Director General (DG)’s/Deputy DG’s from five government agencies including – Premier and Cabinet (DPC); Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning (DILGP), Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), Queensland Health (QH) and Department of Housing and Public Works (HPW) established a detailed conversation around better procurement. Following this meeting Consult Australia has now established monthly meetings with DG, DILGP and has met with the DG QH and the Minister for HPW to progress our priorities.  Consult Australia Qld was invited by HPW to workshop the recommendations from the Interdepartmental Committee Review of Procurement that captured many of Consult Australia’s recommendations. In addition Consult Australia participated in a workshop with scheme managers of the Whole of Government Engineering Consultant Scheme as they develop the next iteration of the Scheme.  Consult Australia WA and NSW are advancing the case for Proportionate Liability reform: In WA a high level meeting with the State Solicitors Office has seen us escalate our concerns to the Minister for Finance the Hon Bill Marmion, Small Business Commissioner David Eaton, Department of Main Roads, Building Management and Works, and the Water Corporation of WA. In NSW our recommendations for reform have been positively received by the Inquiry into the Procurement of Government Infrastructure and with key ministers. We have been working with our member firms in WA and NSW to collect the most current industry data and case studies explaining and illustrating the benefits of reform afresh.  Consult Australia NT meetings with Opposition Leader Michael Gunner, Shadow Minister Nicole Manison, and CEO of the Department of Mines and Energy, Ron Kelly alongside working groups with the NT Department of Infrastructure and Department of Business continue to deliver procurement reform for our member firms including a review of standard form contracts.

Consult Australia ACT working closely with the ACT  Government to improve procurement practices through joint industry workshops, meeting with Local Industry Advocate Kate Lundy, Minister for Productivity and Assistant Minister

for Finance Dr Peter Hendy MP, submitted to the Draft Local Industry Participation Plan.

STRONGER, MORE COLLABORATIVE BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS Fostering more productive working relationships between consulting firms and private and public sector clients across jurisdictions:  Through the Australian Construction Industry Forum, Consult Australia met with the Hon Karen Andrews, Assistant Minister for Science to discuss the Government’s construction productivity agenda. Discussion focused on the current consultation being progressed through Building Ministers nationally seeking input into strategies to address risks associated with non-conforming building products.  In the aftermath of the NSW Budget Consult Australia NSW was pleased to brief Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer Matt Kean MP and Shadow Treasurer Ryan Park MP on our business and infrastructure priorities as part of FutureNet’s politics in the pub.

SAFER, SUSTAINABLE & MORE PRODUCTIVE WORKPLACES Improving access to skilled workers against identified shortages: Following a detailed review, Consult Australia’s position  in relation to the National Registration of Engineers has evolved. With the effective disbanding of the National Engineering Registration Board we face significant increased risk of multiple incompatible registration schemes that impose new, substantial and unnecessary cost and compliance burdens on member firms. Consult Australia is opposed to the further development of nationally inconsistent registration schemes across the states and territories.

This does not affect Consult Australia’s ongoing advocacy for the highest appropriate professional standards, skills and competencies as recognised through the delivery of effective professional training, accreditation and qualifications for all those employees of all disciplines employed by our member firms.

Facilitating a more diverse workforce, with ensuing productivity benefits across the industry: Consult Australia’s Champions of Change program is being  reinvigorated under the leadership of Coleen MacKinnon as Champions of Change Program Director. The Champions have met to discuss the work program ahead, including the re-activation of the Consult Australia Diversity and Inclusion Roundtable, which will now become the Champions of Change Implementation Leaders group. The Champions will be working on a scorecard to benchmark progress and showcase best practice.

What’s happening at Consult Australia Consulting Matters

BETTER URBAN ENVIRONMENTS & INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT Sharing our firms’ expertise to deliver more evidence-based public policy outcomes; supporting investment in infrastructure providing more productive, liveable and sustainable urban environments: Consult Australia welcomed Infrastructure Australia's  release of the Australian Infrastructure Plan. Many of the 78 recommendations reflect Consult Australia priorities, including road user charging and new models for financing infrastructure, integrated strategic planning and a longer-term vision for Australia's project pipeline. Consult Australia is quoted in the Plan noting our emphasis on the importance of managing risk and building resilience in the delivery of infrastructure in the face of extreme weather events and climate change.

Government’s Smart Cities Plan  The Australian encapsulates much of what Consult Australia has long advocated; including alternative infrastructure funding, value capture, a Public Infrastructure Investment Strategy and leveraging debt. Consult Australia was invited by Ministers Taylor, Fletcher and Hunt alongside the Prime Minister to participate in the Cities Summit identifying the next steps to implement the Plan. Consult Australia’s submission in response to the Plan, and our subsequent advocacy with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, and the Prime Minister’s Office emphasises the importance of governance, accountability and financing to deliver City Deals with real productivity benefits.

Our Federal Election Platform, Six Ideas for Infrastructure,  urged all political parties to move beyond short term political thinking and focus on long term infrastructure demands.

Our recommendations focus on planning and delivering the infrastructure for the future and maximising value for money for the taxpayer. Consult Australia SA was pleased to host Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science the Hon Christopher Pyne MP to discuss our priorities at an exclusive pre-Election breakfast.  Consult Australia provided evidence at the Federal Transport Connectivity Inquiry considering opportunities to capture value uplift from infrastructure. Joined by Joe Langley of AECOM, and further to our submission, Consult Australia provided evidence drawing on our Value Capture Roadmap.

Consult Australia Vic & SA launched our Valuing Better  Engagement framework discussing the importance of communicating the commercial return from effective stakeholder engagement. The potential for the Framework to help improve the understanding of the real value of engagement practices for infrastructure delivery has been welcomed by both government and industry.  Following the Qld State Infrastructure Plan, Consult Australia participated in a Symposium with the QLD Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning to discuss future infrastructure funding. Joined by the Hon Jackie Trad

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MP, Deputy Premier, Minister for Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning and Minister for Trade and Investment, Consult Australia’s Value Capture Roadmap was a noted point of reference.

Building Queensland's Infrastructure Pipeline Report  reflects Consult Australia’s close working relationship with Building Queensland, and we are pleased to be acknowledged as a key stakeholder in the development of report supporting our recommendations for better long-term infrastructure planning in Queensland, and to create greater certainty for business.

Infrastructure Victoria’s discussion paper All things considered,  and our submission, reflects Consult Australia Vic’s advocacy for a more transparent long-term infrastructure pipeline supported by integrated strategic planning.

Recent discussions with Infrastructure Tasmania Chief  Executive Alan Garcia introduced Consult Australia, highlighting the opportunities for our members to support a longer term infrastructure plan for the State. We look forward to building this relationship in the months ahead towards the delivery of a long-term plan.

Consult Australia ACT delivered the inaugural State of the  Territory Address with ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr; this followed senior engagement with ACT Planning Minister, CEO of Land Development Agency, Director Generals of Department of Environment and Planning, Department of Economic Development and the CEO of the National Capital Authority to discuss long-term planning, sustainability, value capture and infrastructure delivery across the Capital Region.

INDUSTRY INNOVATION, GROWTH & EXCELLENCE Showcase industry excellence, lead innovation and the adoption of new technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Integrated Project Delivery (IPD); delivering a more competitive industry in the longer term:  Consult Australia SA released our position statement Building a Nuclear Future for South Australia broadly supporting the findings from the SA Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission.  Consult Australia ACT delivered the first ACT ‘SMART WEEK’ with Data 61 and the ACT Government Digital Transformation Officer

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Consulting Matters Features

Better data, better decisions: Integrating capital planning and facility management How are major infrastructure owners like Sydney Opera House and Melbourne Airport using data integration to get better buying outcomes?

The system contains a multitude of valuable asset information showing the true cost of the asset during the operational phase, and can provide vital insight for procurement strategies, not simply like for like replacement.

Procurement strategy is in the midst of a major shift. It is moving away from a financial-based decision process, to one that involves innovative engineering-based buying criteria at the design phase.

BIM Integrating BIM with the CMMS is a major evolution in the facilities management industry. BIM starts during construction and can produce a full asset database that can be taken through to operations thereby supporting an end to end whole of life approach.

True return on investment is also being measured by taking into account longevity, reliability, ongoing maintenance costs and energy consumption. This is underpinned by ISO 55000 and the need for financial surety in capital forecasting. As a result a holistic five to 25 year outlook is becoming the standard for asset management.

As Building Information Modelling (BIM) becomes the norm in Australia, we have an ever-increasing amount of data coming from various sources.

But the challenge is how we leverage this data for procurement to make better buying decisions based on engineering criteria.

There are many tools available, but if they are used on their own their collective benefit may not be obvious—integration is needed so that the data can be collected to support lifecycle reporting and decision making.

When developed to meet its true operational potential, typical procurement questions in terms of installed capacities, equipment quantities and even the length of pipe, can be answered with accuracy.

Key information can be provided for procurement purposes, taking the guess work out of projects and reducing the need for contingencies.

We can also model the impact for new procurement strategies to understand the impact of energy and associated cost savings. BIM provides many advantages, not only supporting procurement but also lowering the cost of installation when managed correctly.

Major infrastructure owners including the Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Airport and Australian Parliament House integrate their data as well as retrofit BIM for their facilities.

Let’s look at some of the engineering based tools that they are using to build a holistic approach to procurement.

Real-time locating systems (RTLS) The healthcare sector often tracks people for duress purposes as well as equipment usage purposes.

This is also applicable in the retail sector where people counters are deployed and similarly in universities where space utilisation is scheduled.

Heat maps of people movement can often be used to assist with different procurement decisions made for high use areas compared with low use areas and ultimately improve the return on investment. Areas showing high levels of heat indicate high levels of usage. By using the heat map as a reference it becomes very apparent that buying the same floor coverings and door locks for both high and low use areas does not make sense.

Automation Systems

When procuring for new or existing facilities incorporating additional monitoring within the automation systems can reduce overall operational costs during the asset lifecycle. In addition the provision of optimisation dashboards and tuning screens will increase the Building” where predictive maintenance is embedded longevity of the assets.

Building Automation - The Future

Moving towards a “Smart

Computerised Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) CMMS are underused from a procurement perspective as they are typically used to manage work orders and maintenance scheduling.

Yet these systems contain a wealth of information about the assets, and specifically the costs, associated with their upkeep.

Maintenance staff attend at regular intervals, this can be reduced (not eliminated).

Integrate

Optimise

Pre-emptive

• Integrate BMCS with a view to manage asset lifecycle • Starts per hour • Hours run

• Test real performance against modelled performance and optimise operations.

• Create intelligent assets that assist in diagnosis and reduce maintenance requirements

Maintenance staff are alerted before or when the asset fails saving time and money.

Maintenance staff are alerted Consulting Matters 17 Features before or when the asset fails saving time and money.

Maintenance staff attend at regular intervals, this can be reduced (not eliminated).

Better Data, Better Decisions

9 August, 2016

Page 1

People

Conclusion

Site experience cannot be understated, and valuable staff input should be gathered in a structured workshop environment. Understanding the intricacies of a facility, or the business requirements, is a people function that must be included in the procurement process.

While we are fortunate to have so much data at our fingertips, integration is necessary to truly realise its potential for better procurement. If data across systems is consistent, it can be effectively managed which leads to a reduction in overall costs, improved response times for maintenance, increased lifespan of assets, enhanced visitor experiences and improved business efficiency.

As far as practical, people knowledge should be captured and kept active within the CMMS and BIM for ongoing reference.

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Consulting Matters Features

Re-imagining engineering through leadership in design AS THE WORLD BECOMES INCREASINGLY COMPLEX, AMBIGUOUS AND VOLATILE, CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE DESIGN MUST UNDERPIN THE WAY WE FRAME AND SOLVE PROBLEMS FACING HUMANITY AND OUR ENVIRONMENT.

Engineering design has obviously always had a vital role to play in delivering our built environment and infrastructure. However, engineering design should be more than having an understanding of technical specifications and applying these to deliver new infrastructure. It is true that as engineers we help deliver projects in a technically sound, cost effective and fit-for-purpose way.

But we can and should bring a greater level of imagination to our role.

I believe as consulting engineers, we are undervaluing the opportunities created by embracing 'engineering-led' design where grand challenges and deep aspirations are solved in the macro scale through the system thinking engrained in engineering design.

But for that to hold true our profession needs to embrace the view that delivering truly meaningful design solutions requires acknowledging the importance of human centric thinking to the same level as system thinking. Equally, we have fallen into a habit of not clearly and confidently communicating how engineers can play such a pivotal role in designing and delivering places and infrastructure for future generations.

Remember we have done this before!

Think of engineering visionaries, such as C. Y. O'Connor, who in 1896 devised a pipeline scheme in Western Australia larger than anything ever attempted in the world to that date, which still delivers potable water to Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie. Or

In the recent past, we have allowed our professionals to become less recognised— even undervalued. The power of engineered design has been subsumed across our profession by too much focus on delivering conventional systems and operating within narrowly-defined functional elements. We have become supporters of design, rather than incubators of innovation to create unique solutions.

Great engineering visionaries and designers must not remain discipline bound; they should become discipline integrators. Change is being forced upon every one of us. In the same way that computing and robotics have disrupted blue collar businesses, these advances are disrupting professional services like ours. In our profession, this disruption comes in many forms.

J.J.C. Bradfield who, as engineer in charge of Sydney Harbour Bridge, had a vision to unite Sydney’s topography and in doing so, created a bridge design that had built-in capacity for growth. Or I. K. Brunel who, as an engineering giant, changed the face of the British landscape.

As engineers, I believe we have two options.

Continue as we are and be commoditised, or embrace a disrupted future and become better designers and innovators. We have the opportunity to create ‘custodians’ of the quality of design and take the talent and experience embedded within our profession to advise and influence policy makers, clients, academia and communities.

As engineers, I believe we have two options— continue as we are and be commoditised, or embrace a disrupted future and become better designers and innovators. We have the opportunity to create ‘custodians’ of the quality of design and take the talent and experience embedded within our profession to advise and influence policy makers, clients, academia and communities.

We must question everything, and seek to understand change. Our industry-wide philosophy must be to embrace, not fear, business and marketplace disruption. Our challenge is to focus on problem finding and problem solving for clients and explore the essence of great design, just as the best design engineers did in the past.

We can steer thinking away from expedient, short term economic and political solutions.

We can become creators of both elegant and functional solutions to address societies’ big challenges, if we imbed ourselves within the process and with a passion for design.

This means building strong, design-focused relationships with the marketplace that empower our best designers and allow them to imagine and connect deeply with projects.

Our creative objective should be to better conceptualise, provoke, refine, plan and deliver excellence across the lifecycle of projects— for whomever they resonate or impact.

Features Consulting Matters

We can steer thinking away from expedient, short term economic and political solutions. We can become creators of both elegant and functional solutions to address societies’ big challenges, if we imbed ourselves within the process and with a passion for design.

The design heritage of engineers stretches back for millennia. We continue this passion and heritage today but to honour it truthfully, we must constantly strive to add greater design value to our projects and communities.

We must be bold in the solutions we seek and ultimately deliver. The futures of unborn generations depend on it.

Dr Kourosh Kayvani Global Director, Excellence & Expertise Aurecon

SERVICE EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION 2016: DRIVING BUSINESS VALUE NEW format and structure: Two day intensive program October 10-11, 2016 This two-day residential management course focuses on business excellence for technical professionals with key topics including: Service Excellence and Innovation 2016 addresses the core issue for engineers, architects and other technical professionals: how to create additional value for clients, and therefore drive the volume and price of professional services up for your firm/ department.

Cost: $2,750 excluding GST The fee includes full residential costs, meals and comprehensive materials.

Registration: For more information and to register, contact Professor Daniel Samson on (03) 8344 5344 or d.samson@unimelb.edu.au

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Consulting Matters Features

Do relationships still matter in the new world of procurement and technology?

Through recent economic downturns, the power of procurement functions has escalated as organisations try to efficiently manage the buying process and reduce costs. This has challenged many professional services providers who relied on technical relationships to win work.

ideas, insights and contacts to the people with who you want to have relationships.

Sharing ideas with leaders in buying organisations that may help their procurement decisions could also help strengthen your relationship. These include:

The world of buying is shifting again through new technologies and apps that claim to make it easier for buyers, by facilitating the easy comparison of features and price, without ever having to speak to anyone.

1. E nsuring everyone in the buying organization, including procurement, understands the long term strategy. Thus everyone is aligned, right down to each procurement decisions they make.

No surprise that professional services leaders ask—does this mean relationships don’t matter anymore?

2. S uggesting that every RFP going to market ‘starts with why’ (as Simon Sinek would say). It has to state why this project is important and how it aligns to the strategy.

Most RFPs start with ‘what’ the project is—in isolation of ‘why’. Enforcing this will impact which projects go to market and the procurement process.

Why sales organisations need to break the pattern Sales organisations tend to take one of two paths in their approach to procurement: 1. They develop partner (rather than technical) relationships with economic buyers (rather than just technical buyers) in the buying organisation—facilitating the possible changing of buying criteria.

2. They comply with the procurement process, responding to each Request for Proposal (RFP) on an ad-hoc basis—lowering their revenue and margins.

Many sales organisations find the second option easier to manage and implement and they convince themselves it is the only way to win work.

I believe this approach is a death spiral. When buyers continually undercut, at some point they will go out of business or drop service levels, and the buying organisation either has nowhere left to buy their services, or buys services that are ineffective.

Whilst buying organisations will derive benefit from better buying decisions, the onus is on the sales organisation to make the first move.

How to break the pattern Rather than accept the process, sellers must break the pattern and build relationships prior to and during procurement processes.

According to PwC’s 19th Global CEO survey, there will be nearly a 50 per cent growth in customers seeking relationships with organisations that address wider stakeholder needs. That relationship is built through always adding value beyond your own technical area, even when there is no work

in it for you. Once trust is built you are far more likely to learn of new projects before procurement get involved, and maybe even be part of the project instigation team. Here are some ideas on how to build the trust: 1. S ay no to an RFP where there is no partner relationship with the economic buyer at the client.

2. If you do not bid, offer some free time to help the buyer choose between the bids they do receive.

3. U se the time you saved in not bidding to build a relationship with another economic buyer in your client base.

4. I f you lose a bid, before getting feedback, offer to give ideas on how the buyer might implement the successful bid—for free.

3. A pplying flexibility can also improve procurement. For example, some parts of government in Belgium decline the cheapest and most expensive proposal. This cuts out scalpers and those lowballing. Bidders put forward sensible and realistic pricing, and have to differentiate themselves in other ways.

4. S uggest the procurement function is under the direct remit of the Chief Financial Officer. Having that level of power take ownership of the procurement function provides the necessary link between strategy and procurement.

5. Have a three-year key client approach and focus on building relationships with economic buyers in those organisations even though there may be no revenue in the short term.

If your business is to have sustainable growth, then you need to be seen as completely different to your competition. To do that, do not comply with the norms for your industry and be incomparable through the relationships you develop. Otherwise, beware the death spirals.

6. D evelop the industry knowledge of your team in the industries in which your key clients sit. Then focus entirely in providing

Keith Dugdale The Business of Trust Co-author of Smarter Selling

According to PwC’s 19 th Global CEO survey, there will be nearly a 50% growth in customers seeking relationships with organisations that address wider stakeholder needs.

Features Consulting Matters

21

Infrastructure owners face a time of change Times have changed, and while we have heard these words in many contexts in the past, they are undeniably true for infrastructure ownership and operation.

Australia was one of the first economies to see infrastructure as an investment class.

Today competition for Public Private Partnerships (PPP) and capital recycling opportunities remains high. The market is also becoming more crowded, with the prospective deal flow reduced due to delays in Western Australian and Queensland asset sales.

Infrastructure is a long-term asset, with economic lives in excess of 50 years.

However, until recently investment by the private sector has focused on executing the transaction and getting the deal done.

As asset owners progress into the operation and maintenance stages of the asset cycle, they are now taking a longer-term view of their operations, beyond 'sweating' individual assets to optimising the value of their portfolio as a whole. There is recognition that the structures and contracts created for cost-effective and competitive bidding for the build and operate phases of projects may not be providing the optimal solution for a long-term owner. Owners are also focusing on risks emerging over the longer term that could result in unexpected capex requirements. They are investing in audits to identify these gaps and optimise expenditure to match regulatory regimes, with value to be gained from subsequent renegotiation of maintenance contracts.

Technology is also changing rapidly.

Infrastructure solutions that were valid five years ago may not be optimum now. For example, large-scale battery storage and renewable generation systems are evolving

GHD supported the development and privatisation of the Sydney Desalination Plan rapidly and challenging traditional power delivery solutions, particularly for remote communities. The ability to gain and analyse data cost effectively, turning big data into business benefits is driving adaptations in the infrastructure sector. Informed by data analytics, capacity upgrades and strategic enhancements can increase infrastructure performance, providing business benefits to owners and operators, and reducing the impact on the community compared to new build disruptions.

role of advisors is also changing. There is an increased demand for strategic advice that goes beyond the finance and accounting disciplines, and integrates insights from infrastructure design, delivery and operations experience.

The private sector is playing a bigger role in financing and operating infrastructure for the long-term, beyond conventional finance horizons. As investors move away from a ‘bid to win’ to a ‘bid to own’ mindset, the

Against this background, more specific challenges facing asset owners in Australia are becoming apparent.

Owners are also focusing on risks emerging over the longer term that could result in unexpected capex requirements. They are investing in audits to identify these gaps and optimise expenditure to match regulatory regimes, with value to be gained from subsequent renegotiation of maintenance contracts.

In the public sector, the role of advisors is not only to inform individual transactions, but also to deliver solid and meaningful business cases that enable governments to prioritise investment and improve service delivery.

•C hanging behaviour — Throughout its long history, the infrastructure sector has been tempted to build its way out of capacity issues without considering options for changing consumer behaviour and managing demand. The approach Infrastructure Victoria is adapting in developing a 30-year infrastructure strategy for the state is to raise public awareness of the pricing implications of current practices, to challenge how we use infrastructure and to consider shifts to a ‘user pays’ model, which links service outcomes to pricing.

•M anaging demand — If demand management becomes widely accepted as a way of deferring capital expansion, these

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Consulting Matters Features

GHD advised the NSW Treasury on the lease of Ports Botany and Kembla, and the Port of Newcastle.

principles can be applied across a variety of sectors. For example, utility companies may challenge design assumptions for achieving peak supply, often for short operating periods, at the cost of low asset utilisation and perceived ‘gold plating’ of infrastructure.

• Market-led proposals — All states and territories have now established frameworks that enable existing infrastructure owners to develop innovative and more efficient service outcomes from their existing asset base. Efficiencies can be achieved by optimising operations of an increased asset base and seeking synergies across the network. Value for money can be ensured through retaining competitive processes throughout the procurement process and benchmarking service costs against public sector comparators.

• Increased competition — An increase in global funds looking for investments is attracting global and local competitors into the infrastructure market. Governments can benefit from multiple parties interested in investing, potentially leading to improved levels of service, while addressing population growth and continued urbanisation.

• Technology change — Rapid advances in digital technology and use of data are accelerating the rate of technological obsolescence, while also facilitating improved demand management and optimisation of capital and operational expenditure.

GHD advised the NT Government on the Darwin Port transaction.

• Knowledge transfer — In order to remain competitive, Australia needs to stay at the forefront of technology and financial structures. Our location and small market mean owners need to make a conscious effort to truly leverage global experience.

• Low population / population density — Solutions for Australia are often unique because overseas developments may not be cost effectively applied here.

Promotion of local innovation is important to complement global insights.

These challenges are also opportunities to improve infrastructure delivery and

operations, and support the long-term sustainability of asset-owning businesses. In the last 10 years, Australia has come a long way in improving the performance of water, wastewater, waste management, transport and clean energy assets. As our urban areas continue to increase in housing density, the ability to learn, adapt and apply knowledge across sectors will become key.

Richard Fechner Executive Manager GHD Advisory Infrastructure Investment and Economics

Features Consulting Matters

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Does timber high-rise equal high risk?

Much of our building code has evolved from the Great Fire of London.

While timber is indeed a combustible material, in construction it has significant insulating properties and burns in a slow, predictable and measurable way.

The fire that wiped out 80 per cent of the city in 1666 led to the London Building Act of 1667 —the first that enabled surveyors to enforce its regulations.

Researchers in the UK, particularly those working with the Building Research Establishment (BRE), have found fire brigades prefer to enter a burning mass timber building than a steel and concrete one, because the timber building is less likely to collapse and does not release the same hazardous toxins.

It laid down that all houses were to be built in brick or stone, with the number of storeys and width of walls carefully specified. Three hundred and fifty years later, we still see construction above three storeys as risky business.

Researchers have also concluded that thick timber provides superior insulation and can outperform steel, which can buckle and otherwise deform in a fire.

But is it?

From 1 May, the National Construction Code will introduce a new ‘deemed-to-satisfy’ provision for timber buildings up to 25 metres, or eight storeys high—as long as they include a raft of requirements, such as fire sprinklers and fire-resistant cladding.

Regarding environmental impact—timber is our only truly renewable building material.

Wood has almost zero embodied energy because it’s grown with solar power.

Engineered wood in particular can be manufactured from fast-growing tree species.

This has the potential to change the way we build and the shape of our cities.

It may spark innovative and entrepreneurial builders, many of them in smaller companies, to look at medium-rise apartments in our middle-ring suburbs—and at prices that the average Australian can afford.

Changes to the code will accelerate the use of prefabrication and modular construction—a method that delivers a range of benefits.

Timber can be grown, manufactured and cut to size close to site, making for quicker and more cost-effective construction.

Economic modelling undertaken by Forest and Wood Products Australia has found the shorter construction times required for wooden buildings can save up to 15 per cent.

FWPA also estimates that the new code will provide a $103 million boost to the Australian economy over 10 years through environmental benefits, and reduced construction and compliance costs.

Timber is around 30 per cent lighter than concrete or steel, potentially cutting crane, scaffolding and foundation costs. At Frasers ‘The Green’ in Melbourne’s Parkville, for instance, concrete was used for the lower basement and ground floor, while timber

The space frame under construction. Photo courtesy of Carpenter Oak and Woodland

was used for the five storeys. This ensured lower loads on the foundation system, and saved around 25 per cent of built costs per apartment over conventional concrete.

The carbon benefits of the BCA’s decision will save even more. In operation, buildings created with engineered timber require significantly less energy to heat and cool—not to mention the carbon sequestering power of the wood itself. In fact, approximately 50 per cent of its dry weight is carbon.

By using cross-laminated timber, instead of concrete or steel, Lendlease eliminated around 1,450 tonnes of carbon dioxide at Forté, a 10-storey apartment development in Melbourne. This is the equivalent of removing 345 cars from the road for a year.

While the benefits stack up, should we be worried about fire and safety risks, illegal logging of forests and watered down construction standards?

Economic modelling undertaken by Forest and Wood Products Australia has found the shorter construction times required for wooden buildings can save up to 15 per cent.

A Yale University-led study published in March 2014 estimated that the world’s forests contain about 385 billion cubic metres of wood, with an additional 17 billion cubic metres growing each year. According to Professor Chad Oliver, director of the Global Institute of Sustainable Forestry at Yale, just 3.4 billion cubic metres is harvested annually.

“Swapping steel, concrete, or brick for wood and specially engineered wood equivalents would drastically cut global carbon dioxide emissions, fossil fuel consumption and represent a renewable resource—and this can be done without loss of biodiversity or carbon storage capacity,” Professor Oliver says.

And what about criticism that it will water down our building code? Ultimately, the change to the BCA brings Australia in line with other countries, and recognises the evolutions in construction and fireprotection technologies since 1666. Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain and Sweden all allow timber buildings of up to 20-storeys, while the United Kingdom allows 20 provided it includes sprinkler systems. Other countries ahead of the game include Iceland, France, the United States, Finland and Switzerland.

Will the Australian Building Code Board’s decision disrupt our business-as-usual thinking around construction? It will certainly encourage Australia’s construction industry to start thinking outside the box.

Tony Arnel Global Director of Sustainability Norman Disney & Young

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Consulting Matters Business essentials

Understanding Slip Resistance Laws In a recent article, we looked at how to reduce public falls and accidents. One point we championed for the reduction of public falls was the need for small slotted slipresistant grates in public areas. Well, it looks like legislators agreed with us, because new legislation surrounding slip resistance has been implemented. In this article, we’ll examine the real life implications of the test methodologies defined by recently released AS 4586 Slip resistance classification of new pedestrian surface materials, and explore how they are relevant to your next project.

The classifications are explained in the handbook HB 198 Guide to the specification and testing of slip resistance of pedestrian surfaces with a view to aid the designer in assigning the correct level of slip resistance for an application.

These tests determine ratings of slip resistance that are important to understand when undertaking a commercial or industrial project that requires drainage systems to be installed. They ensure that the appropriate level of slip resistance is applied to avoid slips and accidents.

Which level of slip resistance is right?

NSW Angel Place Sydney photo courtesy of ACO Australia.

When are slip resistance standards required?

All slip resistance standards and safety requirements must be rigorously adhered to in commercial and industrial projects in order to maintain public safety, increase access and avoid compensation claims. Pedestrian areas such as walkways, shopping centres, hospitals and other public areas require various levels of slip resistance as outlined by the classifications in HB 198. But it pays to keep in mind that standards for one project, for example an outdoor architectural installation, might be vastly different to, say, those for an indoor food service environment. Furthermore, the compatibility of floor finishes with adjacent grates is critical to avoid undesirable trip hazards. The safety requirements for such spaces will also vary greatly depending on WHS and disability access requirements.

ACO’s Heelsafe® Anti-Slip grates cover a range of slip resistant ratings to cater for drainage projects in a wide range of sites.

What are slip resistance ratings?

In order to assess the slip resistance of a grate or floor surface, three tests are specified in AS 4586 which measure slip resistance in various areas.

• The wet pendulum test can be applied for areas that become wet in the rain, such as stormwater grates.

• The wet-barefoot inclining platform test is designed for wet areas where shoes are not worn, such as water parks and beach areas.

• The third kind of test is designed for commercial and industrial areas that can become dirty with oil or grease. It is called the oil wet inclining platform test and is applied in internal industrial and commercial environments such as kitchens and food processing areas.

With the increase in litigation and compensation for injuries caused by slips and falls, designers must now closely consider specifying grates and floor surfaces that comply with the appropriate standard for slip resistance. However, this does not always mean installing a grate with a high level of slip resistance. Specifying a grate which is too slip resistant can be dangerous for the public and in fact contribute to an increase in public accidents and compensation claims.

Designers need to weigh up slip resistance ratings against other potential hazards.

For example, if a grate has a higher slip resistance rating than the surrounding floor surface, it could catch a toe or heel and cause a trip hazard.

The important thing is for designers not to lose sight of the main objectives when installing grates: ensuring the safety of patrons and providing exceptional surface drainage solutions.

How can I make my project slip resistant?

To help prevent public injuries, ACO believes that slip resistant grates should be implemented where possible. Each of our commercial grates complies with AS 4586 legislative requirements for slip resistance.

Our Heelsafe® Anti-Slip grates are available in stainless steel, ductile iron and plastic designs to suit applications in a wide range of projects. The grates feature raised mechanical nodes for tread durability and are designed to prevent small heels from becoming trapped. These industrial, residential and commercial grates comply with a number of Australian and international standards for pedestrian, wheelchair, bicycle and cane use.

To learn more about proper slip resistant grate specification, refer to www.heelsafe.com.au or call ACO on 1300 765 226.

ACO's Stainless 5 Star Heelsafe® Anti-Slip grate.

Consulting Matters

Heelsafe ® Anti-Slip trench drains

ACO’s pedestrian-friendly trench drains ACO’s extensive range of pedestrian-friendly grates ensure public safety by reducing potential falls and injuries. The grates comply with AS 4586 for slip resistance and AS 3996 for load rating requirements.

Heelsafe® Anti-Slip grates are available in a choice of stainless steel, ductile iron and plastic designs.

All grates are available with ACO’s modular range of sloped V-profile trench drains to ensure safe and efficient drainage.

Ph: 1300 765 226 | sales@acoaus.com.au | www.acodrain.com.au

ACO. The future of drainage

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Consulting Matters Corporate social responsibility

Sydney Engineer Provides Clean Water and Sanitation to Refugees Structural engineer and veteran aid worker Val Tarasov turned his engineering qualification into an international humanitarian career.

After migrating to Australia from Russia in the early 1990’s, Val landed in the Sydney construction industry. Then, in 1998, he undertook specialised training with relief agency RedR Australia and embarked on a humanitarian engineering assignment in Tajikistan.

Since then, he has worked on more than a dozen assignments across Africa, the Middle East and Asia, in civil and structural engineering, and water and sanitation roles.

“I like to help people and to see the results of my work, especially when the positive changes have such a major impact, as they can have, on a community affected by conflict or natural disaster,” Val said.

The Woolgoolga to Ballina project, part of the $4.36 billion Pacific Highway upgrade.

ahead of the upcoming elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“I also like to travel and see different countries, meet new people and experience different cultures and this work provides a great opportunity for all of those things,” he said.

“The camps’ water and sanitation infrastructure is old and limited so we need to upgrade the existing facilities and build more,” Val said.

Last month, Val celebrated his 60th birthday while working in a refugee camp in Rwanda.

He was deployed to Rwanda earlier this year to support tens of thousands of refugees who have fled violence in their own countries.

Since violence erupted in Burundi in April last year, more than a quarter of a million refugees have fled the small central African country and 75,000 of them are in Rwanda, where Val is working hard to ensure they have access to clean water and sanitation facilities.

Rwanda, renowned for its own civil war and genocide in 1994 (which saw millions of its people flee to neighbouring countries) is relatively peaceful these days and also hosts a large community of Congolese refugees.

Val was deployed to the camp by RedR Australia to support the work of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

“Mahame camp on the Burundi border is the biggest refugee camp in Rwanda and, by next month, it will have 55,000 refugees,” Val said from his base near the camp. Between 200 and 300 people continue to flee across the border seeking refuge each month.

“When I first arrived here, I was working in Mahame and my highest priority was replacing emergency latrines—which are fast to build

Val Tarasov’s assignment is funded by the Australian Government.

Val inspects a water source. and are drop holes with wooden frames and plastic sheeting for walls—with semipermanent ones, which have brick walls and proper doors and roofs of corrugated iron sheets,” Val explained.

“Typically, there is one latrine for every 20 people and those 20 people will be part of an extended family.”

“I’ve also been working with our contractors to ensure that 10 per cent of the latrines are accessible to the disabled.”

Critically, in terms of safe water provision, Val said: “We’ve achieved good water quality and the standard of 20 litres per person per day.”

More recently, Val has been working in the Congolese refugee camps as the UNHCR prepares for an expected influx of Congolese

RedR Australia is a leading humanitarian agency for international emergency relief. They provide skilled people and training to help communities rebuild and recover in times of crisis. Their internationally recognised training courses prepare aspiring aid workers for life in the field and help experienced humanitarians further hone their skills.

If you are interested in a career in the aid and development or humanitarian sectors, RedR Australia runs internationally recognised courses that will help you consider if this is the right job path for you. In October, they will be running their Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Emergencies training course along with their Humanitarian Logistics in Emergencies. They also run an Essentials in Humanitarian Practice course and, for those working in insecure environments, one on Personal Safety, Security and Communications.

For more information, visit their website at www.redr.org.au.

Consult Australia is a founding partner of RedR Australia.

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SELECTED TRAINED DEPLOYED for short-term paid international emergency work Water and sanitation engineer Charles Knight, drought relief, Papua New Guinea 2016

Do you have what it takes? Visit www.redr.org.au water and sanitation + camp management + shelter + logistics + infrastructure assessment and repair

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Consulting Matters Corporate social responsibility

The $400m difference a year can make A little over a year ago the Federal Government introduced the Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP). Over this time, the progress towards greater Indigenous entrepreneurship and business opportunity has been remarkable. But there is still much to do.

What the numbers tell us At a Supply Nation conference in May 2016 the head of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s indigenous affairs division, Nadine Williams, said over $90 million worth of contracts had been entered into by about 250 indigenous businesses in the first six months of the IPP’s operation.

At the same conference, Michael Howell, the recent head of procurement at Defence, indicated Defence had spent a total of $1,820 with Indigenous businesses in 2013-14. In the 2015-16 financial year to April the figure was $38 million.

A Supply Nation study, The Sleeping Giant (Burton and Tomkinson, 2015), found the social return on investment ratio for procurement was $4.41, indicating the Commonwealth’s $90 million has created approximately $400 million of economic and social value in the past year.

How professional service companies can make a difference The challenge for an engineering consultancy is how to match the opportunities with Indigenous businesses able to provide complementary services in the sector.

At WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff we are addressing this challenge by: 1. I ncreasing the visibility of Indigenous businesses.

2. Influencing the procurement practices of the construction industry.

3. P romoting engineering and allied professions as a career path.

Increasing the visibility of Indigenous businesses WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff pursues over 5,000 opportunities a year—from multi-million dollar design and program management engagements, pursued over years, to smaller bids, sometimes secured in hours. While we have been involved in infrastructure for remote communities for over 40 years, we are only now beginning to match Indigenous businesses to our pipeline.

To help overcome this, our Reconciliation Action Plan adopts a 1.5 per cent target for subconsultant fees awarded to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teaming partners in 2016. This modest target is supported by: • Developing our own Indigenous Supplier Register.

• Engaging with potential suppliers to establish business-to-business relationships.

• Targeting major opportunities (<$2 million in fee value) with greater potential to subcontract.

We welcome contact from Indigenous business interested in working with us and from employees wishing to recommend an Indigenous business or engineer.

Influencing the construction industry In May 2015, the New South Wales Government introduced an Aboriginal Participation in Construction (APIC) policy, with a 1.5 per cent mandatory minimum target (from 1 July 2016) for projects where the estimated construction value is greater than $1 million.

For the Woolgoolga to Ballina project team, a partnership between Roads and Maritime Services and Pacific Complete (WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff and Laing O’Rourke), this means translating the 1.5 per cent target into Aboriginal employment and procurement for the $4.36 billion Pacific Highway upgrade.

Aboriginal Affairs Coordinator, Russell Reid, sees the policy as a game-changer for Aboriginal people.

‘It is a wonderful opportunity for greater autonomy and for capacity-building across Indigenous business. It means Aboriginal people—like the people of the Yaegl, Gumbainggir and Bundjalung nations, can be part of this major project and others like it around the country.

‘The Yaegl People are completing a business plan, creating a workforce database and planning for a future that will involve roundtable discussions and collaboration with contractors and government agencies in a way that will help them gain a far greater degree of business parity,’ Reid explains.

Promoting engineering and allied professions as a career path At the Supply Nation conference Williams noted the average contract value for an Indigenous business with the Commonwealth (at the end of April 2016) was $123,000 with a lot of activity below $10,000. This is consistent with the SME scale of many Indigenous businesses, which is challenging for the professional services sector as the number and size of relevant Indigenous businesses is small.

To encourage employment and the growth of Indigenous business in our industry, we participate in initiatives aimed at increasing pre-employment opportunities, such as internships and the Science and Infrastructure Development Winter School co-hosted with QUT’s Oodgeroo Unit each year. We also promote our goal to employ Indigenous engineers and graduates.

Lasting change in Indigenous procurement practices will take years. There is much more to be done, for example, to leverage establishing business relationships and link in Indigenous businesses. However, based on the positive results achieved in the first year, the investment in change is worth it.

The Woolgoolga to Ballina project, part of the $4.36 billion Pacific Highway upgrade.

Greg Milford Business Development Director WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff

Corporate social responsibility Consulting Matters

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#WordsAtWork Aurecon’s belief that staff will play a key role in unlocking its future success was central to a decision to partner with Diversity Council Australia (DCA) to ensure that the #WordsAtWork campaign reaches as many companies as possible with this very important message to the workplace of today: language which cuts people out or cuts them down is unacceptable.

As a winner of the prestigious 2015 Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) Diversity Award for Mental Health in the Workplace, Aurecon’s support of inclusive leadership and inclusive language is a powerful demonstration of the progress it is making in prioritising diversity and inclusion.

“At Aurecon we work with clients and staff in regions as culturally diverse as South Africa, the Middle East, Asia and ANZ. As a global engineering and infrastructure advisory company we are committed to becoming a more innovative organisation that provides unique solutions to our clients’ challenges. This can only be achieved in a work environment where everyone can feel valued and is therefore willing to contribute. Inclusive leadership and inclusive language gets to the heart of creating diverse organisations. Our partnership on the #WordsAtWork project in particular is an example of the progress Aurecon is making with its diversity and inclusion effort,” explains Global CEO Giam Swiegers.

Similarly, David Morrison AO, DCA Board Chair who appears in the campaign video, believes language plays a critical role in shaping workplace cultures. Morrison gained the attention of the Australian nation when he told misbehaving troops to “get out” if they couldn’t accept women as equals. Appointed Chief of Army in 2011, Morrison has championed cultural change for soldiers who have traditionally been under-represented in

Aurecon Global CEO Giam Swiegers and DCA Board Chair David Morrison AO.

defence, including female soldiers, as well as soldiers from culturally diverse backgrounds and who identify as being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex orientation, and won the Australian of the Year Awards, 2016 for doing so.

“For some time I have been advocating that everyone in our society, from all genders, races, creeds, ages, disabilities, religions or sexual orientations, be given a chance to achieve their potential. Unfortunately, in many workplaces, this isn’t always the case. People use language to denigrate others and to take away their self-respect. Sometimes it happens unconsciously, but the effect is the same.”

“DCA’s new campaign is not about being ‘politically correct’ – it is about encouraging people to use language at work which is respectful, accurate, and relevant to everyone,” said Morrison.

As a winner of the prestigious 2015 Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) Diversity Award for Mental Health in the Workplace, Aurecon’s support of inclusive leadership and inclusive language is a powerful demonstration of the progress it is making in prioritising diversity and inclusion.

Research demonstrates that inclusive cultures are high performing cultures. How we speak to and about each other influences how we treat each other, and this builds our workplace cultures.

In a world of ‘always on’ media, including social media networks, Morrison believes that “Words have never been more important.”

Aurecon Chief People Officer, Liam Hayes concludes: “We believe our future success rests squarely on the creativity and innovation of our people. Management can set direction, but it’s our staff who shape our strategy as we focus on bringing our clients’ ideas to life. Creating an inclusive workplace in which people feel valued and a sense of belonging is key to ensuring they feel empowered to voice up and contribute ideas. Our support for the #WordsAtWork campaign is founded in our belief that inclusive language will play a critical role in achieving this aim.”

DCA has extended its thanks to Aurecon for their leadership and vision in supporting this project. The campaign consists of a video, series of guides and an education programme for workplaces to show how inclusive language can improve workplace culture and drive productivity.

Abbie Wright Diversity & Inclusion Manager Aurecon

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Consulting Matters Project case studies

Perth Busport brings a new level of passenger comfort and safety Opened to commuters on 17 July, the Perth Busport represents a key piece of the transportation strategy for Perth and is critical to the finalisation of Perth City Link, connecting the CBD with Northbridge for the first time in more than 100 years. Replacing the old Wellington Street Bus Station, Perth Busport offers commuters and travellers a new standard in passenger comfort and safety, offering accurate destination information, educed wait times and a welcoming, easy to navigate passenger lounge.

In order to achieve the complex project brief set by the Public Transport Authority (PTA), a number of bespoke systems were designed and engineered by the team from Wood & Grieve Engineers (WGE).

A key requirement of the project was to maximise the safety of passengers by allowing access to the bus zone only when a bus has arrived at the stand. Laser scanners integrated with the doors’ regular control system identify when a bus is at a stand, and when it is ready to accept passengers.

Doors can also be remotely controlled by the facility manager. This solution also reduces pollutants and noise intruding into the passenger lounge.

Security was another primary focus of the project. Entrances not intended for use by pedestrians or cars are monitored continuously by laser curtains which identify intruders and immediately alert operational and security staff. To prevent buses from entering the Busport in an emergency, warning lights at the tunnel entrances are activated by the facility manager remotely. In addition to this, an emergency radio system allows the facility manager to warn and direct drivers.

The Busport is monitored by 130 CCTV cameras, with a number of cameras configured to automatically direct their focus to a specific event. For example, if a passenger presses a help button, a camera will automatically be directed to the person in need of assistance, allowing security or customer service staff to provide real-time assistance with visual feedback.

An inherent issue with locating the Busport underground is the limited room for future expansion. The Dynamic Stand Management System (DSMS) provides an ingenious solution by holding vacant busses in layover until the service is due. Passengers and drivers are then informed of their allocated stand before meeting there at departure time.

Passenger wait time is reduced and each bus requires its stand for only a few minutes allowing many more services per hour than a typical static bus station.

To facilitate the DSMS, a robust communication and tracking system is required. Each bus is integrated into a bus control network via WiFi and 4G, and tracked with GPS and RFID technology. The Busport’s WiFi system extends 200-400m beyond each entrance to provide a reliable communications link within and on the approach to the bus tunnels.

In order to alert passengers and protect them from danger in the event of a fire, a reliable control system utilising linear heat detection and ventilation fans was designed following extensive smoke modelling. This is combined with a deluge system which allows multiple sprinklers to be activated simultaneously.

The Busport’s fire and life-safety systems are integrated with those of the overall Perth train network ensuring the system protects bus passengers from incidents in the adjacent train tunnels.

A mobile incident response briefcase contains a touch screen interface which can be used by an experienced operator to monitor and control the fire systems throughout the facility in real-time. The display shows a layout of the entire Busport and the wider Perth CBD train network and is primarily used for testing and maintenance of the fire and life-safety systems.

The project’s success is down to the collaborative multi-discipline approach within the WGE team and the partnership with Brookfield and PTA. Elliot Alfirevich and Nicholas Valenti Wood & Grieve Engineers

Project case studies Consulting Matters

The Busport is accessed by three portals at ground level which will one day be integrated into high-rise buildings

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Consulting Matters Project case studies

Weaving the Past into the Present—200 George Street, Sydney The new 37 storey Mirvac development at 200 George Street, Sydney, designed by architects Francis Jones Morehen Thorp (FJMT), is an exemplar weaves the past into the present with design excellence and creativity. The building achieved a 6 Star Green Star v3 ‘Design’ rating and has redefined the city skyline with its elegance and warmth.

GML Heritage (GML) worked with Mirvac and FJMT to manage and interpret the significant Aboriginal and historical heritage as part of the design and expression of the place. Historical maps, photographs and newspaper articles, combined with a fine collection of artefacts revealed and suggested intriguing stories.

A SITE STEEPED IN HISTORY Through innovation and efficiencies in the research design, GML recovered 23,715 artefacts from the site, simultaneously allowing value of the archaeology to be realised with minimal impact to Mirvac’s program.

Artefacts on display, accompanied by historical quotes, Aboriginal language and QR code.

Photo courtesy of GML Heritage

GML Heritage (GML) worked with Mirvac and FJMT to manage and interpret the significant Aboriginal and historical heritage as part of the design and expression of the place. Historical maps, photographs and newspaper articles, combined with a fine collection of artefacts revealed and suggested intriguing stories.

‘ngarunga nangama’ calm water dream artwork by Judy Watson.

Photo courtesy of GML Heritage

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A selection of metal artefacts recovered from wells at the site. Photos courtesy of GML Heritage

Once characterised by rocky sandstone outcrops forested with eucalypt and sheoak, the site remains the traditional land of the Gadigal people—though colonisation fundamentally changed their land and lives.

Aboriginal history and culture is expressed in the entry foyer through a striking artwork in sandstone relief by Judy Watson.

An interpretive ground inlay—running through the foyer and into the public domain—shows the location of the original Sydney foreshore, highlighting just how much the city has changed over the past 200 years.

GML undertaking archaeological investigation works alongside demolition at 200 George Street, Sydney. Photo courtesy of GML Heritage

A series of interpretive panels along Underwood Street convey the early days of European settlement and the bewildering array of activities and industries, including a shipyard, houses, kitchen gardens, and so on.

These uses soon gave way to commercial and retail interests that sought prominent locations. An eclectic range of shops operated for more than 100 years, including grocers, pharmacists and specialist retailers such as ‘The Young Zoo’, which traded in animals, especially unusual and exotic birds.

In 1971, the first high-rise building was constructed on the site.

Some of these artefacts are displayed in the wall of the sweeping grand staircase on the north side of the building. Accompanied by website content and a QR code for further information, curious visitors can delve deeper into the lives of people in the past.

Displays include Chinese and Victorian ceramics, glass bottles and steel cutlery which indicate that Chinese and British people maintained attachments to their countries of origin. Personal items such as a metal comb, jewellery, and bone toothbrushes reveal the care given to hygiene and appearance. Attention was also given to the appearance of the home, as evidenced by exotic shells and pretty figurines used for decoration. Other household and industrial items are displayed, including candlewick scissors, writing tools, marbles, coins, sewing pins and fabric.

GML is proud to have played a key role in uncovering the rich and diverse history of this site and ensuring it is remembered in the next chapter of this place.

Susan Vine and Jane McMahon GML Heritage

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Consulting Matters Project case studies

Bennelong Bridge – a new model for public infrastructure “A New Bridge to Connect Growing Communities” From an urban design perspective, the Bennelong Bridge across Homebush Bay made perfect sense as a way of connecting two fast-growing peninsula communities so they could benefit from each other’s amenities, communities and infrastructure.

However, the project also faced one big problem—it was considered fairly impossible that it would ever happen.

It wasn’t the traditional route for infrastructure to be realised, with private sector developers joining forces to finance and drive the design, construction and handover to the state of a major piece of public transport infrastructure.

Having been involved in the concept since Billbergia’s John Kinsella first drew a line between Wentworth Point and Rhodes and proposed a cycle and pedestrian-only bridge, Scott Carver has seen how sheer determination kept four otherwise competing private developers united for more than six years.

Wentworth Point to Rhodes across Homebush Bay

Sydney,Graf New South Wales, Rick was theAustralia representative for the Wentworth Point Landowners Alliance, which comprises Billbergia, Sekisui House, Homebush Bay Holdings and Homebush Bay Properties.

Graf says that one of the challenges for the 26 government agencies involved was the fact this type of project had never been done before.

The $63 million bridge was delivered under a Voluntary Planning Agreement, and not a dollar of public money was asked for or given.

Usually, he says, the government is in charge of an infrastructure project, even in a PPP model, because the projects involve public funds.

Nor did the proponents ask for concessions of any kind – the project met every approval test.

The bridge did make it possible for the original DCP to be varied to allow for towers up to 25 storeys high, and this in turn allowed for greater open space to be provided around the feet of the buildings.

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Project case studies Consulting Matters

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Consulting Matters Project case studies

Project case studies Consulting Matters

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“The capital cost is incidental compared to the value created forever” - Bob Perry, Project Director

“The revised planning outcomes for Wentworth Point allowed us to create a better community,” Graf says. Around the country, creating density where there is public transport infrastructure is now recognised as the way of the future.

ormous lifestyle c benefits to these including greater dney’s public work.”

Scott Carver provided the urban design, architectural design and engineering design brief, with the initial bridge engineering design and early investigations undertaken

by Arup. Having Arup on board created confidence in the soundness of the bridge schematic design, Graf says.

The many consultants in the project team included two environmental consultants, flora and fauna, acoustics, a lighting designer and geotechnical.

owners Spokesman A joint venture team of VSL and Brady

Marine were appointed as the design and construct contractor to deliver the 330m long bridge comprising two bus lanes and a pedestrian and cycleway, with architectural shelters incorporating seating at two points to break up the journey.

Graf says one of the major advantages the contractors brought to the project was expertise in long span box girder bridge construction. VSL proposed using 70m spans, which reduced the number of piers, and dramatically cut the number of piles driven down into Homebush Bay from the 120 proposed in the original EIS down to 18.

“That massive shift came out of the creativity of the D & C contractors,” Graf says. The EPA was particularly delighted, as it reduced the environmental risks associated with driving piles into a known contamination zone.

“In terms of value capture, this bridge is pioneering... What happens with the bridge is there is value uplift for everyone. It has a catalytic effect.”

- Bob Perry, Project Director

All images included are provided copyright of Wheeler Studios.

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Another innovation was enabling Ausgrid to replace end-of-life submarine cables by running them through the box girders, saving taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.

Some other agencies proved challenging as collaboration with the private sector is not business as usual.

Graf expects this will change, and that the Bennelong Bridge project will be used as a template for future projects.

“The private sector collaborating with the public sector for the delivery of infrastructure is the way of the future,” he says.

Bob Perry Director Scott Carver

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Consulting Matters Project case studies

Curtin 410: New learning complex at the forefront of design The challenging and ambitious design of Curtin University’s new Building 410 pushes the boundaries and capabilities of the built form, making it truly distinct. The fivestorey building is a landmark within the new northern precinct on Curtin’s Bentley campus and accommodates the Curtin Medical School.

GHDWoodhead provided a design that responds to the needs of the users, the local environment and beyond in line with the ambitions of the Curtin Master Plan.

GHDWoodhead’s scope spanned architecture and interior design, in addition to coordinating landscape and public art with other consultants to provide a comfortable and attractive environment for students and staff.

DESIGN INTENT The key building design principles established

by Curtin University and GHDWoodhead are activation, connectivity, permeability and flexibility. This has been integrated into the building through a rigorous design process and extensive consultation with the university and the building’s user groups.

The building envelope is formed from precast concrete panels, which ‘peel’ from the facade creating vertical shade fins.

Composed to provide view corridors and internal transparency, the resultant form is an articulated and adventurous texture, referencing the modularity, verticality and robustness of form prevalent in the existing campus buildings. The building mass has been lifted to create highly transparent undercroft spaces, resulting in permeability that will strengthen connectivity and encourage activation.

The interior design is anchored around the atrium stair and ‘fractal’ core, creating an effortless flow and dramatic connection between the different functional areas. With many different styles of learning envisioned, the interiors incorporate formal learning spaces for up to 180 students as well as multiple informal places, including studios, reflective areas and project rooms.

GHDWoodhead’s scope spanned architecture and interior design, in addition to coordinating landscape and public art with other consultants to provide a comfortable and attractive environment for students and staff.

Curtin University has ambitions to be a national and global research leader, and with this principal driver, Building 410 is designed to place learning on display in an adventurous and exciting way.

‘The Corso,’ which connects the campus from south to north. The forecourt of the main entry provides a significant nodal landmark that terminates the path and directs the pedestrian flow to the west where the university has ambitious plans for future developments.

Building 410’s location on campus continues the flow of the main pedestrian spine called

Internally, view corridors connect the building to the campus, providing natural light and

DESIGN DRIVERS

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Consulting Matters Project case studies

visual relief from the prototypical educational style. The learning spaces are large and open, exposing themselves to the outside with extensive floor-to-ceiling glazing providing visual transparency to and from the outside.

Curtin University required a flexible and adaptive building that was equipped to respond to rapidly changing technology and teaching and learning methods into the future. GHDWoodhead, with Pritchard Francis as the structural engineer, designed column-free floor plates spanning over 14 metres for the length of the building.

The building is provided with cabled and wireless networking capacity to allow for continued evolution of digital learning tools and resources.

RESPONSE TO CAMPUS AND ENVIRONMENT The Building 410 site has a natural fall towards the north of four and a half metres and is triangular in shape. The mass of the building follows the eastern and southern boundaries creating a dramatic cantilever at the apex, over the main entry on Level 2.

The building form continues around to the north, deviating from the linear and angular by introducing a curved façade facing the northwest courtyard. The sweeping form embraces the civic space of the courtyard forming a textured backdrop and providing solar access.

A new pedestrianised road has been constructed on the southern side connecting the future Greater Curtin Stage One development. This development includes student accommodation, a bus interchange and a new School of Built Environment.

Ricardo Kiperman Managing Principal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Perth GHDWoodhead

Industry comment Consulting Matters

Show me the vision BRISBANE LOOKS SET TO DO WELL OUT OF THE STATE’S LATEST INFRASTRUCTURE BLUEPRINT, BUT IS IT ENOUGH TO MAKE THIS FAST GROWING CITY FIT FOR THE FUTURE? Maybe not. Our latest global Sustainable Cities Index - or SCI for short - suggests there’s still a bit of strategic work the city needs to do to be able to make that claim.

Don’t get me wrong, the SCI, which compares Brisbane to 100 world cities including Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra, across three broad categories of People, Profit and Planet, shows Brisbane is doing a lot of things well.

For a start, the city came in at 30th place in the overall world rankings-behind Canberra and Sydney but ahead of Melbourne - and got high marks nationally and internationally in areas like income equality, air quality, green space and transport.

Where Brisbane doesn’t measure up quite as well, especially against the cities in the top 10 like Zurich or Singapore, are for issues like economic growth, housing affordability, clean energy, exposure to environmental risks and disaster preparedness.

The People, Profit, Planet categories are actually underpinned by 32 detailed measures like economic development, health or Greenhouse emissions and Brisbane’s overall global scores for People at 21 and Profit at 30 shows it doing reasonably well on many of those measures.

Its 41st placing for Planet is less stellar however, and goes to the heart of some of the problems the city is having curtailing its continued urban sprawl, improving densities in the inner and middle ring of suburbs, and innovating when it comes to clean energy and managing global warming.

Queensland’s infrastructure plans impact on Brisbane suffers from some of the same inconsistencies. While it’s largely people centric, emphasizes integrated planning and boosts urban mobility, it’s less convincing when it comes to delivering seamless urban transport or how all these projects will be funded long term.

The top 10 cities in Arcadis’ Sustainable Cities Index are successful because they’re livable, integrated, transport enabled cities where planning is a collaborative, innovative process that attracts global investors. Brisbane still needs to create a more compelling vision for the twenty first century, but the SCI can definitely help.

Greg Steele CEO Arcadis

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Consulting Matters Industry comment

John Rankine - Consultant to the world 27.02.1921—13.07.2016 “whippersnapper” and then offered this advice: “Don’t do as most engineers do around here – slip a slide-rule all day and only see those few people around them in the city.

“The world is, or could be, your client. Travel, see what others do, profit from what you see, copy what they are doing, study, learn, bring back their ideas and improve them.”

And that is what John Rankine did.

MAKING A NEW SKYLINE Over the next 35 years, the doctor’s son from Kempsey (on the New South Wales North Coast) who originally wanted to follow his father into medicine went on to become a world figure in structural engineering.

He has worked on everything from fish ladders in rural Scotland to Australia’s first tall buildings and model farms in Iraq (where he was forced to work under ‘office arrest’ after clashing with a hostile client). His long list of Buildings in Sydney alone starts with the AMP towers at Circular Quay and works through to former British Motor Corporation factory (more recently Naval stores) at Zetland.

A THRILLING LIFE

[ARTICLE ORIGINALLY PRINTED IN INNOVATE MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY 1998] Consulting engineers have the world at their feet, according to one of the ACE’s best known and most respected members, John Rankine.

Since the late 1940s, John has helped transform the skyline of Australian cities, employed and mentored numerous industry leaders and played a pioneering role in the export of Australian engineering skill. He developed his career by creating opportunity: from conducting classes in descriptive geometry at university to working his way to England as ship’s crew and then ‘elbowing’ his way into firms of the greats of engineering. Continuing professional development, innovation, enterprise and rigid adherence to ethics have been hallmarks of his career.

CONTINUING EDUCATION In addition to overseeing a thriving consultancy (Rankine and Hill sinced merged with Connell Wagner), he undertook two Master degrees (at Massachusetts

Institute of Technology and the University of California) and advanced management studies at Harvard, set an industry benchmark for continuing professional development for staff and introduced the first computer to a consulting firm.

And beyond that, he served as Chair of the World Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, the control of two major urban planning inquiries, a role as engineering advisor to the Army and directorships that have ranged from Sydney’s Taronga Park Zoo to several public companies.

His memoirs – “The World is Your Client”, are not only an inspirational tale but a valuable insight into what makes the difference between a good engineer and a great consultant. Inspiration for the title grew from a conversation nearly 50 years ago, in the Sydney offices of John Rankine’s first employer, R.S Morris.

A WHIPPERSNAPPER While discussing career options, his first supervisor and mentor, Brian Newman, referred to young Rankine as a

For John Rankine, engineering has not only offered continual challenge, countless all-nighters, rushed overseas travel, and all out efforts to satisfy clients but a thrilling, rewarding and excellent life. According to John Rankine, commitment to client service and technical excellence are equally essential for any consulting engineer.

Client service “Most work comes from your reputation of being a good consulting engineer and giving service,” he said. “To me, my client was the most important person in the world and the client you are with is the important one.

“They say that Walter Raleigh laid down his cloak in a puddle for Queen Elizabeth; I always jokingly said I’d lay down myself in a puddle for a client”.

REST IN PEACE

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March 2016

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