Canberra Division, Engineers Australia | 11 National Circuit BARTON ACT 2600 | PO Box 6038 KINGSTON ACT 2604

p: 02 6270 6519 | f: 02 6273 2051 | e: blowe@engineersaustralia.org.au | w: www.engineersaustralia.org.au/canberra

03 | 2009

From the PresidentThe Victorian

bushfires have touched upon all Australians and particularly those in Canberra who experienced the devastation of 2003.

The Victorian Premier has announced that the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority has been established. This Authority will be responsible for coordinating all three tiers of government agencies, the prioritisation of expenditure and rebuilding efforts and will be supported by a team with specialist skills. I also note that Tony Powell has offered advice to improve the outcomes from the Authority based on his experience with the Darwin Reconstruction Authority and the National Capital Development Commission. No doubt many of our members will be supporting and assisting this Authority and I am sure that you will share with me in also supporting them in this recovery effort.

Whilst on the subject of catastrophic events the Australian Earthquake Engineering Society has identified that many major Australian cities lie within areas that could experience earthquakes at least the magnitude of the Newcastle Earthquake of 20 years ago. The Society in association with Engineers Australia will be seeking discussions with relevant ACT Ministers to discuss the preparedness for this type of event.

The Australian economy has also been receiving a battering over the

past six months. We have seen the outline of a substantial Australian infrastructure package expected to be announced in the next few weeks and although it appears that the ACT may not have achieved any specific funding for flagship projects it is understood that Sandra Lambert working to the Chief Minister will oversee the $350m economic stimulus package. This should assist stability of Canberra’s economy. However, in the building industry it appears that the commercial construction activity has peaked as reflected in the growing vacancy rates – especially in the A grade accommodation where it has risen from 2.2% in 2008 to 8.5% in January 2009.

Enough of doom and gloom. I am pleased to announce that the 2009 Canberra Engineering Excellence awards were launched on 26th February and the Awards Presentation Dinner will be held in September. Our thanks go to Mike Evans who is again leading the sub-committee responsible for organising this most important event. I encourage everyone to consider submitting an entry, be it a project, report, invention or research to this most prestigious event. Further details are contained later in the newsletter.

National Office will also be hosting an additional Congress meeting this year to develop the next strategic plan and the National Council will be meeting in Canberra in May. This event will coincide with a celebration of Engineers Australia 90th birthday and to recognise this milestone we are currently discussing with the Chief Ministers Department a project to plant trees in the International Arboretum and Gardens. The trees will be of the

same species as those planted at Manuka Circle by Engineers Australia way back in 1926.

As part of the celebrations leading up to Canberra’s centenary we have a sub-committee liaising with both the Territory and Federal governments to commemorate the event. One of the contributions from Canberra Division to this event is a submission to Council to designate 2013 as ‘The Year of Nation Building’.

Finally, I am delighted to announce the election of Jennifer Murray as the Vice President of Canberra Division. I am sure that you will all join with me in congratulating Jennifer on her appointment.

Meanwhile, Denton Bocking (Deputy President) is furthering delivery of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) with the coordination of the technical program for 2009.

T A Brimson

Update your email addressFull details of each Technical Presentation is sent out by email approximately one week before the presentation. If you are not receiving these emails perhaps your email address is not on our database or we may have the wrong email address.

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engineerscanberra

2 | Engineers Canberra | March 2009

ITE&E BRANCH, IET & IEEE PRESENTATIONTuesday 17 March 2009 – 5.30 for 6.00pm

Engineering House, 11 National Circuit, Barton

Power Stations and Emissions Trading – The RisksPresenter - Mr John Boshier

CALL FOR ENTRIESEngineers Australia – Canberra Division is pleased to invite entries for the 2009 Canberra Engineering Excellence Awards.

The Engineering Excellence Awards provide an opportunity to showcase the achievements, success, sustainability and innovation of Canberra’s engineering, not only within the engineering fraternity, but also to the wider community.

We strongly urge you to consider a nomination for the 2009 Canberra Engineering Excellence Awards so that you too can take your place as one of Canberra’s engineering achievers and be recognised as a leader in your field.

Entry forms are available from the Division Office or alternatively can be accessed online at www.engineersaustralia.org.au/canberra

IMPORTANT DATES 2009Monday 6 April –

Thursday 30 April –

Tuesday 30 June –

Thursday 10 September –

2009CA

NBER

RA D

IVIS

ION

EngineeringExcellence Awards

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER OF THE YEAR AWARD 2009YOUNG ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGIST OF THE YEAR AWARD 2009

YOUNG ENGINEERING OFFICER OF THE YEAR AWARD 2009These awards apply to practising engineers under the age of 35 years. They seek to acknowledge and reward young professional engineers, young engineering technologists and young officers who have:

Realised competence and significant achievement in community affairs;A demonstrated understanding of the role and purpose of the engineering profession in society;Proficiency in the use of communication skills in engineering projects;Effective communication with public media

Nominations, addressing the above criteria and including a current CV of the nominee need to be submitted by 15 May 2009 to the Canberra Division, PO Box 6038, Kingston, ACT, 2604 or by email to blowe@engineersasutralia.org.au. Winners will be announced at the Canberra Division Gen2X Luncheon on 19 June 2009.

For further information and entry form, please contact Barbara Lowe at the Canberra Division office on 6270 6519. Canberra Division

ENGINEERSAUSTRALIA

The Australian Government has published its White Paper on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. This will result in a transformation of epic proportions to the energy industry. Electricity generators will comprise more than 50% of the scheme and are concerned to smoothly make the transition to reduce emissions. The practical effect of the White Paper is that there will be reduction

of asset values of some $10 billion to $20 billion in generating plant. This occurs at the same time that the industry tries to find new capital in excess of $30 billion in new low-emission generating plant. Private equity now faces significant merchant risk and debt markets are very constrained. This talk explores the dilemma and what could be done to achieve the government’s goals.

John Boshier is the Executive Director of the National Generators Forum, the industry body which represents the 21 principal electricity generators in the national market. The NGF was incorporated in February 2005, and is playing an increasing role as the market becomes more integrated with a single pricing and dispatch system and one regulator.John is qualified in engineering and business, and was previously Chief Executive of Engineers Australia. He has been General Manager of both a retail electricity distribution company and the major generator in New Zealand, and has held senior executive positions in government departments.John has published papers in energy policy, and is on several not-for-profit boards.

engineerscanberra

3 | Engineers Canberra | March 2009

ENGINEERS AUSTRALIA CANBERRA DIVISION

TECHNICAL PROGRAMAll presentations will be held at “Engineering House”, 11 National Circuit, Barton unless otherwise specified.

For catering purposes please RSVP for all meetings to blowe@engineersaustralia.org.au or phone 6270 6519.Full details of each meeting can be found at www.engineersaustralia.org.au/canberra under Technical Program.

Date/time Branch/Group Topic Speaker/notes

MARCH 2009Tue 3 5.30 for 6.00pm 1 CPD point

Risk Engineering Society

Risk Management in IT Mr Ramesh Kandukuri, Team Leader, Integration Coordination Centre, Information Services, AFP

Wed 4 5.30 for 6.00pm 1 CPD point

Australian Society for Defence Engineering (ASDE)

Issues Affecting Military Aviation Acquisition and Support

Air Vice Marshal Colin Thorne AM, Head Aerospace Systems Division, DMO

Wed 11 5.30 for 6.00pm

Young Engineers & WIE

Chartered Status Workshop(See details below)

Doug Tompsitt, National Assessor, Engineers Australia

Tue 17 5.30 for 6.00pm 1 CPD point

ITE&E Branch, IET & IEEE

Power Stations and Emissions Trading – The Risks

Mr John Boshier, Executive Director, National Generators Forum

Wed 18 12.00 for 12.30pm1 CPD point

SSEE Joint with WMAA (Waste Management Association of Australia)

The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and the Waste Sector

Dr Stephen Bygrave, Department of Climate Change

Thu 19 12.00 for 12.30pm 1 CPD point

Transport Branch Trip Rates Research in Canberra Mr Bob Nairn

APRIL 2009Wed 15.30 for 6.00pm1 CPD point

ASDE TBA Mr John Duddy, Managing Director, Boeing Defence Australia Ltd.

Thu 25.30 for 6.00pm 1 CPD point

Young Engineers joint with AIAA

Space Launch Risk Hazard Analysis Mr Shaun Wilson, American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AIAA)

Thu 165.30 for 6.00pm 1 CPD point

Transport Branch & Young Engineers

Pialligo Avenue Upgrading Craig Sutton, Andrew Pettig & Josh Everett, SMEC

Thu 235.30 for 6.00pm 1 CPD point

ITE&E Branch, IET & IEEE

TBA ITEE College Eminent Speaker, Dr David Skellern, CEO, NICTA

YOUNG ENGINEERS & WOMEN IN ENGINEERING

CHARTERED STATUS WORKSHOPWednesday 11 March 2009

5.30 for 6.00pmEngineering House, 11 National Circuit, Barton

The workshop will include an overview of what Chartered status is and the requirements for obtaining it. The process for writing Career Episode Reports (CER’s), the benefits of being a participant on a Professional Development Program (PDP)

and the application process will be explained. Questions about any aspect of the Chartered process and other associated processes and policies (eg career breaks, CPD) will be welcome.

engineerscanberra

4 | Engineers Canberra | March 2009

The 2008 congress meeting was held in Canberra over 19-20 November 2008. Peter Godfrey became the National President taking over from Julie Hammer and Professor Doug Hargreaves was elected as National Vice President. Congress also elected Barry Tonkin to Council.

Reports by various members of Council were tabled and discussed and included:• complaints received or initiated by

the Complaints Commissioner. It is pleasing to note that none were received or investigated that related to Canberra Division over the 12 months 2007-08 and that nationally the number of complaints were decreasing.

• A report was presented on the revised operational processes proposed by Standards Australia. The proposed arrangements will mean that each standard will be assessed against net benefit, i.e. the outcomes of each and every standard need to outweigh the costs and impacts of implementation and be of benefit to the community at large. In essence this means that standards that are sponsored by their promoters are more likely to succeed in the development of a standard than those that are not sponsored. Members are encouraged to review these proposals on www.standards.org.au.

• The Women in Engineering report showed that significant ongoing benefits were being achieved from the Year of Women in Engineering of 2007.

• Congress was briefed on progress with the draft Strategic Plan 2010-2015 and the great success achieved through the restructuring of the strategic Plan in 2004. Discussions have been, and will continue to be held, in the Divisions and Congress, with a view to the new plan being adopted from 2010 for the following 5 year period. Details are available on the website www.engineersaustralia.org.au.

• The Year of the Engineering Team although more subdued than many previous themes was deemed a success with greater involvement of engineering technologists and officers (associates) in the role of the Institutions activities and affairs.

• Sustainability objectives developed

by the Sustainability Committee were tabled and agreed and included:– Development should enhance

individual and collective well being whilst maintaining the viability of the planet.

– Development should ensure equity within the present generation as well as for future generations.

– Development issues and problems should be solved holistically and proactively.

– Noting that the sustainability initiatives are documented on the website for information and contribution by members.

Issues raised by Congress members included:• Communication within and by

Engineers Australia

• Promoting innovation within Engineers Australia

• Assistance to newly migrated engineers – It was decided to set up a Congress Special Committee to investigate what could be done

• Congress effectiveness• Electronic service delivery – It was

decided to set up a Congress Special Committee to assist in the facilitation of electronic service delivery

• Graduate progression to CPEng• Ethics consistency with international

standards.Some good ideas were brought out

in out-of-session discussions including holding a careers advisors luncheon presentation.Tom Brimson and Bob Nairn, Congress representative Canberra Division

Report on Congress Meeting 19-20 November 2008

Another year has come upon us and Women In Engineering (WIE) Group Canberra Division is gearing up with an array of exciting activities and events, including the continuation of the Girl Talk program, to celebrate and promote Engineering in the community. The purpose of the group is to attract and support women in the engineering profession in Canberra and provide female engineers with an opportunity to get involved in the community and promote the profession.

To deliver these objectives the group has planned several key events for the year including a celebration of International Women’s Day, professional development opportunities, a Gen2X Luncheon, networking events and hosting some Division Technical Program nights. As part of these events WIE Canberra is working in collaboration with a variety of other professional organisations such as Young Engineers Canberra as well as other Women’s Associations, Tertiary Education Institutes and Industry participants. We see this as a great networking opportunity for female engineers as it provides the opportunity to work with a wide range of engineering organisations across Canberra.

Further to these events, WIE Canberra group will be delivering a new series of the successful Girl Talk program which will work with schools throughout the

ACT region to give presentations to students on the rewards of engineering as a career. The presentations to ACT schools will commence mid-April 2009 and the program will be wrapped up with a Workshop for 30 ACT female school students during Engineering Week in August 2009. The workshop will provide students with an opportunity to participate in a day of engineering activities, a question and answer session with a university student panel and a ‘female engineers in the work place’ panel, as well as guest speakers. This year’s theme for Girl Talk is Medicine and Engineering.

The WIE Canberra group meets on the first Monday of every month at Engineering House, Barton at 5:30 pm to discuss key issues pertinent to women in engineering, drive initiatives locally through Engineers Australia Canberra Division and nationally through the WIE National Committee as well as organise events for female engineers. The WIE group welcomes and encourages all female engineers to attend these events and would especially like to hear from any women interested in helping us deliver WIE activities. For further information on the Canberra WIE Group and all our activities, please contact Maddy at mkpalipana@yahoo.com.au.

Maddy Palipana Chair, WIE Canberra

Women In Engineering Canberra Division