VIC/TAS Branch Highlights
AITPM 2023/2024 Year in Focus
Mike Willson, VIC/TAS Branch President
What were your highlights of FY23/24?
It was definitely the AITPM National Conference, which was held in Melbourne, where I was lucky enough to be one of the co-convenors.
We had a fantastic group of more than 30 volunteers who pulled the three-day event together. It was a massive effort and seeing over 650 people attend and all the fantastic speakers was really special. Standing at the MCG on the Wednesday night, looking over the ground, enjoying a few drinks with colleagues and friends, and seeing all the hard work pay off as the conference got underway, is going to be hard to beat.
What was your favourite event(s) of the year?
I always enjoy the social events on the calendar. We had a new summer drinks event this year as an opportunity for peers to catch up after the break, which also had the opportunity for golfers to play beforehand (we had amazing weather). It’s also always enjoyable to head to the trivia night.
What are the burning or emerging transport and industry issues in your jurisdiction?
It has been an interesting year in the industry with a range of sentiments from different members. The pausing or cancellation of some major infrastructure projects has been challenging for some members, but I also think there are some sectors that are going from strength to strength (such as the renewable sector).
The government has made several announcements over the past 12 months that will impact our industry - such as housing targets – but regardless of these changes I feel that a lot of people stepped into 2024 with optimism.
What's been happening with the emerging professionals in your state?
The EPN has done an amazing job and have continued to develop as a group and as a member base. They have gone above and beyond organising an event in Tasmania and a partnered event with the Planning Institute of Australia on top of their usual events. Their Buddy Program has also been increasing in size, which is fantastic to see. It’s great to have such an enthusiastic group working so well together under the leadership of Hans Gao, and I’m sure we’ll see some of them on the State committee soon.
What is the focus for the Branch in FY24/25
Hosting the conference is always a big year for the committee and requires a lot of effort. It also disrupts your usual processes. This year we’re looking forward to getting back into the webinars and in-person technical seminars that are so important for our members. We have some fantastic events in the pipeline for this year so keep an eye out.
What excites and interests you about AITPM?
The thing I believe will make the biggest difference is how things have become a lot more structured at the national level. Whilst it wasn’t casual before, the Board has been working with CEO Kirsty Kelly and her team to be more deliberate about the way we want to improve the industry, how we interact with our partners, and how we add value to our members. I feel we are only at the beginning of this change, and I hope everyone starts to see, feel, and experience these improvements over the coming years, noting there will also be opportunities for those in our industry to contribute to some of the changes
Are there any acknowledgments that you'd like to share?
A conference year demands a lot of the committee, so I want to thank them for all their hard work and dedication, as well as the volunteers who filled some of the important roles. It also means we are asking more of our usual partners too, and it was fantastic to work with them to help bring the conference together. It really does take our whole industry to contribute to such a big event that is very important for networking and learning.
I’d also like to say big thank you to Kirsty and her team for the help and guidance over the journey.