2 minute read
CEO’s Report
Leigh Cunningham
This week we celebrate our first year at our new facilities in Eagle Farm in Brisbane, christened Public Works Professionals (PWP) - a central hub for all peak bodies in our sector to come together for training and meetings. We were delighted to welcome the Department of Transport and Main Roads last week for a workshop for 70 team members.
At our new facilities in Eagle Farm, we have 35 Aboriginal artworks which we invite you to view at a self-guided tour Friday 9 July 3-6pm. Our inaugural art exhibition is complimentary for members and Partners and includes champagne throughout your tour. The exhibition is to acknowledge NAIDOC week. See more information on page 8.
Our move to Eagle Farm not only created a space for our Aboriginal art collection, it facilitated further growth of the Institute with 10 new positions created over the past 12 months including two engineers, an educator/ teacher, three marketers and three administrators. There is a correlation between revenue and human resources and a more visible correlation between services and human resources. And despite the challenges of COVID-19 which impacted our first six months plus the impact of a new Accounting Standard which affected our profitability, we will deliver another positive financial result this financial year.
In February this year, we signed a collaborative agreement with the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) for the delivery of the Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project (SLGAAP). Dr Neal Lake, IPWEAQ Director, Engineering Practice and a leading global expert in structural assessments has contributed his expertise to this project. This work will increase the knowledge and understanding of road assets for local governments and contribute to improved consent processes for heavy vehicle operators seeking access to the road network.
A Working Group, chaired by traffic designer, Adam Brighouse, Workplace Health & Safety - Traffic Management at Toowoomba Regional Council has developed a compliance toolkit to support the planning and design of safe, cost effective and efficient temporary traffic management solutions for low volume Category 1 roads. The toolkit is included with your council’s Public Works Technical Subscription. See more information on the toolkit in Craig Moss’ Report on page 104 and more information on the Public Works Technical Subscription on page 12.
There is more to announce in the next issue of Engineering for Public Works but our focus for the next few months will be on the delivery of another successful Annual Conference. Please be sure to join us in Cairns, 12-14 October. The Great Debate will return with the topic, ‘technology will make engineering redundant’. Would you like to argue the point, either way or know someone who should?
In the meantime, we’re inviting members to renew their membership of IPWEAQ as we edge closer to a milestone 1,200 members. Thank you for being a part of our community!
On a personal note, Monday 7 June saw the passing of my father-in-law, Colin Roy Cunningham who I’ve known since I joined the Cunningham family in 1981. Col was a hard worker, doing whatever was required including driving taxis, repairing lawnmowers to provide for his family which, despite its size, didn’t miss out on family holidays caravaning around Australia. There are eight adult children (my husband, Steve (Stephen) the eldest) with 12 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren. He will be missed by many.
