MEMBERS UPDATE - NOVEMBER 2023

Good morning [[FIRSTNAME]]

Welcome to the November 2023 IAQ Members Update.

In this Update:

1. An update from the Chair
2. From the CEO's desk (including Assembly recap)
3. Digital Twin Micro-credential Learning Module
4. Taskforce and Working Group Progress
5. Exclusive stories for our members:

• • Q&A With the Director General of the Department of Resources, Warwick Agnew

  • Vanadium in Queensland: An Insight into the Julia Creek Project with QEM’s Managing Director

  • The Bedrock: Fostering Collaborative Mindsets for Infrastructure Success

The October IAQ Board meeting confirmed an ambitious future agenda for the Association. Committing to a research project that considers how IAQ members and the private sector can do more to assist all levels of government in ensuring we deliver on our prior and future infrastructure commitments in a way that delivers value and positive outcomes for our communities. This project, led by IAQ Secretary Luke Whistler, will be created alongside the community and provide a platform for a repeatable project to be carried out annually. The Board was also updated on our internal governance review, which has commenced with a check-in with current members on the IAQ business model. Future state governance options will be put to the Board for consideration at the November Board meeting – a big thank you to Neil Silversides for leading this initiative on behalf of the Executive Sub-Committee.

The IAQ Annual General Meeting (AGM) was also held last Thursday night 26th October, congratulations and welcome to the 2023/24 IAQ Board; I very much look forward to working with you throughout this year. I would also like to congratulate newly elected members Deputy Chair, Louise Duffy and incoming Treasurer, Robbie Claase (along with Luke Whistler who has been re-elected as Secretary and immediate past chair, Terry Rossitto). I thank the outgoing Deputy Chair, Loren Hickey for her tireless commitment to IAQ over the past 8 years, she has made a significant impact on the organisation during her tenure and will be greatly missed. Thank you to all of our members for continuing to support the Association and I look forward to working with you all again for another year.

The minutes of the AGM can be found here and the 2023 AGM report can be found here.

From the CEO's desk

Once again, the IAQ Assembly delivered. All 261 attendees enjoyed the indepth analysis and conversation of our Assembly theme Realising Queensland’s Infrastructure Legacy. 

The IAQ Infrastructure Assembly 2023 unpacked the role of infrastructure in delivering enormous opportunities for Queensland in the next decade and into the future. We discussed how to make the right long-term strategic decisions now to ensure future generations of Queenslanders have lasting infrastructure legacies.

Based on the targets for 2032 and beyond, the Assembly’s thought-provoking sessions explored the transformative power of infrastructure in shaping Queensland’s future. The speaker pool of internationally acclaimed experts, government decision-makers, researchers and practitioners foretold how successful planning and integration can catapult our state into the next century.

Featuring the 2032 Games as a catalyst and exploring the regional perspective and our energy transition, our inspiring speakers and panellists discussed legacy from varying perspectives including First Nations participation and leadership. Insights were drawn from international mega-events, world-class infrastructure and leading energy and renewables programs. Read the Assembly recap here.

Successful events such as the IAQ annual Assembly are not possible without the support of our Major Partners and sponsors. I would like to thank DSDILGP and all government agencies who worked with us to shape each of the sessions. I would also like to extend my thanks to the Hon Dr Stephen Miles, Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning and Minister Assisting the Premier on Olympic and Paralympic Games Infrastructure for sharing his insights into Queensland’s infrastructure commitment and legacy. Special thanks also to all our sponsors below for their ongoing support and for contributing to the success of the day’s sessions and networking. 

Rest assured Assembly 2024 preparations are already underway. Mark your diaries for 6 September 2024 – Building a Resilient Queensland.

As the end of the year draws near, I am thrilled to share some of the opportunities I have had to represent you all to government and industry groups ensuring the IAQ voice is recognised as the expert group within the vast infrastructure sector.

Delivering on our four pillars I have had the pleasure of participating in the following infrastructure sector leadership forums and committees and working with our Taskforces and Working Groups as below.

Our membership continues to grow this year, with our largest membership total of 118. It is a tribute to our Association that we have also held the second largest event in our history with the Transport Infrastructure Breakfast held at BCEC in September. All our other events have also been well received and well attended.

I encourage you all to remain active within IAQ and look forward to working with you through to the end of this year and into 2024. It is a privilege to represent you all. I look forward to catching up with you all at the End of Year Members Networking Drinks on 30 November and assure you, that 2024 is already planned and promises to be the biggest year in IAQ history.

Below are some photos from the Assembly and other events over the last 2 months.

For the first time for IAQ, we are offering our valued members the opportunity to participate in a Digital Twin micro-credential learning module, through The TEMPO Institute, with a 10% discount.

The TEMPO Institute Digital Twin micro-credential will equip policy makers, practitioners and enthusiasts alike with knowledge through four (4) 3hr modules over two (2) days:

• The essentials
• Strategy and leadership
• Use cases
• Technology and data enablers

The learning outcomes of the micro-credential include:

• Building your understanding of Digital Twin, what benefits it can bring to an organisation or project
• Orienting you with a deep understanding of the five (5) core Digital Twin capabilities
• Creating a roadmap that will guide your Digital Twin strategy and leadership efforts
• Gaining hands-on experience in building Digital Twin use cases
• Growing your knowledge of the technology and data enablers to support Digital Twin capability

Regional Infrastructure Taskforce (RIT)

The RIT has been writing a whitepaper to government. The whitepaper aims to outline the three primary challenges preventing the Queensland Government from unlocking the socioeconomic value of the state’s major projects due to limitations concerning the current structures/guidance around business cases. It also offers a solution in the form of a new, more effective and efficient model. It is currently in the feedback phase, a draft has been written and is being reviewed by RIT members. The plan is to complete by December 2023 and utilise local government and regional directors within government departments to be agents of change within the State Government. 

In addition to this, RIT has continued to establish its regional presence over the last few months. 

• There was an overall profit of $4,000 from Regional Industry Forums
• Mackay Industry Forum was held on 6 October 2023 with Paul Martyn (DEPW) and Kieran Cusack (QLD Hydro) in conjunction with the Resources Centre of Excellence. The event was well received and attended.
• RIT Chair attended, as an invited guest, the Queensland Local Content Leaders Network on 4 August 2023. The Chair provided an overview of the RIT and discussed how IAQ and the QLCLN can work together for regional forums and discussions
• Planning is underway for the forums in 2024

Catalysing Infrastructure Transformation Taskforce (CIT)

The CIT hosted several representatives from DSDILGP, who presented the Reducing Government Emissions Roadmap. This culminated in a survey being developed in conjunction with DSDILGP, which has been sent out to members. You are invited to share your thoughts on areas for action and to take steps towards net zero for Queensland’s infrastructure. 

CIT also:

• Is planning to host an event on social housing before the end of the year
• Was invited to and attended an on-site tour of the QBuild Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) Training Centre at Economic Development Queensland’s Northshore development in September 

2032 Games Taskforce

The 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Taskforce developed and handed over a Games intel summary to the Executive Director of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Infrastructure Office, Damon Hall. The summary collated the information from the expert keynote speakers on the topics of:

• Workforce Planning, Skills, Diversity and Inclusion
• Accessibility
• Mobility
• Precincts
• Sustainability
• Digital Twins

The Games Taskforce is looking to host one more roundtable before the end of 2023. The workshop series will continue to look to meet market needs and government priorities to:

• Partner with government to drive the art of the possible
• Using and leveraging global and innovative best practice to unlock local capability
• Understand the pipeline to position the best people for delivery

The taskforce is also planning to:

• Refresh the taskforce plan on a page
• Resocialise with government to help shape the 2032 workshop series
• To continue to engage with government and key industry stakeholders. The taskforce has already engaged with approximately 100 through the roundtable series

Diversity and Inclusion Working Group

IAQ's Diversity and Inclusion Working Group will present a FREE WEBINAR on 8th November to discuss Hiring for Diversity. The webinar's key topics will include:

• Bridging the gap – identifying & upskilling from adjacent industries
• (Un)conscious bias – how to remove it from your recruitment process
• Family-friendly working patterns – how to achieve in a construction environment
• Leveraging migrant talent - pathways for international talent

EPIQ

EPIQ members were front and centre at the 2023 IAQ Assembly. We heard about the exciting projects that our emerging leaders in infrastructure are working on, and got to know what parts of the projects motivate them. The 6 panellists also spoke to the pipeline of major projects in the build-up to 2032, including health, housing, events, lifestyle and much more.

IAQ Connect Working Group

IAQ Connect hosted the 2024 Planning Session in late September at Phillips Group and has developed a comprehensive event plan (for endorsement) that has a lot in store. The Brisbane Metro Experience Centre event was held on 1 November 2023, where attendees heard from Walentina Gonzalez and David Harvison. This is a joint venture IAQ Connect hosted in conjunction with Brisbane City Council and Brisbane Move.

IAQ had the chance to ask Warwick Agnew a series of questions about the Queensland Government’s Critical Minerals Strategy. The team at the Department of Resources produced the following video in response to the following questions:

• How is the Queensland Government planning to use our land, energy, and resources, to make the transition to net-zero?
• How will the government's approach to growing Queensland's critical minerals sector be different to what's been done in the past?
• How will we maximise the potential of existing and abandoned mines?
• How will we attract and then maintain the workers we need to aid the transition to net zero and grow the critical minerals sector?

Over the last 12 months, critical minerals have moved to the forefront of discussions about Queensland and Australia’s economic futures. Critical minerals will play a hugely productive and positive role in national defence, transport, technological innovation, and most importantly, domestic infrastructure across Australia. READ MORE.

The complexity of contemporary projects, delivery risks, government policy and legacy goals are generating a shift in Queensland’s infrastructure industry. Resource constraints and the traditional linear ‘design-bid-build’ or ‘bid-design-build’ approaches to projects have increasingly resulted in time/cost overruns, delays and disputes leading to sub-optimum infrastructure outcomes. Tangible problems brought about by the current models of project development and delivery have underscored the need for a more effective approach; a collaborative one. It is taken as a given now that the benefits of collaboration in infrastructure are many, and accepted by senior leaders within the sector.  READ MORE.

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