e-News Edition #21

Date: 22-Mar-2024

Hot Topics

1. CEO Message

2. Farewell to Tracy Martin, our National Membership & Regions Manager

3. The countdown to our 2024 Conference & Exhibition has begun!

4. DCCEEW - Restoring our Rivers: Draft Framework for Delivering 450 GL of Additional Environmental Water

5. Review of the non-urban metering framework

6. 2024 Australian Mango Conference

7. 2024 Training Courses - Unlock your potential in an essential industry!

8. Agtech Skills Hub

1. CEO Message

There is a little bit of repetition in this Edition, for which we apologise; our email distribution system decided to play up recently with the last e-news only going to a small proportion of the distribution list. We hope we are now in a position to produce these newsletters fortnightly going forward.

Welcome to Amy Haldane who has commenced as our RTO’s compliance and funding coordinator – on day one she had to contend with sourcing materials for a major audit of one of our state funding programs and it’s yet to slow down. Amy brings a wealth of RTO experience and has quickly introduced a number of system improvements as we prepare for renewal of our registration and ASQA audit this year.

The September conference continues to shape up very well with strong exhibition sales and growing sponsorships. Plenty of discussions still underway but we are thrilled to welcome Franklin Electric as Principal Event Sponsor. Sponsors and exhibitors contribute by far the greatest proportion towards the overall conference budget and the support provided by manufacturers, service providers and other corporates to our industry is incredible. If you are coming to Sydney, please make sure you visit the exhibition and return that support in kind.

I’ve previously reported a review of our Association’s Constitution and we have commissioned Governology, a legal firm specialising in Associations to undertake a complete rewrite. Having said that, it’s about modernising and making the document easier to interpret – there is no fundamental change to intent. We anticipate having a mapping document distributed to members in the next couple of months to explain the logic behind the proposed changes.

14-16 February was a big few days with our board’s annual strategy day, board meeting and an all day conference planning session for our Australian ICID committee. It was high-energy and exciting; lots of good ideas with plenty still to work on. We expect registrations to open in March, hopefully including a preliminary program.

For our strategic direction, the board compiled a list of around 10 actions which still need some word-smithing, a new Purpose and other draft revisions to our strategic plan. 

More detail to come in due course. For now, we also hosted the first meeting of the Irrigation Futures Irrigation industry profile and industry policy committee. At the request of that group, we’ve developed a short survey designed to help kick-start the second priority listed above as well as help shape the regional committee renewal process. The link to the survey is here – it will take a bit of thinking but not much writing – we are essentially asking you to help identify your top topics to build into this new approach to representing our industry’s needs to government and other key stakeholders. It would be ideal if we could get responses to collate by Friday 5 April and sent to dave.cameron@irrigation.org.au. Traditionally we haven’t had great responses to surveys – this one is particularly important to make the work useful – here’s your chance to have a crack at what frustrates you most about policy and decision making impacting our industry and hopefully move us closer to some constructive solutions.

2. Farewell to Tracy Martin, our National Membership & Regions Manager

As Tracy’s journey at Irrigation Australia comes to an end after more than 15 years, we pause to reflect on the invaluable contributions she has made as our National Membership & Regions Manager.

Throughout her tenure, Tracy has been leading our Waterwise initiatives with unwavering passion and professionalism. Her commitment to develop relationships with stakeholders such as Water Corporation and the WA Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, has been instrumental to the success of these programmes. Under her guidance Irrigation Australia has also delivered several extremely successful biennial Waterwise Expos.

One of Tracy’s most notable accomplishments has been her ability to cultivate a sense of community within the industry, with specific mention to Western Australia. Through innovative ideas and engaging events, she has facilitated networking opportunities which played a pivotal role in expanding Irrigation Australia’s presence across different regions of Australia.

As Tracy embarks on her next chapter, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for her years of service and wish her nothing but success and fulfillment in all her future endeavours. Though she may be departing from our daily routines, her impact will continue to resonate with us and the irrigation industry for years to come.

We thank her for being a shining example of excellence and leadership in the irrigation industry.

3. The Countdown to our 2024 Conference & Exhibition has begun!

Irrigation Australia is thrilled to announce the southern hemisphere's premier water event, incorporating the 9th Asian Regional Conference for Irrigation and Drainage, the 75th International Executive Council meeting of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage and 2024 Irrigation Australia Conference and Exhibition. 

Act swiftly to secure your spot at this premier event, as early bird registrations will soon be available, offering discounted rates for a limited time only.

The Irrigation Australia Exhibition Prospectus and Sponsorship Prospectus for 2024 has been released, offering unparalleled exposure, networking, and business expansion opportunities. Act now to secure your place!

The conference promises a rich program with presenters from around the globe, and a structure designed to maximise interaction. Around 100 exhibitors will showcase the most innovative products and services currently available on the market. We are confident that delegates from across the industry will return home with new connections, new friends, and new ideas to try in their own regions, wherever they may be.

A special thank you to our major 2024 sponsors!

Don't miss the opportunity to be a part of a world-class event that fosters collaboration, innovation, and knowledge sharing among industry professionals.

Whether you are looking to increase brand awareness, generate leads, or establish thought leadership in the industry, our exclusive sponsorship opportunities will ensure that your priorities as a supporter are achieved.

For more information about sponsorship opportunities, please visit our event website.

To stay updated on the event and secure your participation, keep an eye on the official event website. By joining this event in Sydney, Australia, you can seize the opportunity to establish valuable partnerships, generate leads, and leave a lasting impact on the future of irrigation.

Stay tuned for further details on early bird registration and how to capitalise on these exclusive opportunities to elevate your brand, expand your network, and drive sales success.

4. DCCEEW - Restoring our Rivers: Draft Framework for Delivering 450 GL of Additional Environmental Water

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) has released the Restoring our Rivers: draft framework for delivering the 450 GL of additional environmental water.

The draft framework outlines three key principles that will guide the Australian Government’s approach to recovering the 450 GL target:

• Enhancing environmental outcomes
• Minimising socio-economic impacts
• Achieving value for money.

The draft framework includes information on three new programs that the Government will establish to deliver the 450 GL target:

• Resilient Rivers Program – infrastructure projects, rules changes, land and water partnerships, commercial mechanisms to contribute to targets temporarily and other ways to recover water.
• Voluntary Water Purchase Program – purchase of water entitlements from willing sellers.
• Sustainable Communities Program – community adjustment assistance for Basin communities impacted by voluntary water purchase.

The Resilient Rivers Program Water Infrastructure Program (RRWIP) is also open. The program will provide Australian Government funding for basin states to propose state-led water recovery projects that will improve water management, reduce water losses in the in the Murray–Darling Basin, and return water to the environment. 

5. Review of the non-urban metering framework

The NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water has released a report which includes feedback provided by stakeholders during consultation on its review of NSW’s non-urban metering framework. Irrigation Australia participated in this review.

Key issues raised included:

• Cost of compliance
• Availability of duly qualified persons (DQPs)
• Call for greater flexibility
• Simplification
• Coastal compliance deadline (to be reconsidered)

The report describes possible responses and logic behind them rather than clear recommendations. Clearly the commentary around installer requirements from P21 onwards are directly relevant to Irrigation Australia’s role in training and accrediting DQPs, and we will continue to engage with the department around the issues raised and our training programs will be reviewed with a view to continuous improvement, as well as addressing the broader question of availability of DQPs.

Consistent concerns raised include the cost burden for small water users as well as a general need for simplification and improved access to necessary information.

The feedback outlined in the report is informing the development of a review report to be provided to the Minister for Water.

Please contact dave.cameron@irrigation.org.au for further information, or to provide any further feedback on concerns raised in the report which may assist Irrigation Australia in supporting positive change for the framework.

What we heard report (nsw.gov.au)

6. 2024 Australian Mango Conference 

The 2024 Australian Mango Conference will be held in Cairns from May 21 – 23, 2024. The conference has been designed with growers at the centre. It is 3 days of presentations, panel discussions, a tradeshow and field day aimed at offering the latest project updates, expert information and innovation to enhance the sustainability of the mango industry in Australia. It will also include a scientific symposium the day before the conference.

Scientific Symposium: Monday May 20, Cairns Convention Centre

Mango Conference: Tuesday May 21 - Thursday May 23, Cairns Convention Centre

Registrations for the conference & symposium are now open, click here for more information.

There are still a few exhibitors booths available for the tradeshow, details here.

7. 2024 Training Courses - Unlock your potential in an essential industry!

Seize this opportunity to elevate your skills in this crucial and continually expanding industry!

Explore Upcoming Courses Here.

Meter Installation & Validation - 4 Half Day Sessions – Virtual – Commencing Tuesday 9th of April 2024 to Friday 12th of April 2024

Meter Installation & Validation - Virtual (irrigationaustralia.com.au)

Electrofusion and Butt Welding - NSW – 2 Day course – Face to Face – Commencing Thursday the 18th of April 2024 to Friday 19th of April 2024

Electrofusion and Butt Welding - 2 Day Course (irrigationaustralia.com.au)

Cert III in Irrigation Technology NSW Intake – 5 Days – Face to Face – Commencing Monday the 6th of May to Friday the 10th of May 2024

Certificate III in Irrigation Technology AHC32422 - NSW (irrigationaustralia.com.au)

Cert III in Irrigation Technology SA Intake – 5 Days – Face to Face – Commencing 13th of May to Friday 17th of May 2024

Certificate III in Irrigation Technology AHC32422 SA (irrigationaustralia.com.au)

Electrofusion and Butt Welding – QLD - 2 Day course – Face to Face – Commencing Thursday the 23rd of May to Friday the 24th of May 2024

Electrofusion and Butt Welding - QLD (irrigationaustralia.com.au)

8. Agtech Skills Hub

The AgTech Skills Hub has free micro-credentials available, they range between 1 and 6 hours in length to complete. It’s worth checking out the links as the price is right – a few examples of topics include Collect, Record and Manage Data, Digital Technologies in Agriculture and Aquaculture, Digital Literacy Essentials, Drones, SCADA along with a number of more general business topics including Cultural Inclusiveness and Leadership.

AgTech Work Skills

AgTech Digital Skills

AgTech Technology Skills

Click here if you are interested in becoming an Irrigation Australia Member.

Click here to view upcoming Training Courses.

Click here to view the latest Career Opportunities available within the Irrigation Industry.