Things have changed within the Tasmanian branch with new people employed to assist and provide services to our members.
I am now working in the role of chief executive officer and Kayla-Bree Damm is the new administration officer. We look forward to working with our current membership base, and any other contractor who would like to become a member, of the peak representative body for the civil industry in Tasmania.
The Tasmanian office is now working as a full time operation after many years in a part time capacity. During the part time period there have been a few notable persons who have filled the role: Gerry Bonner, Chris White (current CEO of the national office) and more recently Adrian Granger.
Adrian worked tirelessly for our membership, while operating his own businesses, and raised the services to members to such new levels, that a full time position is sustainable.
It is pleasing that membership is on the increase, as the civil industry sees and understands the value that membership of CCF can offer them. For example, training has gone from somewhat ad hoc delivery, to a more structured program, with regular, planned, calendar days. Also, new programs are coming on line to help contractors manage their business in an effective manner.
Election pending
We have an election pending in Tasmania with three political parties vying for top spot: Liberal, Labour and the Greens. The current labour government has found a golden rainbow and is throwing dollars into the community not seen for some time now and infrastructure spending is at its highest level seen for a number of years.
Many multimillion dollar projects are underway at the same time. To name a few: Brighton Bypass - $164m; Brighton Transport Hub - $79m; East Tamar Highway (Dilston Bypass) - $36m; Bridgewater Bridge lift span upgrade and soon to commence Channel Highway (Kingston Bypass) – $27m. There are many other projects underway that are of normal value for the Tasmanian environment from $.25m to $2.5m.
In early February, our state government announced spending, if re elected, to assist our smaller members on regional roads to the value of $90m over 4 years. Typical project values are suggested to be between; $300.000 to $18m. This is on top of the existing $463m state road program.
They have also suggested the State Government will spend $5m to fix potholes on council-owned roads around Tasmania. Thank god for that! Locals and tourists alike have had a free adventure ride, playing dodge the pothole when travelling around the state, since the heaviest rainfall in more than 100 years earlier this year.
This is something that CCF Tasmania has been lobbying for some time now, ensuring all of our members have works into the future.
Our brothers in the building game are also very active with stimulus spending on government and private schools and buildings. This is also providing for civil works for our industry.
There will be many more reforms in 2010 and into the future. Are you ready?
OH&S reform is one of these that will see a harmonised Act in place for the whole of Australia. The Regulations will be where states and territories separate from each other. Stay tuned and keep an eye out for regular updates for those who receive our E News.
Training reforms will also be implemented, in order to ensure those who deliver accredited nationally recognised training, are actually delivering “training”.
The Australian Building & Construction Commissioner (ABCC) as we know, is set to be removed and replaced, with a new federal body for building and construction compliance. Again stay tuned for the changes as they happen.
Modern awards are now in place. This has seen many different awards across Australia replaced with very few. There are now 10 National Employment Standards that need to be implemented by employers into their workplaces. Need more information? Go to www.fairwork.gov.au
