29 minute read
Annual Conference Features
INFORMS. CONNECTS. REPRESENTS. LEADS.
#IPWEAQ21 IN NUMBERS
Female
Conference attendance
433
21.5% 78.5%
Male
Members
Member attendance
433
49.7%
(*Includes 9 staff members and 112 exhibitors) 50.3%
-
Non-members Keynotes
3
Tech Tours 3
Days 3
Speakers
55
North Queensland
Attendees:
Central Queensland South East Queensland 26.3% North Queensland South West Queensland 7.3% Central Queensland 50.6% South East Queensland 14.5% South West Queensland 0.2% Northern Territory 1.2% Other
Great Debate live stream registrations
15% North Queensland 5% Central Queensland 55% South East Queensland 15% South West Queensland 10% Other (NSW & Victoria)
Thank you
TO OUR SPONSORS!
Without your support we would not be able to continuously deliver the premier event in public works in Australia. We look forward to seeing you at #IPWEAQ22 in Brisbane!
PLATINUM BRONZE
GOLD
SILVER EXCELLENCE AWARDS
Thank you
TO OUR EXHIBITORS!
Thank you for taking the time to showcase your products and services tailored for our sector. Please join us again in Brisbane 11-13 October 2022!
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Three exceptional and unique keynote presentations were delivered to delegates at #IPWEAQ21.
On day two, we welcomed Dr Richard Harris SC OAM. Dr Richard Harris, or “Harry”, became a frequent name in both national and international media after his heroic involvement in the Thai Cave rescue. His previous cave diving experience, combined with his expert medical knowledge, saw him advise, overlook and navigate Tham Luang cave’s treacherous and dangerous conditions to save the lives of twelve young soccer players and their coach.
While the boys explored a tourist cave, it unpredictably flooded and trapped them inside. Over the following week, inch by inch divers pushed further into the cave before finding them camped on a steep sandy bank huddled together in their shorts and t-shirts after nine days without food. Harry explained how they were found with nothing but torch headlights, and despite experiencing a very dark time, both literally and metaphorically, their spirits were high.
Harry, and a small handful of cave divers, sedated and swam the young boys over two kilometres out of the cave in a never before attempted effort. Through complex problem solving, water pumping and exceptional teamwork, all thirteen boys survived the unprecedented rescue. Harry reinforced how this story was bigger than the rescuers, and the real heroes were these young soccer players.
Also, on day two, our conference MC, Stephen Yarwood, Former Lord Major of Adelaide and Futurist, - presented an informative and thoughtprovoking subject matter. He spoke about the relationships between people, technology, infrastructure, cities, and quality urbanism. He challenged delegates to think beyond what is happening now but to think about the potential of communities in 20, 30 years or more and inspire them to be part of the change.
He spoke about how technology was growing exponentially and that we as citizens need to reconsider how we think things will look in the future. We currently have smart
communities but, in the future, they are going to be intelligent communities, where information is going to be used by humans and machines to make better decisions for development. He urged the audience to embrace the growth and to be leaders in creating new amazing cities.
On day three, we were treated with a performance from Anthony Laye, a mentalist, mind reader who has had worldwide success. He migrated to Australia in 2009 and has become one of Australia’s most soughtafter performers. Anthony’s mind-reading demonstration and insights into reading body language captivated the crowd (especially his crowd participation activities!)
“Communicating effectively” was delivered in a very engaging and charismatic manner. He talked about the tools we can use to improve communication skills, ultimately enhancing your influence. He also discussed the importance of a conscious mindset, deliberate thoughts, and noticing what is happening inside your body.
How do you turn up? was very enlightening, understanding the importance of considering yourself, doing something each day just for yourself. Anthony explained the importance of checking in with ourselves and the importance of understanding how to use breathing techniques to help with life stresses. At work, ask yourself who I need to be? in different situations, dealing with other people and finally, the family leaves the stresses of the day at the door and is present. Taking a moment before you engage with the different people and have a conscious mindset will help you see new opportunities.
Thank you to Anthony, Dr Harry and Stephen.
2022 Keynote speakers for Brisbane, 11-13 October will be announced in the new year!
TECHNICAL TOURS
Thank you to our tech tour hosts, Cairns Regional Council, E2G and Department of Transport and Main Roads.
150 delegates joined three fully-booked Tech Tours visiting various local infrastructure projects.
Tech Tour 1: Cairns City Centre Master Plan
This walking Tech Tour visited a range of public spaces within the Cairns City Master Plan including the Courthouse building, streetscape treatments, Shields Street and Esplanade Dining Precinct, Esplanade Parklands and Florence Street enhancement.
The tour highlighted Council’s Corporate Plan 2017-2022 and the community’s values and aspirations for their city: to embrace tropical urbanism, support economic growth and diversity, create an accessible and connected city centre, celebrate culture, creativity and the arts, and deliver a sustainable, safe and liveable city centre.
Tech Tour 2: Cairns Southern Access Corridor Stage 3: E2G Project
Fifty delegates visited a range of areas across the Cairns Southern Access Corridor project site. The project delivers long-term improvements to traffic flow and road safety by reducing congestion and highway travel time and improving road access. Attendees heard about the significant safety improvements along this section of the Bruce Highway, the busiest two-lane section of the Bruce Highway between Brisbane and Cairns. They also discussed the methodology and implementation of construction activities along with environmental controls, while seeing firsthand the challenges being addressed by the construction team within the local landscape.
Tech Tour 3: Cairns Regional Council Materials Recovery Facility Tour
Our final tech tour included a presentation and site tour at the Cairns City Waste facility. Delegates visited the CRC Glass Processing Facility, where glass is processed for use in infrastructure applications, capped landfill viewing area and Landfill & Resource Recovery Precinct Viewing.
“I found the tour quite educational. It was good to go on a tour of a facility that was different from what I would usually deal with.” – Adrian Vesnaver, Bellwether
PANEL DISCUSSION
HOW DO WE PLAN BETTER FOR RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES IN VULNERABLE LOCATIONS?
Panellists
• Cr Lyn McLaughlin, mayor,
Burdekin Shire Council • Renata Berglas, Mobility
Futures Business Leader, ARRB
Group • Jimmy Scott, General Manager
Resilience & Recovery,
Queensland Reconstruction
Authority • Glenda Kirk, Director
Infrastructure Services,
Mareeba Shire Council
Queensland experiences regular natural disasters so achieving resilient and sustainable communities requires government, industry and the community to work together to make Queensland more disaster resilient. While we have many strategies, campaigns, and initiatives for becoming more resilient, those responsible for planning, building, maintaining and managing our public assets can often struggle to connect between strategy and implementation. Addressing this disconnect is critical to realising a shift to sustainable practices.
Input from the panel covered a broad range of issues including: • Natural disasters have a significant impact on not only our essential public assets but also on individuals and communities. While the costs to public assets can be quantified, natural disasters have wide-ranging social impacts that are both immediate and long-lasting.
These social consequences are complex, interrelated and difficult to quantify. • It is not uncommon for asset owners to be somewhat prepared for cyclones and flooding events but unprepared for the impact of bushfires and drought. • Public assets that are more resilient to future events reduce the costs of reconstruction and reduce the social impact on our communities. • A good understanding of the condition of your existing infrastructure improves preparedness when there’s a warning of a disaster event. It is also beneficial in discussions regarding the effective and efficient use of betterment funding. • Working in collaboration with experts across the sector to determine cost effective solutions that make the best use of locally sourced materials to resilient outcomes. • Reliance on traditional standards and specifications will not necessarily produce the best result in local areas. • Financial constraints provide a challenge to the sector - we need to utilise the expertise and innovation demonstrated across the state to create resilient infrastructure.
Panellists highlighted the importance of events such as the IPWEAQ Annual Conference, Asset Management Symposium and professional development for the sharing of experiences and knowledge to develop and grow the technical capability of the public works sector.
THE GREAT DEBATE
Technology will make engineering redundant.
The Great Debate was highly entertaining, well-structured and comprehensive – and a great end to the 2021 Annual Conference!
It was a hard sell for the affirmative team, with a room full of engineers plus dozens watching remotely. The first speaker for the Affirmative, Stephen Bolden, Cairns Regional Council argued that automation enhances an engineer’s role right now, but highlighted the very real risk that it will replace that role in future.
The affirmative team consisting of Stephen plus Janice Wilson (Double Black Diamond Solutions) and Cameron Ives (GenEng Solutions Pty Ltd) worked tirelessly to highlight the disappearance of middlemanagement roles due to artificial intelligence, while accusing the negative team of sticking their heads in the sand.
“Team Ostridge”, humorously dubbed by the affirmative team, hit back with the limitations of technologies, engineering’s bright future, and the importance of engineering requiring a human touch. In fact, Jo O’Brien’s clever use of Apple’s SIRI made it difficult to argue technology was flawless and absolute.
In the end this year’s winner, voted by delegates in person and virtually, was the negative team of Jordan Maultby (AECOM), Jo O’Brien (Tonkin Consulting Pty Ltd) and Justin Fischer (Cassowary Coast Regional Council). And never forget, the value of bribing voters with KitKats (thanks, Jordan!).
Although delegates were temporarily swayed in the voting with Cameron Ives’ convincing final argument, the damage was already done by the negative team, winning 62% of the vote.
Introduced in 2016, the Great Debate has now been won four times by the negative team, and only twice by the affirmative team.
Thank you again to our teams for such a light-hearted end to #IPWEAQ21!
If you would like to participate in the 2022 Great Debate or have a suggested topic, please contact Leigh Cunningham.
WOMEN IN PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEERING MASTERCLASS BREAKFAST
Melissa Bradley Member & Services Coordinator
The Women’s Masterclass Breakfast on Day Two set a positive and reinforcing tone for a mix of male and female delegates.
Guest speaker Patricia O’Neill, CEO of the Cairns Chamber of Commerce, shared her views on goal setting by combining details of her inspiring career journey and special insights into her family’s journey.
In her warm and personal introduction, Patricia made the audience feel acknowledged. She focused on you as an individual, making each person in the room feel as though they were engaged in a one-on-one conversation with her.
She highlighted the importance of ‘you’ in goal setting, of acknowledging and accepting your own desire, what are you aiming for and how are you going to get there.
Patricia focused on SMART goals which need to be: • Specific (simple, sensible, significant) • Measurable (meaningful, motivating) • Achievable (agreed, attainable) • Realistic (reasonable, realistic and resourced, results-based) • Timely (time-based, time limited, time/cost limited, timely, time-sensitive)
I was left with a strong impression of a resilient woman who delivered a calming yet passionate version of SMART goals.
Patricia encouraged delegates to be open minded and always willing to learn, no matter where you are in your career or personal life.
EMERGING PROFESSIONALS WORKSHOP
COMMUNICATE WITH INFLUENCE – DALE CARNEGIE
Melissa Bradley Member & Services Coordinator
Emerging Professionals (under age 35) were invited to attend a workshop on Day one of the Annual Conference.
The one-hour workshop delivered by Tanya Konigsberger and Jordan Dron from Dale Carnegie focused on the five drivers for success: 1. Greater self-confidence 2. Strong people skills 3. Enhanced communication skills 4. Develop leadership skills 5. Reduce stress and improve attitude
The high-energy workshop challenged delegates who had to consider their strengths and weaknesses when communicating in the workplace. Ideas were brainstormed to develop processes for selfimprovement a supportive environment.
The five drivers were applied to equip delegates with improved communications skills and to develop stronger working relationships. With engineers tendency to be introverted, the exercises resulted in a motivating experience.
MILLENNIALS & GEN X WORKSHOP – DALE CARNEGIE
William Farmer, Managing Director of Dale Carnegie Australia delivered a workshop on creating cultures that engage and retain Millennials and Generation Z on Day 1 of the Annual Conference.
Delegates were asked to identify the benefits of better understanding Millennials and Gen Z and the means for determining success ie behaviours exhibited by engaged Millennials and Gen Z when they have been engaged. These included being valued, confidence, empowerment and a sense of connectedness.
At the workshop conclusion, delegates were able to: • Identify the traits of the newest generations in the workplace • Separate fact from fiction regarding what is important to each • Utilise tools and strategies for better engagement with
Millennials and how to prepare for Gen Z
For more information about this workshop, contact William at William.farmer@dalecarnegie. com
2021 FUTURES CHALLENGE
SPONSORED BY REECE CIVIL
Savannah Roberts Events Coordinator
IPWEAQ invited university students to compete for the title of Reece Civil 2021 Futures Challenge by presenting to delegates at the conference. The Futures Challenge is part of IPWEAQ’s commitment to developing and promoting our future leaders of public works engineering.
This 2021 Reece Civil Futures Challenge saw four University of Southern Queensland students present on different topics in the main plenary room on the second day of the 2021 IPWEAQ Annual Conference at the Cairns Convention Centre.
2020 Futures Challenge winner Martin Luna Juncal of Griffith University briefed the 2021 participants before they headed for Cairns, offering his advice, learnings, and Futures Challenge experience to help them prepare for the challenge of presenting before an audience of industry professionals.
The Challengers
Hadi Nourizadeh, a geotechnical engineer specialising in experimental investigation and computer modelling of complex geotechnical conditions and a research student at the Centre for Future Materials (CFM), University of Southern Queensland.
Hadi presented on experimental investigation on the performance of reinforcement materials used in urban tunnelling. His topic is inspired by a cutting-edge project he is working on that aims to improve the capability of Australian manufactured rock bolts used for stabilising the surface and underground constructions such as slopes and tunnels.
Clare Ferguson, Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Major Civil student and Technical Officer at Proterra Group and IPWEAQ student ambassador.
Clare presented on her final research project, which investigates Queensland’s Natural Disaster Recovery process and how councils can better use Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) funding to build a more resilient road network. In her Technical Officer role at Proterra Group, Clare is heavily involved in the disaster recovery process with Goondiwindi Regional Council. Prior to this, Clare worked in Gladstone on a tailings dam where she lived and breathed her real passion – big yellow machines moving dirt.
Ryan Ball, final year Civil Engineering student at the University of Southern Queensland.
Ryan presented his undergraduate thesis on the shear strength properties of sand with fines for various moisture contents. Ryan recently accepted a graduate role at a Brisbanebased geotechnical engineering company. He previously assisted the engineering site team on the Fairbairn Dam Spillway Improvement Project near Emerald as an undergraduate site engineer and has a keen interest in delivering future infrastructure projects.
Contact Savannah.Roberts@ ipweaq.com to participate in the 2020 Futures Challenge.
Lucinda Sterling, Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours), Bachelor of Business and Commerce student at the University of Southern Queensland and Intern at Toowoomba Regional Council.
Lucinda presented on AlkaliSilica reaction crack evaluation using Artificial Intelligence. Lucinda explained how Alkalisilica reaction (ASR) cracking a by-product of expansive gel is swelling within concrete, caused by chemical interaction between alkali hydroxide and silica aggregates, which is catalysed by moisture. ASR cracking, otherwise known as concrete cancer, is particularly detrimental to structural health and load capacity due to weakened elastic modulus. Structural health monitoring (SHM) is therefore essential in maintaining the serviceability of structural assets.
The Result
With just a fraction between them, Lucinda Sterling was announced as the Reece Civil 2021 Futures Challenge winner.
Congratulations to all four finalists for their professionalism delivering presentations to a room full of their future peers. We look forward to seeing your careers in the industry flourish.
Lucinda Sterling receives the Futures Challenge award from IPWEAQ President Angela Fry.
2022 FUTURES CHALLENGE
We invite final year students in engineering and related disciplines to present their thesis or research project at the 2022 Annual Conference. Nominations are accepted from universities, peers or self-nomination.
Benefits:
• A complimentary registration to attend the 2022 Annual
Conference in Brisbane valued at $2,000+. • An excellent opportunity to engage with the public works community and improve understanding of the sector. • Hone your presentation and influencing skills on stage in front of 500+ industry professionals. • An opportunity to present at a regional branch conference. • One-year complimentary membership. • Opportunity to be published in our quarterly e-journal, Engineering for
Public Works. Submission requirements:
• A 500 word abstract. Finalists will be selected based on abstracts. • An A1 poster board including the key elements of your thesis or research project which clearly outlines conclusions and recommendations and includes appropriate text and supporting graphics. • A 10 minute presentation with PowerPoint to be delivered in a plenary session on Day 2 of the Annual Conference. • Following the conference, submit a 500 word report on your conference and Futures Challenge experience for publication in the December issue of Engineering for Public Works.
The winner:
• Selected by conference delegates voting via the conference app following the plenary session. • Announced at the Conference Close, 13 October 2022. • Receives a complimentary registration to the Annual Conference in Darwin, October 2023. • Promoted on our website and on social media platforms.
Futures Challenge Due Date
Nominations close 30 June
Nominee's abstract due 21 July Finalists notified 4 August Poster Boads due 8 September
2021 IPWEAQ ANNUAL CONFERENCE WRAP-UP
Maddy Stahlhut
My first time in Cairns did not disappoint. This year’s Annual Conference was full of interesting and professional presentations, diverse and exciting events, and of course plenty of opportunities to network and socialize. This is the second year I have attended the U35’s Workshop by Dale Carnegie, with the topic of ‘Communicating with Influence’ being especially relevant at this phase of my career. The workshop gave the group to share their experiences and provide us tools to leverage our skills for success. Every year the Excellence Awards Gala dinner is a highlight, and this year especially being able to accept (and also present) the Employer of Choice (private sector) award with my colleague Angela Fry on behalf of our employer GHD was very exciting. However, my favourite part of the evening is always seeing the many projects nominated, which benefit local communities across Queensland. Keynote speaker Dr Richard Harris’ presentation on his involvement in the Thai Cave Rescue amazed me and was a great start to Day 2. Hearing about how a doctor from South Australia with a cave diving hobby can end up playing an integral part in rescuing nearly 20 kids from a flooded cave was inspiring. It showed this young engineer how problem solving skills are invaluable. Finally, it wouldn’t be a conference without the many networking opportunities and events over the 3 days. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed cruising through the rainforest in an Army Duck in the dark! I was also really excited to meet a high number of emerging professionals who attended the conference. I encourage all organisations involved in IPWEAQ to send their emerging professionals to IPWEAQ conferences and events – the knowledge and experience gained is invaluable. I’m looking forward to Brisbane 2022!
With Leigh Cunningham and Angela Fry.
Clare Ferguson Civil Engineer | Proterra Group
This was my first Annual Conference and it did not disappoint! I was named IPWEAQ’s new Young Ambassador and join Maddy Stahlhut and Joshua Flanders in this role.
One of many highlights of the conference for me was the Excellence Awards Gala Dinner – a great opportunity to get dressed up and celebrate great engineering. I was stoked to be able to present a handful of awards but particularly excited to have been able to present Amy Bernier and the entire Toowoomba Regional Council team for best project in the $10m to $20m category for the Kleinton Waste Management Facility. I had a little bit of involvement in the project, helping Amy out, and it was great to see her and the entire Toowoomba Regional Council team recognised for their hard work on a great engineering project.
The second day saw me present my dissertation as part of the 2021 Futures Challenge. I presented on ‘Building Better Roads - the management of repeated damage to regional unsealed roads’ and discussed the importance of focusing on building resilient infrastructure in Queensland. The Futures Challenge was a great opportunity to practice public speaking and I strongly encourage employers to gently coax their undergraduates on participating in the future.
The final day was all about
listening to some really interesting presentations and getting some networking in - something I’m not very comfortable doing but they say gets easier with practice. Overall, the 2021 Annual Conference was a great few days away from the office where I was able to learn a lot of new things and meet a bunch of engineering professionals.
Joshua Flanders
I had an amazing time at the recent 2021 IPWEAQ Annual Conference in Cairns.
Starting off with a Dale Carnegie workshop on how to communicate with influence I left with additional skills I can use not only in my workplace but also in my everyday life. I then attended an insightful tech tour at the Cairns Materials Recovery Facility where my eyes were opened to the enormous effort behind the scenes to process, recover and reuse recyclables in as many ways as possible. After the excellence awards gala dinner and ceremony where the projects and people delivering the best outcomes for Queensland communities were celebrated, the next two days was full of inspirational, technical, and educational presentations where I learnt a lot about peoples stories, lessons learnt on difficult projects, and industry best practice for a varying range of topics. One of my favourite presentations was the engaging keynote speaker Anthony Laye talking about effective listening, observing, communicating and building influence where I learnt about conscious confidence and choosing your own happiness. Throughout the conference I made many new connections with like minded individuals during breaks and also at the social funcations, including at the Kuranda Rainforestation Nature Park where I also met a 10 year old croc! I strongly encourage IPWEAQ conferences and other IPWEAQ events to all public works individuals and especially to current engineering students and recent graduates. The knowledge gained and connections made is extremely valuable.
Clare, Josh and Maddy catching up at Rainforestation Park.
Clare with Leigh Hansen, Bernie-Anne Freeman and Amy Bernier
Josh at the Closing Ceremony
STUDENT REFLECTIONS
Khan Thompson
IPWEAQ offered me a unique experience to attend the 2021 Annual Conference. From an engineering student’s perspective this is rare and I am grateful.
My experience at the conference started with the waiting in the atrium of the gorgeous Cairns Conference Centre. Before the first workshop I had already met my first colleague, Ghan Poudel from Rockhampton City Council. He is the team leader of a town’s sewerage infrastructure and told me many interesting stories. My favourite being how he was saving lives in Africa by undertaking a water management engineering project that delivered water to people in need.
The first workshop was by Dale Carnegie. This introduction to the conference really took a lot of the nerves away. I introduced myself to Hamish, Amy, David, and Rowan, all very accomplished young engineers. The first activity was being walked through team building activities. We all set goals with my main goals and take away from this lecture was, to trust myself more to enable myself to study more without high undue stress. Some other goals I heard were, taking care of myself to better serve my team, to be a better team leader and trust more.
The night of the first day was the awards night. The band was the first thing I noticed when I walked in. I found a seat and met: Yesive, Graimee, Dwane and Minchel, all high level managers of different companies. I learned about the fascinating polities of drainage pipes, Gartner Hype Cycle’s. We all shared common ground talking about cars, travelling and a passion for learning. Day 2 day kept offering the experience of meeting more amazing people. At the Annual Conference 2021 I had the experience of meeting CEOs, team leaders, sales managers, motivators, innovators, and hopefully friends. This is a truly unique experience for an engineering student and one that I would not have access to without the conference. I saw that we come from humble beginnings and listened to the stories that make these people more than engineers. For that I’m grateful. My sincere thanks to IPWEAQ for awarding complimentary registrations to students to attend the Annual Conference. It is a valuable experience I thoroughly recommend.
Contact Melissa.Bradley@ipweaq. com for an opportunity to attend an IPWEAQ Branch or Annual Conference under our student program.
SOCIAL FUNCTIONS
Monica Robertson Senior Manager Events & Marketing
We hosted two social functions at #IPWEAQ21 – the Excellence Awards Gala Dinner and a Tropical Night, the ultimate Cairns experience.
440 delegates attended the 2021 Excellence Awards gala ceremony and dinner held at the newly renovated Cairns Convention Centre auditorium. It was a wonderful way to come together to celebrate the accomplishments of our sector. Thank you to Premise for once again sponsoring the Excellence Awards gala dinner.
We were pleased to welcome back the City of Gold Coast’s band, The Waves to get delegates moving, and dragging yours truly and CEO, Leigh Cunningham on stage to sing Mustang Sally.
Congratulations to Brisbane City Council who won Project of the Year for the Kingsford Smith Drive Upgrade project. We look forward to hearing more about this innovative project at the 2022 President’s Breakfast in Brisbane 4 February. All nominees are featured in the 2021 Commemorative Book which is available online.
Another congratulations to Ross Ullman from Sunshine Coast Council for winning Engineer of the Year, and Bernie-Anne Freeman, our new Woman in Engineering. And a huge thank you to our judges, award sponsors, all nominees and delegates for joining us to celebrate the people and projects that make Queensland great!
Tropical Night!
What better way to experience Cairns than a tropical evening at the Kuranda Rainforestation Park? From the moment we stepped off the bus, we were immersed in floral shirts, locally sourced canapes and an unforgettable indigenous welcome.
The night included cuddles with koalas, snakes and a baby crocodile, and exploring the nature park on an Army Duck. Various food stations greeted us after the trip around the park. Our raffle for Rural Aid included Aboriginal art and prizes generously donated by our exhibitors. A big thank you to RCPA, who sponsored the Tropical Night!
Over the past two years, we raised $18,107 for Rural Aid with raffles and auctions at Branch and Annual Conferences, donations and sales of IPWEAQ polos. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this wonderful cause.
