IPWEA Vic Blog

2011 IPWEAvic Footy Tipping Competition Winners were announced on 12 October 2011 at Best Point showroom:

– First Prize – “Cuddles”
– Second Prize – Ross Goyne
– Third Prize –  Employee at Greater City of Geelong

Could all winners please contact our sponsor Best Point to collect thier prizes if they have not done so already.

Thankyou to all those who joined in the fun and celebrations on 12 October 2011!

A GREAT BIG thankyou to BestPoint for their sponsorship of the event and the incredibly generous prizes provided for hte footy tipping comp in 2011.

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The 2012 IPWEAvic Diary is now available.  These diaries are free for members.  Please contact the office through email vic@ipwea.org.au or phone 03 9005 0860 to arrange collection of your FREE copy.

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On 12 October 2011 the Productivity Commission released its inquiry report into Australia’s Urban Water Sector.  The report deals with potable water, waste water, storm water and flooding, and lots of other stuff relevant to the water setor and local government sector.   Access the report here.

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The Spring 2011 edition of SPECnotes, the quarterly newsletter from NATSPEC together with the latest TECHnotes Index are available for viewing.

View SPECnotes Spring 2011 edition here

View latest TECHnotes Index here

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Introducing Peter Harriott – who was elected to the IPWEA vic Board at the IPWEA AGM on 6th October 2011.

Peter Harriott is the General Manager Asset Development at the Greater Shepparton City Council.  He has more than 20 years experience in local government, starting as a graduate engineer in Warrnambool in 1985.
He secured promotions in his field of engineering at a number of rural councils prior to his appointment in 2000 at the Greater Shepparton City Council where he started as the Director of Development and Infrastructure.
Peter’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil), Municipal Engineer’s Certificate, Water Engineer’s Certificate, Graduate Certificate in Water Engineering, Municipal Building Surveyor and a Master of Business
Administration.

We welcome Peter to the IPWEAvic Board.

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The next IPWEAvic Information Series Event will be held on Wednesday 23rd November 10:30am – 12:30pm in Boroondara Room at Boroondara Ciy Council, Camberwell Road, Camberwell

Are any of these familiar to you?

• Road safety audits cost too much
• Audit findings are so unrealistic
• The audit left us with a list of things we could never fix
• It’s too complicated
• Our people went to the audit course, so we don’t need independent audits

All these problems focus on the audits themselves.  But the issue is not ‘road safety audit – yes or no’.  The issue is ‘road and traffic designs that work – how do we get there’.

–         How can you get the most out of your organisation’s resources when it comes to road layouts and traffic projects?
–         What do you need to do at the design stage to make sure the final product is what you want and it works safely?
–         Where does road safety audit fit in to help you get there?

Road Safety Audit’s been around for almost 20 years.  It’s being used very effectively by a few organisations.
Considering the real benefits for organisations (fewer complaints, less going back and fixing it later) and communities (less road crash trauma, damage or injury), how can you get auditing to work effectively for you?

Our Two Presenters will share their knowledge of Road Safety Audits problems and solutions.

Rob Morgan is one of Australia’s most experienced road safety engineers.  He is principal author of the AustRoads Road Safety Audit guide and has been involved in audit training across Australia.  He has a decade of practical Local Government experience.  His presentation will offer practical advice about how you can get better road safety into your designs.

Rob Morgan’s presentation will cover:

• What’s the purpose and what’s the point? How audits fit in.
• Do  I always need a road safety audit? Are there better ways to use a road safety engineer?
• What to look for when engaging a road safety auditor
• What makes a useful road safety audit report
• How can we set up a road safety audit process in our office so it works?
• Responding to a road safety audit – the big road block
• Town planning proposals and new developments – why these need to be audited.

Evan Boloutis is Manager Traffic and Transport at Boroondara City Council.  He has many years experience in solving traffic safety issues.  Evan will present some case studies showing where the use of Road Safety Audits have been effective and some common road safety problems.

A light lunch will be available after the presentations

This is a FREE event for members and guests however you must register to attend.  Download registration details here

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CCF OH&S Harmonisation Awareness Seminars will be held in all major regional centres during late October and November.

The purpose of the seminars is to  provide organisations working in the civil construction sector with a sector specific view of the differences between the current Victorian Legislation and the soon to be introduced Nationally Harmonised Legislation, what contractors will need to  address in the workplace and how their OH&S system will need to change.   The most important fact of these seminars is that they are specifically structured for those working in the civil construction sector, whereas the WorkSafe seminars will be necessarily much more generically focussed on the “typical” workplace, and as you are aware the “civil sector” is anything but typical.

As Councils conduct some aspects of civil works CCF have extend an invitation both to council officers working in that sector as well as their contractors who might not be CCF Members to  attend the afternoon sessions free of charge, they will naturally need to  register their attendance with CCF on the seminar flyer.  The afternoon sessions will be followed with the CCF normal Regional Dinner, and again both council officers and contractors are welcome to  attend, however there is a $35.00 per head cost, again those wishing to  attend will need to  register and pay with their booking.

The first seminar is to be held in Warrnambool  on Thursday 27th October 2011.  Download flyer and registration details here.

The second seminar is to be held in Mildura on 3rd November 2011.  Download flyer and registration details here

The third seminar is to be held in Horsham on 16th November 2011. Download flyer and registration details here

The fourth seminar is to be held in Geelong on 23 November 2011.  Donwload flyer and registration details here

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Accountability, Transparency, Collaboration and Sustainability are the four principles cited by the Hon Jeanette Powell, Minister for Local Government, in her opening address to the delegates of the IPWEAvic Strategic Contract Management & Procurement Conference held on Thursday 6th October 2011 at Melbourne Exhibition Centre.  Close to 80 delegates gathered to explore issues relating to procurement.  Speakers from Victoiran Auditor Generals Office, Local Government Victoria, DPCD, State Government Department of Treasury and Finance set the scene.  The program was rich in case studies with presentations from a rural shire, Colac Otway, a water authority, Barwon Water, Technologyone on getting your systems in order and GAA on standardising infrastructure design manuals.  A lively panel discussion considered mechanisms to improve collaboration, roles of engineers and procurement professionals in an organisation, forward capital works planning, importance of procurement roadmaps and tips to improve procurement outcomes in organisations.    The day was supported by DPCD for the third consecutive year and the sponsor for the day was Technologyone.

Read the Liberal Party Media Release here

Read IPWEAvic Media Release here

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Photos

1. Minister for Local Government delivering opening address

2 & 3. President, Mark Varmalis, thanking Mininster on behalf of IPWEAvic

4.  Confenrece Gold Sponsor Technologyone

5.  Mandy, IPWEAvic Admin Officer, at the registration desk

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The Annual dinner of IPWEAvic was held on Thursday 6th October at Melbourne Exhibition Centre.  Outstanding food and wine was served to the gathering over 3 courses.  David Fricke from Moonee Valley City Council gave and excellent dinner presentation on his reasearched MEFvic study tour topic of Sustainable Infrastructure.  David’s study tour paper can be found on the MEFvic website.

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At the IPWEAvic AGM held on Thursday 6th October David Sutcliffe was nominated as President of IPWEAvic taking over from Mark Varmalis.  David Sutcliffe is currently Director of Technical & Development Services at Central Goldfields Shire Council.  He is joined on the Executive by Vice- President Vicki Shelton and Treasurer Ross Goyne, both from regional Victoria.  David is keen to assist members in regional victoria and increase engagment in public works issues across the sector.

Download a copy of the Minutes from the 2011 AGM held on 6th October here

Download a copy of the IPWEAvic Directors Statutory Report here

Immediately following the IPWEAvic AGM on 6th October IPWEA National held their AGM.  IPWEA National CEO Chris Champion and IPWEA National President John Truman gave updates to those present on current IPWEA National initiatives.

         IPWEA National President, John Truman, delivering his speech at IPWEA National AGM.

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