QLD/NT 2021 – Events, Advocacy & Regional Focus

4 December 2021

It’s been a busy year for the QLD/NT branch with easing restrictions allowing a return to a full event calendar, a continuation of ongoing advocacy discussions with local governments, and a focus on engagement with the regions.

Events

During 2021, Queensland was lucky enough to reintroduce face-to-face events in and out of lockdowns, such as lunch forums and site tours, combined with a series of webinars enabling us to continue to reach members throughout Queensland, the Northern Territory and nationally.

The program has included:

Site Tours
  • Brisbane Girls Grammar School Science Learning Centre presented by m3architecture
  • Brisbane South State Secondary College presented by BVN
Lunch Forums
  • Bridging the Gaps in Graduate Knowledge and Skills – Kate Doyle, CEO of Architects Accreditation Council of Australia,
  • NCC Update for Architects – Michael Moran, Philip Chun
  • A Town within A Town – Susan Dugdale, Dugdale & Associates NT
Webinars
  • Know Your Award Update – Tom Earls, Fair Work Lawyers
  • Section J in Action – Ashburner Francis
  • Managing Corrosion in Metal Roofing and Cladding Products – Stramit
  • AS1428.1 – Deciphering the Standards – GWA
  • Risky Business 2021 – Thynne Macartney, Planned Cover, Fulton Trotter Architects
  • Professional Indemnity Claims in the Construction Industry – Focus Underwriting
  • Fire Engineering for Architects – WSP Australia and Philip Chun

• Living Architecture with Kerry and Lindsay Clare
• Member Dinner and Trivia Night
• Corporate Partner and National Partner Breakfast

The QLD/NT branch introduced the Living Architecture Series – a Q&A series with prominent architects. The first event hosted Kerry and Lindsay Clare of Clare Design. Lindsay and Kerry shared their 40+ year journey in architecture and their key insights with other architects, graduates and students. We look forward to continuing this successful event with a lineup of notable architects for 2022.

  • Top, above & below: Living Architecture event with Kerry & Lindsay Clare

Advocacy

This year the QLD/NT branch has continued to engage with the Office of the Queensland Government Architect (OQGA), farewelling Malcom Middleton and making introductions to newly appointed Leah Lang. We have recommenced our regular discussions with the OQGA, Australian Institute of Architects, the Board of Architects Queensland and other industry representatives to discuss a range of issues impacting our profession.

Raising the standing of the architectural profession in the broader community is an ongoing issue. Priority issues continue to include procurement, BAFO, the National Registration Framework, and risk allocation.

We continue representation on various committees including:

  • Office of the Queensland Government Architect – Robert Wesener and Gilda Donegan
  • AIA Practice Committee – Robert Wesener
  • AACA Expert Reference Group – Charmaine Kai
  • AACA Pathway to Registration Project – Denis Waring
  • ACIF / APCC Allocation of Risk Working Party – Robert Wesener

Regional Focus

As part of our strategic planning, our committee has focused on ways to engage with our regional members through consultation and feedback. So far, feedback indicates we are doing great…with the introduction of more online events and updated tools available through the website. Unfortunately, due to border restrictions, our Planned Cover event in Darwin this year was required to be online; however, we were pleased to host Susan Dugdale of Northern Territory in Brisbane for ‘Town within a Town’. Looking into next year, we will plan for further regional events with support from our partners, focusing on our most northern parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory, where travel to our events sometimes makes it difficult.

The ACA QLD/NT currently has 18 regional members. As part of our plan to engage further, we look to invite regional members as guests to attend committee meetings to provide further insight into how we can support members in these areas better.

Architects Mental Wellbeing Forum

During the year, the ACA continued to support architectural practices, our members and the broader architectural community through the Architects Mental Wellbeing Forum (AMWF). These Forums foster connectedness, inclusion and belonging in the profession.

Five AMWF events addressed the following topics:

  • Employee Assistance Programs – People Sense, Guidelight Psychology, Access EAP
  • Champions of Change – Peddle Thorp and SJB (Sydney)
  • Open discussion – Your People, Your Practice
  • Managing Client Expectations and Dealing with Bad Behaviour – Henry Reed
  • Forum End of Year Breakfast

Corporate Partners

We would like to sincerely thank our Corporate Partners for their ongoing commitment and support of the ACA throughout this year. Because of their support, we have been able to continue to offer members a range of activities, increasing our reach from local to regional and national participation. This year we welcomed three new corporate partners – Alspec, Geberit and Laminex.

  • Alspec, represented by Bernie San Diego
  • Ashburner Francis, represented by Darren Cardy
  • Assa Abloy, represented by Andrew Cramb and Greg Rech
  • Geberit, represented by Renton Powell, Thomas Muller and Trevor Gozzard
  • GWA Bathrooms & Kitchens, represented by Daemien Davis, Hannah Hansen and Matthew Pattison
  • Interface, represented by Theresa Gallina
  • Kennedy’s Timbers, represented by Michael Kennedy
  • Laminex, represented by David Dwight
  • Stokes Wheeler, represented by Damien Stokes and John Wheeler
  • Stramit, represented by Ken King

Kudos

I would like to thank each of the QLD/NT Committee members for their contribution and ongoing support throughout this year.

  • David Brian – Vice President/Events – dwp
  • Carl Brooks – Sponsorship/Events – ABM Architects
  • David Frost – Industrial Relations – Cottee Parker
  • Brett Hudson – AMWF – Peddle Thorp
  • Steven Huntingford – NT Representative – Huntingford Architecture
  • Charmaine Kai – Treasurer/Education – 8i Architects
  • Kerri May – Membership – Bickerton Masters Architecture
  • Denis Waring – Secretary/Education – PW Architecture
  • Robert Wesener – Immediate Past President – Advocacy – Fulton Trotter Architects
  • Mark Williams – BIM/Salary Survey – Mark Williams Architects

Our Queensland and the Northern Territory membership continues to grow – currently with 119 members representing 1049 staff members.

I would like to extend a special thank you to our Executive Officer Louise Street for what has been a busy year juggling a series of events during uncertain times, keeping the committee on track and ensuring all runs smoothly.

Finally, from all of us in QLD/NT, we look forward to open borders over the festive season and into next year. We wish you all a Merry Christmas, safe family holidays and prosperity in 2022!

Gilda Donegan,
President, ACA – QLD/NT Branch

  • Above & below: Brisbane Girls Grammar School STEM Tour