The annual President’s Breakfast offers an opportunity to thank those who have supported IPWEAQ throughout the year and contributed to our successes including our valued Partners, sponsors and councils. 

I was very pleased to welcome representatives from Lockyer Valley Regional Council to this year’s Breakfast including our mayor, Tanya Milligan, CEO, Ian Church and Myles Fairbairn, Executive Manager, Infrastructure Works & Services. Thank you all very much for your support for me as President of IPWEAQ.

We were delighted to welcome special guests including:

• Councillor Carol Taylor, Deputy Mayor and Chair of Infrastructure Committee, Toowoomba Regional Council
• Silvio Trinca, Director, Road & Water Infrastructure, Logan City Council
• Jan Xanthopoulo from QTC – Local Government Infrastructure Services
• Simone Talbot, Manager - Advocacy, Infrastructure, Economics & Regional Development, LGAQ
• IPWEAQ Past Presidents: Ged Brennan, Joe Bannan and Michael Kahler

And representatives from the Sunshine Coast Council, Somerset Regional Council, Redland City Council, Brisbane City Council, Cairns Regional Council, Gladstone Regional Council, Ipswich City Council, Logan City Council, Mareeba Shire Council and Moreton Bay Regional Council. 

As most of you know, each IPWEAQ President nominates a charity to support during our term and I’ve chosen MS Queensland. Multiple sclerosis is a condition affecting the central nervous system which interferes with nerve impulses in the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. Three times as many women have MS than men and there is currently no known cure. We were thrilled to have Natalie Walsh, the Community Engagement Manager from MS Queensland talk to us about her journey with MS and what MS Queensland does to help those suffering with MS. 

At last year’s President’s Breakfast, we enjoyed a presentation from the 2015 Engineer of the Year, Andrew Ryan and to establish a new IPWEA Queensland tradition, we were very pleased to have Mike Brady, General Manager, Infrastructure Services at Toowoomba Regional Council and our 2017 Engineer of the Year deliver a keynote presentation on the changes he has seen in our sector over the past 30+ years. His presentation, Rich Traditions, Bold Ambitions is available in our Knowledge Centre in Other Events & Special Occasions. 

Dr Rob Fearon, our Director for Innovation Partnerships at qldwater presented the results of research undertaken by qldwater on the state of our in-ground assets and the pending infrastructure cliff. Modelling degradation using three independent modelling approaches indicates there would be a small increase in failures to 2020 and a rapid acceleration to 2040.  

Thanks to those who attended this year’s Breakfast and to those who purchased MS Queensland pins and merchandise. The raffle was won by Murray Erbs, IPWEA NAMS Chair. 

I look forward to your assistance over the next two years as we raise much-need funds for MS Queensland. And I hope to see you at next year’s Breakfast.

Seren McKenzie
President