Member-driven advocacy

Priorities

Our Defence Roundtable oversee our engagement with Defence. Participants discuss the challenges and rewards of Defence work. Through the Defence-Industry CoLab participants drive increased collaboration between Defence and industry (consultants and contractors).

Latest 'top 3 takeaways'

Every meeting our roundtable participants summarise the 'top 3 takeaways' from the meeting which we share with the rest of the membership. Here at the top 3 takeaways from the first meeting of 2021:

1. Securing commitments - The roundtable is keen to secure the contract change commitments Defence made in 2020. This needs to be realised in tenders to ensure we get the transformation of behaviours needed.
2. Multiple touchpoints - The roundtable noted that having many touchpoints with Defence assists us in driving our messages. This includes the formal Defence Industry Co-Lab quarterly meetings. 
3. 2021 - The roundtable is looking to include the Service Delivery Division of Defence in this year's Defence Industry Co-Lab meetings.

Current participants

Below is the list of the current roundtable participants. Want to get involved? Contact Kristy Eulenstein.

Priorities

Our Infrastructure Roundtable oversees our nationwide activities relating to infrastructure governance, funding/finance and procurement. Participants share best practice procurement and contracting used in infrastructure projects.

Latest 'top 3 takeaways'

Every meeting our roundtable participants summarise the 'top 3 takeaways' from the meeting which we share with the rest of the membership.

1. Opportunity to improve procurement practices in response to COVID-19. Improving procurement practices remains a focus for the roundtable. A new paper on opportunities in response to COVID-19, and tangible best practice examples, will be released shortly.
2. Presentation by Australasian Procurement and a Construction Council (APCC). Participants and APCC discussed COVID-19 as an impetus to improve practices. Consult Australia will closely engage with APCC on these potential opportunities.
3. Pipeline transparency. Pipeline transparency and the role of the pipeline to support the COVID-19 economic recovery is another roundtable priority. New papers on the pipeline and stimulus and improving how work is packaged will be released shortly.
   

Current participants

Below is the list of the current roundtable participants. Want to get involved? Contact James Robertson.

Priorities

Our People and HR Roundtable oversee our nationwide activities relating to people and skills including; mental health, skills and inclusion. Participants share best practice initiatives on workplace issues and help develop member resources to assist particularly SMEs in this area.

Latest 'top 3 takeaways'

Every meeting our roundtable participants summarise the 'top 3 takeaways' from the meeting which we share with the rest of the membership.

1. Industry capacity and capability - presentation by Infrastructure Australia
The roundtable was encouraged to see that Infrastructure Australia is seeking input from members on real world experiences, particularly in HR, to highlight the ongoing challenges in pipeline and recruitment. Lack of access to the global talent pool through the skilled migration system was raised as a major impediment to capacity in the market. 

2. Mental health is a priority
In reviewing their 2021 workplan priorities, the Roundtable noted that mental health is a priority for members, in particular in the context of external relationships with, for example, contractors. 

3. COVID-19 Vaccine Roll-out
The roundtable discussed the relationship between workplace/workforce expectations and priorities regarding the vaccine roll-out. The roundtable will continue to discuss this issue to unpack the impact on business and how best to manage. 

Current participants

Below is the list of the current roundtable participants. Want to get involved? Contact James Robertson.

Priorities

Our Liability & Contracts Roundtable oversee our nationwide activities relating to fairness in contracting, insurance as well as legal and regulatory risk. The roundtable includes legal practitioners and commercial managers. Participants share best practice initiatives on contracting and support state/territory committees to tackle local issues. Roundtable participants help develop member resources to assist on law reform issues, legal requirements and contracting issues.

Latest 'top 3 takeaways'

Every meeting our roundtable participants summarise the 'top 3 takeaways' from the meeting which we share with the rest of the membership. Here are the 'top 3 takeaways' from the first meeting of 2021:

1. Advocacy in NSW - The roundtable noted Consult Australia's success in mobilising other industry associations to all advocate on a two year transition period for design practitioners (to replicate the transition period for building practitioners) in respect of the insurance obligations under the draft NSW Design and Building Practitioners Regulation.
2. Increased engagement with ICA - The roundtable noted Consult Australia's increased engagement with the Insurance Council of Australia as they do more government engagement.
3. Preparing for 1 July 2021 - The roundtable noted that there is still much uncertainty with the NSW Design and Building Practitioners Regulation. Businesses need certainty to get prepared. We don't even know what 'regulated designs' are.

Current participants

Below is the list of the current roundtable participants. Want to get involved? Contact Kristy Eulenstein.