EngineeringSA The South Australia Division’s Newsletter
South Australia Division
April 2011 A Message From The President Our recently updated Code of Ethics clearly states what we as a profession stand for. “We use our knowledge and skills for the benefit of the community to create engineering solutions for a sustainable future and we strive to serve the community ahead of other personal or sectional interests”. Our values include a commitment to demonstrate integrity, practice competently, promote sustainability and importantly, to demonstrate leadership. There are many areas in which we are called upon to show leadership, particularly in areas addressing disadvantage in our community. In this respect, the issue of indigenous disadvantage however requires particular attention. There is a large and unacceptable gap between the living standards and opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and the rest of the Australian community. As the largest and most diverse association for engineers in Australia, and one of the world’s most respected engineering associations, Engineers Australia and its members are ideally placed to influence improvements in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander living standards and opportunities. A key initiative of the Year of Humanitarian Engineering, and our response to ‘closing the gap’, is a commitment to produce a national Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) which will be released in August 2011. Our RAP will define what we can do individually and as a profession in the areas of Respect, Relationships and Opportunities. Many organisations are embracing reconciliation as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility programs. One third of the members of the Business Council of Australia now have active RAP programs in place. Indeed many organisations, including governments, are setting targets for indigenous employment as part of their project and corporate activities. Some are requiring engineering companies and contractors to commit to these employment targets as a condition of contract. Engineers Australia can assist our members to be informed and to respond to these challenges. So what specifically can engineers do? Solutions do not come easy, but no solution will come without leadership from both sides. We are called upon to act. We are called upon to embark on a journey that, no matter how slow it may be, will lead us to a point of equality and mutual respect with our indigenous Australians.
there are only 20 indigenous graduate engineers. We can facilitate the training and development of more indigenous engineers who would be well positioned to make a great contribution to engineering in remote areas, including the growing resources sector as well as community infrastructure. Good (physical and community) infrastructure provides the most direct and long term means of improving or optimising social determinants of health and thus life expectancy. Over the next few months you will have the opportunity to become engaged in this initiative, and on behalf of our National President Merv Lindsay FIEAust CPEng, I invite you to join us on that journey. If you wish to contact me personally about this, please email me on sapresident@engineersaustralia.org.au I draw your attention to the article on page eleven in this edition of EngineeringSA which provides an update on the International Conference for Women Engineers and Scientists (ICWES15). This is the first time that this international conference has been held in the southern hemisphere, and with over 300 abstracts from 38 countries it will be a wonderful event. It will showcase the contribution that women make in our industry, as well as attract young women to our profession. Registration for the ICWES15 conference is now open and I encourage you all to take this fantastic and unique opportunity to attend. I would also like to draw your attention to the article on page four in this newsletter from Immediate Past President Doug Gillott, regarding the Parliamentary Fellows Program and the Sir Eric Neal Address. I would like to publicly thank the ex-Premier Dr Lynn Arnold AO for a wonderful presentation entitled ‘Slumdog Engineer’ which challenged all those present to do what we can to make a better world for those less fortunate than ourselves, especially in the developing world. I encourage you to have a look at his presentation, which is available on the Engineers Australia website at http://tinyurl.com/4gasqae Dr David Cruickshanks-Boyd FIEAust EngExec President Engineers Australia South Australia Division
Engineers Australia has a particular opportunity to facilitate the education of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to become members of the engineering team. According to recent statistics there are 153 indigenous doctors and another 161 in training; but
News Flash •
In July 2011 the 15 International Conference for Woman Engineers and Scientists (ICWES15) will be held, for the first time in Australia, in Adelaide. Early Bird rates end in May, so book fast!
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The 2011 South Australian Engineering Excellence Award Entries are now open. More details are on page seven of this edition of EngineeringSA. Alternatively please visit the South Australia Division website at www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sa and look under the Awards section for more information.
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The Retired Engineers will be holding their next luncheon on the 15th June 2011. Retired members, or those interested in attending, should keep an eye on the South Australia Division Events page at www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sa/events.
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