Welcome to the Iamdata Solutions Asset Management Newsletter - IPWEA IPWC 2024
I recently had the pleasure of traveling to Melbourne to attend the International Public Works Conference #IPWC2024 hosted by the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA). It was a whirlwind few days packed with informative presentations from top-notch speakers, networking opportunities, and a healthy dose of catching up with former colleagues, and I loved every minute of it!
The IPWEA International Public Works Conference
I must first commend David Jenkins, CEO of IPWEA, for his exceptional role as host throughout the event. David's warmth, competence, and professionalism were instrumental in ensuring the seamless flow of the entire conference over the following days. Supporting him admirably was Ashay Prabhu, who, alongside David, played an important role in hosting and maintaining flawless operations throughout the event.
The conference kicked off with IPWEA Victoria CEO David Hallett opening the first Plenary Session for the International Public Works Conference 2024. This set the stage for the next few days of thought-provoking keynotes that provided interesting and informative information on a range of public works topics from a range of diverse subjects.
Keynotes from renowned demographer Bernard Salt, Founder of The Demographics Group, insightful keynotes from Australian Government officials like Carol Brown, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure, and David Karoly, Professor Emeritus at the University of Melbourne analysing climate change impacts.
Other standout keynotes included Ross Copland, CEO of New Zealand's Infrastructure Commission, providing an international perspective that I found insightful. His talk gave us a lot of valuable information about the current state of infrastructure assets in New Zealand and how they plan to utilise the data they've collected to guide their asset management strategies moving forward.
Ross also shared a story about New Zealand's local road safety campaigner, Geoff Upson who had quite an interesting idea to bring Auckland's pothole problem to the attention of the authorities. The motivated pavement artist said he marked the potholes as he wants to see them fixed. 😲 Well, I guess it’s good to see residents caring about the infrastructure and at least trying to communicate those concerns to the council… but I can help but surmise that Snap Send Solve would probably have gotten the job done more efficiently 😄
Ross Copland’s keynote was followed by the Thought Leaders panel consisting of Linda Scott from the Australian Local Government Association, Jonathan Spear from Infrastructure Victoria, and Luke Belfield the Victorian Chief Engineer. I particularly connected with Linda Scott's insights and stories during this session. I could really identify with many of the points she raised and loved the real-world examples she shared from her experience. Her perspective really resonated with me.
One of the most valuable aspects for me was hearing about how we as public works professionals can include measures into our everyday processes to deal with climate change. Local government has always been innovative, we are expected to do more with less - so adopting processes aligned with that mindset while also helping the planet should be an easy transition for us! I especially enjoyed the keynote from Jonathan Spear, CEO of Infrastructure Victoria, who laid out a compelling vision for sustainable infrastructure.
There were so many other excellent speakers sharing their insights, diving deep into their specific topics. Far too many to mention them all here! And, unfortunately many I would have loved to have heard but sadly missed.
Although, perhaps I will mention just one more…
I loved this presentation. Jay Amarasuriya from City of Greater Geelong Council took us on an unsealed roads journey and told us the story of how Council’s Gravel Roads Renewal Framework was developed.
The Excellence Awards
A major highlight of the conference was the Excellence Awards, which recognised outstanding public works projects and initiatives from around Australia and New Zealand. There were so many excellent projects put forward. I have listed the finalists for Best Public Works Project awards here because I believe they are all worthy of a mention and each finalist deserves huge congratulations!
Category 1 - Best Public Works Project under $2.0m
The Cooroora Trail Upgrade Project by Noosa Council (QLD)
Asset Management for Social Housing Manual Collaboration by Australasian Housing Institute (NZ)
Memorial for Fallen Lifesavers by Randwick City Council (NSW)
Category 2 - Best Public Works Project Between $2.0 - $5.0m
Wonder Reef – Gold Coast Drive Attraction by City of Gold Coast (QLD)
Thorndon Park Super Playground by Campbelltown City Council (SA)
CentrePoint Sport and Leisure Centre – Accessibility Upgrade and Modernisation Project by Blayney Shire Council (NSW)
Category 3 - Best Public Works Project Over $5.0
Mooloolaba Foreshore Stage 1 by Sunshine Coast Council
Mitchell Park Sports and Community Centre by City of Marion Council (SA)
The Round by Whitehorse City Council (VIC)
Category 4 - Excellence in Asset Management
Spatial Clash Detection Modelling by City of Mitcham (SA)
Tunnel Network Structural Condition Assessment by Intellispatial (WA)
Asset Management for Social Housing Manual Collaboration by Australasian Housing Institute (NZ)
Category 5 - Excellence in Project Innovation
Sticky Stones by Tonkin (SA)
Roads Alliance Research Project: Using Artificial Intelligence for Road Maintenance Management by Shepherd Services Pty Ltd and Qld DTMR Roads Alliance (QLD)
Using Spatial Technologies to Reduce Costs and the Environment Impact of Road Infrastructure by Varis and Cardina Shire Council (VIC)
Category 6 - Excellence in Water Project
Pine Gully Restoration by City of Holdfast Bay (SA)
Central Coast Water Security Plan by Central Coast Council (NSW)
Fired Up: Australia’s first Biosolids Gasification Facility by City of Logan (QLD)
Category 7 - Excellence in Road Safety
SH58 Safety Improvements Stage 1 by Stantec (NZ)
Ovingham Level Crossing Removal Project by Public Transport Projects Alliance Ovingham (SA)
Upgrade of Safety Bay Road Between Kwinana Freeway and Mandurah Road by City of Rockingham (WA)
Category 8 - Excellence in Environment and Sustainability
Seagull Paddock Pedestrian Bridges by City of Greater Geelong (VIC)
A New Erosion and Sediment Control Resource for Tasmania by Tamar Estuary and Esk Rivers Program (TAS)
Landfill Cell 4.4 Buttonderry Waste Management Facility by Central Coast Council (NSW)
And the winners are……
Category 1 - Best Public Works Project under $2.0m
Asset Management for Social Housing Manual Collaboration by Australasian Housing Institute (NZ)
Category 2 - Best Public Works Project Between $2.0 - $5.0m
Wonder Reef – Gold Coast Drive Attraction by City of Gold Coast (QLD)
Category 3 - Best Public Works Project Over $5.0
The Round by Whitehorse City Council (VIC)
Category 4 - Excellence in Asset Management
Tunnel Network Structural Condition Assessment by Intellispatial (WA)
Category 5 - Excellence in Project Innovation
Using Spatial Technologies to Reduce Costs and the Environment Impact of Road Infrastructure by Varis and Cardina Shire Council (VIC)
Category 6 - Excellence in Water Project
Fired Up: Australia’s first Biosolids Gasification Facility by City of Logan (QLD)
Category 7 - Excellence in Road Safety
Ovingham Level Crossing Removal Project by Public Transport Projects Alliance Ovingham (SA)
Category 8 - Excellence in Environment and Sustainability
Seagull Paddock Pedestrian Bridges by City of Greater Geelong (VIC)
Congratulations to all winners!
I hope this inspires all of you to consider submitting your projects for an Excellence Awards so we can celebrate all your hard work and achievements together at the next event.
Individual Awards in Excellence
It was also a pleasure to see these three individuals recognised as achieving excellence within public works. Steven White received the prestigious Public Works Leader of the Year Medal, acknowledging his outstanding leadership in the field. Maurice Stabb was honoured with the esteemed Keith H Wood Medal, which recognises his significant contributions to public works engineering. Carl Lundborg was awarded the IPWEA Emerging Leader Award, highlighting his promising future as a leader in the industry. Congratulations to all – very well deserved!
Networking
While the educational component was invaluable, I have to say some of the highlights were the casual conversations and chance encounters throughout the event. It was lovely to reconnect with so many familiar faces – some of whom I had only spoken with virtually through Teams meetings before finally meeting them in person here. Catching up over coffee and snacks during the breaks, swapping stories, and making new connections added an extra element of enjoyment, enhancing the whole experience.
The Awards Gala Dinner
The awards gala dinner itself was amazing. The food was fabulous - I had the vegetarian option and I have to say it was the best vegetarian meal I've had in a very long time. The delicious dishes were accompanied by some excellent wines as well.
The entertainment was also top-notch, with a fantastic live band providing great music and a hilarious comedian who had everyone laughing. It was the perfect opportunity for everyone to let their hair down. Working in the public works sector, especially at council level, can sometimes feel like a hard slog. But the gala dinner allowed all of us to relax, enjoy ourselves, and celebrate our achievements together.
I certainly had an absolute ball! I was out on the dance floor myself, though I'm just hoping that nobody noticed my questionable dance moves! 🤞 All in all, it was a wonderful evening of food, drinks, music, laughter, and camaraderie with colleagues across the industry.
Exploring Melbourne
Of course, you can't attend a conference in a city like Melbourne without taking some time to explore and soak in the sights. In our limited downtime, I managed to sneak in visits to a few of the phenomenal restaurants and bars for which Melbourne is renowned. The urban laneway culture, street art, and general vibrancy of the Yarra River waterfront left me wishing I had more time to spend there.
In a Nutshell
All in all, it was an incredibly worthwhile conference that left me feeling energised and brimming with new ideas. Between the engaging sessions, countless reconnections, and unmistakable charm of the host city, this is definitely an event I would recommend and attend again in the future. I am already looking forward to the next one which I believe will be held in Sydney NSW.
The only thing I would like to add now is, how about considering Cairns Queensland for the host city the following year? Tropical North Queensland is a very special place, and I would love you all to have the opportunity to experience it, while being part of an event as prestigious as the IPWEA International Public Works Conference.
I have worked on many different projects with my Local Government clients, from designing and developing Power BI Reports, to building SQL Server databases for spatial data, to managing and maintaining GIS and the Asset Management systems. If you'd like to discuss how we might work together, then please email Jill at ➡️ jill.singleton@iamdata.solutions
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