Victorian branch newsletter
The Victorian Branch Newsletter "Waterline" is composed and written by Volunteers and Members of the Victoria Branch.
Download the March 2010 edition
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48TH ANNUAL DINNER
Thursday, 12 August 2010 – Palladium at Crown
The 48th Victorian Branch Annual Dinner was met with an enthusiastic reception from over 800 attendees on 12 August.
Held at Crown’s Palladium on Southbank, the event was described by AWA National President Elect, Lucia Cade, as the “highlight of the event calendar”.
The evening included appearances by longstanding sponsor Thiess Services’ General Manager Michael Wright, retiring Vic Branch President, Chris Corr, and incoming Vic President, Peta Maddy.
The AWA also welcomed the Minister for Water, Tim Holding as the special guest speaker, who highlighted the success of the water industry over the last year.
“It has been an incredible 12 months of achievement for our water industry,” Minister Holding told the guests.
“All of you have been involved in the different projects that have helped us achieve many of these milestones and many of you are working on these projects that are ongoing at the moment and so important to our industry.”
He referred to the progress of the desalination project, completed pipeline projects, recycling water schemes, easing of water restrictions and returning litres of water to rivers as some of the greatest accomplishments.
“To think it has been an incredible journey –13 years of the longest and driest drought that we have ever seen in the south eastern part of our continent,” Minister Holding said.
“And at the start of this period we could never have imagined the sorts of things we were required to do to make sure we could safeguard our water resources for the decades ahead.”
Minister Holding said many people expected the normal responses to these challenges such as imposing water restrictions and building dams.
“But we now know that with long dry droughts likely to be a feature of Victoria’s experience in the years ahead,” he said, “and we know with our climate changing and our population continuing to grow, we needed to do something fundamentally different.”
“And there is nothing more exciting than telling the story that what our water industry has achieved over the last 13 years in response to these unprecedented conditions.”
This included the changes to the irrigation industry, connecting the state through a water grid with infrastructure for the first time, and water and desalination projects.
“Right at the time when our community needed our water industry to fire on all cylinders – you have done exactly that,” Minister Holding said.
Everybody within the industry was commended for their professionalism and enthusiasm that Minister Holding said helped deliver projects ahead of schedule and under budget.
These projects, he said, were leaving a “legacy” for Victorians to provide water security for a population facing the uncertainties of climate change.
After all the hard work, Minister Holding said the night was a great opportunity for networking but also a night of great fun.
“A lot of people here have worked on a lot of important projects,” he said. “Tonight’s maybe a night to kick up their heels a little bit and reflect on what’s been achieved.”
It’s something branch manager Gail Reardon agreed with, saying the night was for all members.
The event was a year in the making with a new venue, our very own reporter and the first after party at JJ’s Bar.
What people thought…
The Victorian branch’s annual dinner at Crown drew praise from the many of the AWA members.
Attendees agreed that the best thing of the night was catching up with everybody and the networking opportunities, which is what the organisers had set out to do.
Here’s what some of them had to say:
Andrew Bini, Mono Pumps (Victoria and Tasmania State Manager)
“It’s fantastic, it really is. One of the things about the AWA is the opportunity to mingle and to catch up with past and present people that you deal with on a daily basis. It’s an amazing night, it really is.”
Michael Seller, AWA (National Membership Coordinator)
“This is what it’s all about. The backbone of our AWA is about our branches and events similar to this and how we’re obviously bringing people together and networking.”
Virdj Kulkarn, Gordyn and Palmer (Application Engineer)
“You always get to meet people you were working with before and new opportunities.”
Colin Hughes, Melbourne Water (Team Leader)
“I’ve really enjoyed the space, the room, the atmosphere and just catching up with people.”
Linh Ai Ly, RMIT
AWA Vic Reporter
Mark your diary for the 49th Annual Dinner to be held on 11 August 2011
2010 Victorian Branch CommitteE
2010-11 Vic Branch Committee
2010 AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE
Are open - more information here.
The Operator of the Year Award, originally titled AWWA Wastewater Operator of the Year Award, was first presented in 1980 to WIOA Life Member Stan Franzi. By the mid 1980’s the award criteria was expanded to include water and wastewater treatment. In 1996, the award was renamed to honour Wal Whiteside, former Chairman of Geelong & District Water Board (now Barwon Water) and a regular supporter of the Australian Water Association and the Water Industry Operators Australia Conference.
The highly prestigious Wal Whiteside Operator of the Year Award has been presented to 30 outstanding Victorian water industry operators since the award’s inauguration. The award is presented to operators of water or wastewater treatment facilities in recognition of their continued high level of performance, initiative and all round attention to detail.
The winner will be announced at the AWA official award presentation, conducted at the Water Industry Operators Association of Australia (WIOA) Conference. This award presentation is considered a highlight of the WIOA Conference dinner. The conference will be held at the Bendigo Exhibition Centre, 1-2 September 2010.