It is a great privilege to serve as the President of the Institute of Quarrying Australia. I am looking forward to working with the Board, our General Manager Paul Sutton and his team, and our members to grow the IQA and the quarrying profession.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank John Stanton, our Past President, for his leadership and contribution to the IQA. In the last two years, we have strengthened our governance framework through changes to our internal policies and procedures and the constitution.
We should also acknowledge the contributions of outgoing IQA Board members Wayne Scott and Geoff West, and our branch and sub-branch committees and the important support role that Sue Stanton provided during John’s term as President.
I have spent all of my working life in the earth resources sector. Becoming a member of the IQA very early in my career while working as a trainee quarry manager fresh out of university provided a great opportunity for me to network and develop as a quarry professional.
Later on in my career, it was very satisfying to be involved as the chairman of the Quarry Manager Board in setting the standards for quarry managers in Victoria and to be an inaugural member of the IQA Quarry Manager Certification System (QMCS) board.
Having a national quarry certification system in place that provides for national competency standards and continuous professional development will ensure that our quarry managers keep up with industry developments and provide them with accreditation that is in line with national standards.
The states which still have quarry manager certification, namely Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia and South Australia through the Conference of the Chief Inspector of Mines (CCIM), are in the process of setting up national standards for quarry managers. The IQA has engaged with the CCIM and we are well placed for the QMCS to be recognised by those jurisdictions in the future.
The IQA conference in Adelaide was a great success, with over 400 delegates in attendance. The tried and proven formula of quality conference papers, social events, and a quarry visit contributed to the success. Congratulations to Andrew Wilson, the organising committee and the South Australian branch for their hard work and hospitality.
I would also like to acknowledge all of our sponsors, as without their contribution it would have been difficult to put on the conference. The Chief Inspector presentations and the panel discussion provided a comprehensive overview of the regulatory frameworks in Australia and provided an opportunity to get a common understanding of the educational and development needs of our industry.
I would encourage you all to engage with your local branches and sub-branches across Australia in the next 12 months. Your ideas and your contributions are needed to ensure the growth of the IQA and the quarrying profession.