After several COVID-cancellations over 12 months, our Northern Branch meeting in Whangarei finally went ahead to much excitement!
We were all very excited to have our first face to face branch meeting in Whangarei on 6 May 2021 after numerous lockdowns. Jointly hosted by Kaipara and Whangarei District Councils, a good mix of people were in attendance, including council staff, consultants, and contractors.
We spiced it up with young and more seasoned people alike. A special award was given to Mick Jones for 50 years as an IPWEA NZ member (or half century). His advice to younger members was to enjoy the journey, embrace change and work at your craft.
Whangarei’s Deputy Mayor Greg Innes opened the meeting, delivering inspiring words, encouraging our sector to take the lead and opportunities with infrastructure. There were seven great presentations including diversity actions at Auckland Transport, Auckland Council’s carbon portal with stormwater upgrades, social procurement in Kaipara, Northland’s drought, Mangawhai’s Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades, and learnings and successes at Northland Transportation Alliance.
Our last speaker Katina DellaBarca challenged the traditional way of getting women and Maori into the engineering profession. She encouraged engineers to think creatively and embrace cultural elements when designing solutions.
Thanks to our sponsors WSP, HydroTech and Ventia for supporting this event and the wider industry.
Cushla Anich
IPWEA NZ Northern Branch Chair | Director, Morrison Low
