President’s Comment – September 2022
At our recent internal QA audit there was a question as to whether our business continuity plan was up to date. “What if something happens to you directors. Will we have all the information we need to keep going?”
The unexpected recent death of ACA SA member Anatoly Patrick is a sad reminder that whilst we can make plans for our practices, map strategic directions and consider our futures, we are not islands and our profession relies on mutual care and consideration of others. Pandemics, personal tragedies and economic downturns strike unexpectedly, so what support can I offer to others, and what can I do to help my staff, my colleagues, and my profession be better?
Unfortunately, this sometimes involves sticking one’s head above the parapet and speaking out to right wrongs, speak truth to government and clients, and work for the overall benefit of both our profession and the built environment more generally.
There are plenty of examples of this happening within the ACA. In SA we met to farewell Graham Hardy, Simon Thomson and Ian Hore, who between them have served for 50 years on our committee. In Victoria the committee, under the leadership of Paul Viney, has spent huge amounts of time to try to stop the worst changes to legislation related to the Architects Board. Other ACA committees and members across the country are tirelessly working to improve the profession.
There’s no shortage of things to do and people to support – and people to support you too. The challenge is there for you, if you choose to accept…