October 2019
We had a massive turnout at the IPWEA Northern Branch meeting on 15 August 2019, with 71 people attending at Waihi Academy and hosted by Hauraki District Council, says branch chair Cushla Anich, Director Morrison Low. There was a great range of organisations represented including councils, consultants and contracting firms, as well as a wide spectrum of ages.
We were also privileged to have both IPWEA NZ and Water NZ presidents attending the meeting, who gave us their respective latest sector updates. IPWEA NZ’s new president Myles Lind presented his goals for the next two years, including sector capability and capacity issues. Kelvin Hill, president of Water New Zealand, provided a hot off the press presentation on water reform and its impact on councils.
Steve Browning, Central Government Manager, Morrison Low, introduced IPWEA’s first digital badge in asset management which aims to develop the next generation of professionals through micro-credentials. Helen Ramsey, Senior Consultant, Morrison Low, co-presented with Adrian de Laborde, Group Manager Engineering Services at Hauraki District Council, on the recent challenges that the solid waste industry is now facing from China’s National Sword.