Sand Processing

Two hats for Scott with AQA CEO appointment

The Past IQA President and former mines inspector for the Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy began his duties as the CEO of the AQA on 1 October.

AQA chair Jared Johnston said Scott was “very well known and respected in the quarry sector”, most recently as the current CEO of MinEx, the health and safety organisation for New Zealand’s mining and extractive industries.

“In fact, we have chosen to appoint Wayne as the AQA’s new CEO from a field of outstanding candidates on the basis that he will continue to also be the CEO of MinEx,” Johnston said.

Dual roles

Scott told Quarry that the two roles are complementary and during the past 15 months at the helm of MinEx he had grappled with many quarrying issues.

“Much of the work I have done with MinEx has involved engagement with quarry operators, and while health and safety has been the focus, I have encountered many of the issues confronting the quarrying sector,” Scott said.

As an example he cited the work he has been doing with Canterbury quarry owners over community concerns about dust emissions at Yaldhurst, near Christchurch.

“I am totally committed to the extractive sector and this new role allows me to extend beyond health and safety into all the other challenges that our quarry industry faces,” Scott said.

Johnston said the dual role would serve the interests of both the AQA and MinEx, with “considerable efficiency gains to be had from combining forces, providing real value to our membership”.

“We believe Wayne was the best candidate for the role and have been prepared to work with him and the MinEx board to bring together arrangements that will see both organisations benefit,” Johnston added.

Chris Baker, the chair of MinEx, said he believed the new appointment was a win/win for MinEx and for the AQA.

“There are some big challenges ahead for the extractive sector and combining our resources will give us better prospects for the progress we want on all fronts,” Baker said.

Scott will continue to be based at the Wellington offices of the minerals industry organisation Straterra but will appoint a person to take up some of his current duties with MinEx.

“I look forward to being able to extend my week by week contact with quarries as well as pursuing some of the regulatory and policy issues that prevent us from achieving some of the outcomes and recognition we deserve,” Scott said.
Scott said the New Zealand extractive industry was keen to speak with one voice on the challenges facing them.

“This is particularly important when engaging with central government and in articulating the proposition for quarrying to the wider community,” Scott said.

The industry is keen to secure New Zealand government and public understanding of the critical importance of having aggregates close to urban centres to offset emerging shortages and skyrocketing costs.

“I will be meeting initially with government ministers and officials to explain the need for central government direction to local authorities on identification of key quarry resources, and protection of these resources from encroachment of non-compatible land uses,” Scott said.

“There have been a number of recent projects that have been conceived without any consideration of where aggregates and sand are to be sourced, causing unnecessary delays and additional costs to these projects,” Scott added.

Australian experience

Scott will put his wide experience in the Australian extractive industry to good use, and be operating independently on policy and planning issues. He will report to the AQA board on the delivery of AQA's business plan.

“Key resource strategies adopted by many state governments in Australia are an excellent example of how authorities can protect quarry resources for the future,” Scott said.

Scott cited as a good example the recent Victorian Government Joint Ministerial Statement on Extractive Resources.

“This was in direct response to a realisation that quarry resources need to be protected and planning processes flexible to ensure availability of resources for infrastructure, housing and other development,” he said.

“New Zealand could benefit from the learnings of the success of these strategies adopted in Australia,” Scott added.

The outgoing AQA chair Brian Roche at the organisation’s AGM in Hamilton paid compliments to Wayne Scott in his parting address.

“I think he (Scott) deserves enormous acknowledgement for all that he has achieved in just 12 months – how he manages to not only get around so many quarries, large and small, but his initiatives on mentoring, training, dust management, regional workshops, just to mention a few,” Roche said. He added that Scott has helped bring the industry through the gloom and adapt to change.

The new AQA leadership is developing a survey of the AQA membership to test industry views on a range of issues, including emerging new regulations for quarries.

“We want a whole new approach to engagement and that starts with our members,’’ Johnston said on assuming office.

More reading
NZ industry poised for dust battle
Looming gravel shortage may crush future projects
Lead role for past president in pushing safety compliance
Silicosis concerns groundless, says extractive industry chief
Residents wearing masks against quarry dust

 

Leave a Reply

Send this to a friend