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Vale John Haskins
Vale John Haskins AM
A Man whose Legacy Will Stand the Test of Time
Former Master Builders ACT President John Haskins AM passed away on 14 June 2022. John was President of MBA ACT 1993-1998 and for two interim periods in 1999 and 2013-2014.
John contributed substantially to the Master Builders movement at a state, national and international level. He was known amongst industry as a man of integrity and by former MBA staff as a steady hand during tricky times for the industry.
John was elected as the 36th International President of the Asia Pacific Contractors Association in March 2006. He served as Chair of the Land Development Agency Board from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2010. John also served as Chair of the ACT Gambling and Racing Commission Governing Board for five years, completing his term on 23 November 2017. From 2010 to 2013, he served as EPIC Board Chairman. John also served on the Cbus Board of Directors for 10 years. He was also a member of The Construction Industry Long Service Leave Board and co-chairman of the National Skills Forum Building and Construction.
John was recognised with the Member of the Order of Australia medal (AM) in 2009. The medal was awarded for his service to the building and construction sector through executive roles with industry organisations, and to the community.
Former Master Builders ACT President David Dawes spoke of his friendship with John saying, “I first met John when I was employed at the Master Builders Association in 1994 and we have been firm friends ever since. He has been a mentor and a tower of strength to me through many of life’s tricky situations.”
David described John’s unwavering integrity saying, “John was a man of his word and his integrity was beyond reproach. His handshake was his bond and he would never renege. I recall his company sold a block of land near Wyong and he shook hands on the deal with a local developer. Before contracts were signed he was offered an additional million dollars by another developer, but as he had agreed to the price he stood by it.”
Former National CEO of MBA Australia, Wilhelm Harnisch, worked with John at various points in his career through their shared connection to Master Builders. Wilhelm described John as the ultimate professional saying, “John became my mentor, guiding me in the role of CEO. Thank you John for the many pieces of advice that you offered, which have held me in good stead during my corporate career.” John and Wilhelm shared a belief in the importance of Master Builders, a belief which fueled a thriving friendship, “Over the years, John and I kept in touch and became friends – we had many a hot chocolate, cakes and lunch at the Campbell shops where we swapped stories about the good old times we had at Master Builders,” Wilhelm shared.
Wilhelm explained, “I will remember John, above all as a person of integrity and someone who always cared about others.”
John’s commitment to the industry was unwavering, and in 2013 when he was asked to step in as interim MBA ACT President he wrote in his message in Canberra Building News, “I conclude by again acknowledging those who have entrusted me with this role and I look forward to doing all within my power to make sure the industry and our members get the best deal out of those who make the decisions that impact on the way in which we do our business.” That was a promise John lived by throughout his career and in his work as the head of the MBA Alumni.
John’s construction industry legacy will live on through his grandsons Lachlan and Matthew Haskins who run a civil construction company called Complex Co. He is also survived by his wife Fay, his children and grandchildren.
Master Builders ACT CEO, Michael Hopkins, said of John’s passing, “John was a true gentleman who embodied every quality we want our members to hold; honesty, integrity, trustworthiness and a passion for construction. The Master Builders ACT team extend our deepest sympathies to the Haskins family, John will be sorely missed. We’re proud to have his legacy ingrained in our history.” Master Builders ACT has launched the John Haskins AM Award which will be bestowed annually to a deserving member of the ACT construction industry who has shown exceptional leadership qualities and provided a massive contribution to the industry.
It was known by family, friends and colleagues that John would always arrive at least 15 minutes early to every meeting and prided himself on his punctuality. Those that had the honour of knowing John would join us in wishing he could have been late to this final appointment.
THE INAUGURAL MBA Conference
On the 3rd and 4th of November 2022, Master Builders ACT and Conference Partner, Procore, held the inaugural MBA Conference which focused on sustainability in: construction, technology and business. The event was emceed by TV Presenter and Reporter, Stephanie Brantz, at the Hotel Realm in Barton. Across two days, attendees were joined by insightful presenters and inspired to find sustainable solutions to their business practices.
One of the key concepts covered by many of the presenters including Professor Veena Sahajwalla, was the circular economy. The idea of a circular economy involves sophisticated planning to ensure all potential waste can be successfully reused to continue the lifecycle of those materials. Conference partner, CE Construction Solutions, has put this theory into practice with their Cupolex domes which are made from 100% recycled plastic providing a more environmentally-friendly alternative to the usual wafflepod foundation.
There was also a presentation led by ACT Chief Engineer, Adrian Piani, about the ACT Government Procurement values. He discussed the values that are expected of all businesses tendering for ACT Government projects.
Adrian also discussed the actions the ACT Government are undertaking to create a more sustainable future.
These actions include:
> Electrifying Canberra and transitioning away from the use of fossil-fuel gas by 2045 > Aiming for 80-90% of light vehicle sales being zero emission vehicles by 2030 > Phasing out light ICE vehicles by 2035 > Amending planning regulations to remove the mandating of reticulated gas in new suburbs > Ensuring all new ACT Government buildings and facilities are zero emissions, including new leases
By being conscious of the ACT Government’s values and priorities, businesses can sufficiently prepare evidence to prove they meet the values when submitting a tender for a ACT Government project.
In another session, NAB Senior Consultant in Security Advisory and Awareness, Winston Lewinsmith, discussed the need for businesses to make their cyber health a priority. A few things businesses can do to improve their cyber security includes:
> Installing and using secure password management software
> Enacting two-factor authentication on all devices and programs > Encouraging staff to practice caution when supplying financial or confidential information
> Follow up financial requests sent via email or text with a phone call to verify the authenticity of the sender (even if it is a known number or email address) The conference encouraged attendees to assist in a creating a sustainable future for construction, and Master Builders ACT will continue finding ways to assist members in this pursuit.
THANK YOU TO THE CONFERENCE SPONSORS:
