Tonkin brings regional focus to WA Division of Engineers Australia
The WA Division of Engineers Australia has appointed civil engineer Barry Tonkin as its incoming President for 2012.
Mr Tonkin’s appointment was announced at the Division’s Annual Dinner on 8 December.
Mr Tonkin, the Division’s current Deputy President, is a civil engineer with a background in mediation and arbitration.
He has extensive experience as over several decades in railways; public works and housing; and infrastructure involving power, road and marine projects.
He currently workswith Downer Australia in the field of transmission infrastructure in regional Western Australia, and will shortly commence working with the iron ore producer FMG.
“Next year is earmarked as the Year of the Regional Engineering Team and a good opportunity to highlight regional Australia as the heart of engineering,” he said.
He said this was especially important for WA, the centre of the country’s resources boom, with issues such as working and supporting fly-in, fly-out workforces and ensuring that regional communities have the backing they need to get things done.
“One of the wonderful things about being an engineer is seeing how things fit together, figuring out how to make them work,” Mr Tonkin said.
“Engineers are in a lot of regional areas in places and in projects where there is an emphasis on working together and cooperating to get the job done.
“One thing I am most passionate about in relation to projects and engineering works is in finding those nifty solutions, ensuring positive relationships are maintained and winning against the odds, but moving forward without disputes, conflicts and unnecessary expenses of defending positions just to be ‘right’.
“It’s important to do the job safely and give people reasonable time and space to get things right the first time.
“As an arbitrator, adjudicator and mediator myself, I see the merit of early ethical negotiation and building good relationships to keep oneself outside of an adversarial fight that can sometimes be more about attributing blame and assigning fault if things don't go as planned.”
Mr Tonkin is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia (FIEAust) and Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng).
He said was looking forward to working with the membership of Engineers Australia to achieve the goals of the WA Division.
