As I write this month’s Members’ Message, I’ve just returned from a meeting of all Engineers Australia Divisional Presidents, together with our national executive management. This provided a great opportunity to share my insights on behalf of our Queensland Division and discover that many of our issues in Queensland are also being experienced across the country. It is exciting to appreciate the extent of the enormous change agenda in train across our entire organisation, and many stories of these changes are in the process of being rolled out to members over the next couple of months – keep an eye out for them.
Our engagement, on members’ behalf, with key representatives of the Queensland Government is progressing with meetings confirmed during this month with the Treasurer (Curtis Pitt) and the Deputy Premier/Infrastructure Minister (Jackie Trad). In addition, we continue to plan for a major high-level Parliamentary engagement event focussed around the current state of our infrastructure industry in Queensland, and the implications for engineering jobs. I am acutely aware that this is an issue of major concern for many of our members and we are doing all we can to keep this front of mind for both the Government and the Opposition.
Also, in Rockhampton, this month we have participated in the Central Queensland Academic Forum to further develop our strong relationship with the engineering academic profession. Similar engagements are being progressed across Queensland campuses to build current membership and shape the future for our next generation of members.
I encourage all members to continue to monitor the comprehensive events program coordinated on your behalf by Engineers Australia, details of which are available through the Engineers Australia website. I’d like to highlight a couple of this month’s activities as examples.
The Southern Regional Forum was held in Ipswich on the 8th of May, with a full day’s program of speakers from both the public and private sectors on ‘Engineering your Business Skills’, including a site tour of the UQ Gatton solar farm. Over 100 delegates attended this successful event. Next month the Northern Regional Forum will be held in Cairns and we encourage members to attend and enhance your CPD and networking.
Hope to see many of you at one of our upcoming activities.
Chris Warnock, FIEAust CPEng RPEQ
Queensland Division President 2015