Western Australia Report - February 2010

Introducing Christine Kane
CCFWA is delighted to introduce Christine Kane our new member services manager. Chris comes to us with over a decade of member services experience with the Australian Medical Association plus a strong background in communications and marketing.
She wants to connect with as many members as possible in the early stages of her employment. lease feel free to contact her directly on 9240 5233 or ckane@civilcontractors.com
One of Chris’s first priorities will be consulting with members about their membership needs for 2010 and beyond.
IR changes
Since the start of 2010, new legislation bringing in new modern awards and aational employment standards, has taken affect. The former WA Civil Construction Award no longer applies.
CCF WA urges all members to ensure that they are compliant across their entire business operations as significant penalties will apply for non-compliance. Feel free to contact us on 9240 5233 to discuss any aspect of the changes.
CCF WA, in conjunction with our national office and our WA IR advisors Heelan & Co, will continue to offer members important information through e-news. Industry events are also planned dealing with various aspects of the new IR laws.
Main Roads contracting policy
As reported recently in e-news, after lobbying by CCF and contractor members, Main Roads will change its contracting policy, so that smaller contractors have more opportunity to bid for contracts.
Transport Minister Simon O’Brien, said that he had instructed Main Roads, to ensure that contracts worth a minimum of $20m per annum were made available to local small businesses.
“Supporting local jobs is a key priority for the State Government,” O’Brien said. “Strategically, this is an important step to cater for the road building industry’s short-term efficiencies and long-term sustainability. This new policy will not circumvent a tender process because small firms will still be required to compete for work on merit.”
In recent years, the number of smaller individual contracts has reduced in favour of large works packages, where many smaller works programs were grouped together, inevitably resulting in the success of big national and multi-national contractors.
“The existing arrangement significantly diminished the opportunity for smaller contractors to get work,” the Minister said. “Small, locally-based construction companies, many of which are based in regional Western Australia, felt they were shut out of the process. They don’t want special treatment but a level playing field and I am pleased to be able to deliver this to them.
O’Brien said Main Roads’ own figures indicated that since 2005 only four contracts in the R1 prequalification category (up to $4m value) were put to public tender.
“The future viability and effectiveness of our road construction industry, is heavily reliant on the ability of the small-medium contractors, getting the opportunity to participate in the market and having the opportunity to grow their skills and capacity,” he said.
The actual amount of the works each year, will be determined by industry capacity and availability of funding, with the choice of projects in the $20m annual package overseen by the Main Roads Infrastructure Delivery Committee. This will direct industry input via the WA Road Construction and Maintenance Industry Advisory Group (WARCMIAG).
CCF WA is represented on WARCMIAG. We will continue to work constructively with Main Roads through this forum, and in other ways, to ensure positive outcomes for our members.
Little Wheel is back in 2010
With thanks to our sponsors Stella Recruitment and RPS Environment, the 2010 Schweppes Little Wheel is on again this year. Members are invited to the final evening of racing off South of Perth Yacht Club, followed by dinner and dancing at the clubhouse, on Friday 19 February. 
Registration forms are already out – but be quick as numbers are limited.
The Little Wheel is a great way to kick off the New Year with a fun social event for members and their clients.
South West events
The next South West meeting, will be held on Tuesday 16 February at the Goose Restaurant in Busselton, with thanks to sponsor McIntosh & Son. The speaker will be a senior economist with the Commonwealth Bank, with his assessment for business growth in the South West, in 2010 and beyond.
The South West Golf day is on again, at the challenging Sanctuary Golf Resort in Pelican Point, just outside Bunbury.
Our sincere thanks to our sponsors who have come on board again in 2010. We look forward to seeing our South West members, and metro members who work in the South West region, out in force.