NQ Branch President’s Report

Glenda Kirk, NQ Branch President Director Infrastructure Services, Mareeba Shire Council

Thank you to everyone who joined us in Townsville 16-18 June for the reconvened NQ Branch conference after COVID-19 cancelled last year’s event. Unfortunately, June can be a challenging month for councils in our region with the pressures of budgeting and deadlines for the delivery for funded projects. Fortunately, IPWEAQ members who were not able to attend the conference can access the presentations including the audio visuals, the PowerPoint presentations and papers submitted by authors. Access NQ Branch Conference Proceedings And see conference highlights on pages 91-92.

In just a few weeks, we’ll have another opportunity to get together for the Annual Conference in Cairns, 12-14 October. These gatherings are critical for our sector as we make the most of the opportunity to network with colleagues dealing with and resolving similar engineering and community issues across our state and the Northern Territory.

In the north, we are used to flash flooding from weather events and actively engineer solutions that reduce risks to our communities. And at this year’s Annual Conference in Cairns, we’ll have an opportunity to hear Dr Richard Harris (Harry) SC OAM, 2019 Australian of the Year talk about his involvement in the 2018 rescue of 12 young boys and their soccer coach trapped in a cave in Thailand when monsoon rains hit. Dr Harry’s unique combination of interests and career (diving and anaesthetist) catapulted him into the global spotlight in a high risk, apparently doomed operation which was certainly unprecedented. It’s an extraordinary story and I hope you will join us 9am Wednesday 13 October for this presentation.

Be sure also to register for presentations being delivered by our colleagues in the north including: • Paul Ransom and Samantha

Guy - Torres Strait Island

Regional Council - Mer Island

Water Supply • Tom Ryzak, E2G Joint Venture - Tropical surprises and infrastructure success on the

E2G project • Nicholas Wellwood, Burdekin

Shire Council - The Reinvention of the Ayr Drinking Water

Supply to meet water quality and resiliency benchmarks • Justin Fischer, Cassowary

Coast Regional Council - Tully

Grandstand Project - A different way of delivering (NQ Branch conference Best Paper winner)

I’m also pleased to be participating this year in the panel session on Day 2, ‘how do we plan better for resilient and sustainable communities in vulnerable locations?’

Traditionally, the excellence awards gala ceremony and dinner are on the second night of the conference but again this year, it will be the first night offering us an opportunity to celebrate all projects and people for the duration of the conference. Our best wishes for NQ councils vying for project awards: Cairns Regional Council, Cassowary Coast Regional Council, Flinders Shire Council, Kowanyama Aboriginal Council, Tablelands Regional Council, Townsville City Council, Whitsunday Regional Council and the Mt Isa Water Board. And vying for the inaugural Employer of the Year awards (Private Sector) is St. George Project Services. Good luck everyone!

I hope to see you all in what will be another record-breaking event in Cairns (based on early registrations), and to welcome our colleagues from the Northern Territory to their first IPWEAQ Annual Conference as members of the inaugural NT Branch of IPWEAQ.

See you then!

Managing Risks on Lower Order Roads

Native Title & Cultural Heritage