IPWEAQ

Celisa Faulkner (Branch President)

Manager Asset Planning

Gladstone Regional Council

Adam Doherty (Vice President)

Director

Dileigh Consulting Engineers

Greg Abbotts

Technical Officer

Livingstone Shire Council

Ryan Grayson

Development Engineer

Gladstone Regional Council

Jason Hoolihan

Manager Infrastructure

Central Highlands Regional Council

Garth Kath

RPEQ Engineer & Associate

George Bourne & Associates

Arvind Jess Layug

Technical Officer/Project Superintendent

Rockhampton Regional Council

Thomas Wager

Graduate Engineer

AECOM Australia

The Call for Papers for the 2021 CQ Branch Conference is now closed and the team are busy finalising the program for this year’s conference to be held in Maryborough, 20-21 April. Last year’s event was postponed due to COVID-19 so we’re expecting an even bigger delegation this year to make up for it. The SEQ Branch conference in Caloundra set the bar at 192 delegates with the SWQ Branch conference tracking towards 200. I’m confident we can set a new benchmark in Maryborough.

However, it’s not all about the numbers per se – it’s about having a cross-section of engineering professionals from our sector from all councils and supporting organisations who can share experiences and learnings which make our whole sector stronger. And that’s why most of us choose this sector – a genuine desire to make our communities better and stronger, and we invariably leave behind a legacy for future generations which isn’t necessary visible with major pieces of infrastructure.

Other CPD opportunities coming up include Erosion & Sediment Control Level 2 in Rockhampton 30 March. The Street Design Manual for Practitioners in Maryborough this month is fully booked however please contact Craig Moss to propose a venue and date which suits you and your team. All of IPWEAQ’s courses can be designed specifically to meet your needs and delivered publicly or in-house so if you have training budgets not yet dedicated to your team’s improvement, please contact Craig to identify what’s needed for your people at this time.

The new IPWEAQ Track My CPD [insert link] portal is now live. It has some great visual metrics displaying how you’re tracking towards your 150 CPD hours for the three-year period. If you have signed-up for IPWEAQ’s CPD Scheme, the team will also track and monitor your CPD hours for you and give you a prompt when you’re falling behind schedule.

As everyone is now aware, the Crime & Corruption Commission wrote to all councils with a warning about ‘professional engineering services’ being delivered by someone other than an RPEQ or without RPEQ supervision, so I encourage you to take the steps needed now to advance towards attaining RPEQ to be sure that you, nor your council are put at risk. Contact Kate O’Riordan [insert link] to discuss further.

Our gratitude to Kev Bickhoff who served on the RPEQ Assessment Board since its inception and recently retired from his position. Thanks, Kev, for your valuable contributions to the Institute over many decades including as IPWEAQ President (1999-2001) and your time on the CQ Branch committee.

Our congratulations to IPWEAQ Ambassador and CQ Branch committee member, Ben Ash who finally married Christie in December after COVID-19 caused the cancellation of their original nuptials in May 2020. Subsequently, Ben and Christie have returned to the south-east to be closer to family. We wish them the best.

I look forward to seeing you all in Maryborough in just a few weeks!