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A Message from the CEO
A MESSAGE FROM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, MICHAEL HOPKINS
Strategic planning reconfirms the MBA’s vision and core values
Six months after being appointed the Association’s CEO, and subsequently implementing a wide-ranging organisation restructure, I am pleased to report that all senior positions in our organisation have now been filled. The latest addition to our team is Ashlee Berry, who commenced in late April as our Legal and Compliance Director. Ashlee brings a range of legal skills to the MBA, with specific experience in the local building industry, and with an understanding of the needs of small businesses.
Ashlee joins Liz Nair (Commercial Director) and Ken Crofts (Financial Controller), and myself as the Association’s senior leadership team. With a new team in place, the MBA Executive Committee, MBA Group Training Board and senior staff held a strategic planning day in late April to review and reconfirm the Association’s vision, core values and offer to members.
In our more than 93-year history, Master Builders ACT has never been afraid to strive for excellence in our industry. Whether it be improving the safety culture on ACT work sites, shining a light on the practices of unions and union officials during the Royal Commission into Trade Union Corruption, or advocating for improved building quality, Master Builders ACT will always represent quality and excellence in the local construction industry. This vision and our core values were confirmed at the strategic planning day. Demonstration of these core values, was the quality work of our local civil construction sector showcased on 11 May at the 2018 CCF Earth Awards. Examples of excellence in the entire ACT construction industry will then be on show on 29 June at the MBA Building Excellence Awards.
The MBA also continues to advocate on behalf of members for improvements to the ACT building regulatory system. A number of the recommendations made by Master Builders ACT to the ACT Government have recently been confirmed at the Australian Building Ministers Forum.
Improvements to the licensing system, the introduction of continuing professional development training, greater accountability of designers and certifiers, and addressing the increasing problem of non-conforming products, are all priorities for this reform.
Finally, the announcement by WorkSafe ACT last month of its legal action in regard to the tragic death of a construction worker in 2016 highlights the shared responsibility of everyone in the industry to continue to improve the industry’s safety culture and outcomes. It also reinforces the strength of our current workplace safety laws and the importance of effective independent government regulatory agencies such as WorkSafe ACT to enforce them.
Master Builders strongly supports the role of Workplace ACT to enforce compliance with workplace safety laws without which safety is undermined.
