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From the President
The Future: Our Sector and Our Association Graham Dooley – AWA President
The Australian water sector is a little like our climate – rarely static, always changing in some way. Reflecting this, three significant events have taken place in the last month: 1. AWA’s next Board was elected Every two years AWA elects the next Board of Directors from among Directors who are eligible to continue and from new nominations. A very able group has been elected and will take office at the next Ozwater Conference & Exhibition in May 2015. Carmel Krogh, Jodieann Dawe and Mal Shepherd will continue as Directors, along with Peter Moore (as next President) and myself (as Past President). New Directors are Francois Gouws, Managing Director at TRILITY Group; Michael Muntisov, Global Technical Leader – Water, GHD; Dr Annette Davison, Sole Director & Principal, Risk Edge Pty Ltd; Dr Jeremy Lucas, Senior Manager – Water Quality & Treatment Strategy, SA Water and Garth Walter, Manager, Ground Control & Water, BHP Billiton WA Iron Ore. Congratulations to all, and also a big vote of thanks to those who offered themselves for election. 2. The National Water Commission (Abolition) Bill 2014 This Bill shuts down the NWC and distributes its recurring functions. What has become clear is that there will be no single whole-of-water-sector voice on the big national issues set out in the National Water Initiative (NWI) – the only water document signed by the Commonwealth and all States and Territories since the Constitution, 103 years earlier.
water November 2014
AWA has always been a strong supporter of the undertakings made by all Governments in the NWI and of the role of the NWC. A vast amount of good work has been done by many parties, but the agenda continues. There is a need and a demand across Australia for a single advocate for the whole of the water sector. AWA is keen to see that need fulfilled after the NWC is wound up and is considering how AWA itself might better serve the needs of the whole sector and the demands of the entire Australian community. 3. National Water Policy Summit, October 2014 AWA has created an ongoing dialogue among the “captains” of the Australian water sector for discussing, debating and formulating what are the big national water policy issues – in urban, agricultural and resources settings. You will have noticed the first step was taken at Ozwater’14 in a number of forums; the second step has now been taken in AWA National Water Policy Summit 2014. The format of this Summit, which this year was held 14–15 October in Sydney, will be refined each year to create a focus relevant for the times, but the twice-yearly airing of the big topics at both Ozwater and the Summit is now firmly embedded in the AWA annual agenda. Thank you to all those speakers who talked plainly and clearly about the issues that are important to them; a number of them challenged AWA to take a stronger policy development and advocacy role across the entire sector. The event was webcast with the opportunity for interactive Q&A – another way in which AWA can better serve its members.