It’s the Year of the Ox. Thanks for the journey together last year. May this new lunar year signals the dawn of a new beginning for us all – a year of renewed hope and joy.
Gong Xi Fa Cai
“gong xi fa cai” literally means may you attain greater wealth. Gong Xi means wishing/blessing. Fa means enlarge(ment).
#buildbetter
NEC ran a series of complimentary webinars describing the benefits of collaborative contracting.
The session will be hosted by Peter Higgins, (NEC4 Board Chair), Matthew Colton, (Institution of Civil Engineers Council Member and MCE Director) and Dafydd Wyn Owen.
The panel will discuss provisions in NEC which promote collaborative contracting and how these provisions align with the Infrastructure NSW Government Action Plan: A Ten Point Commitment to the Construction Sector.
The UK government released the Construction Playbook last week which calls out the UK’s ‘broken construction model’. It focusses on the UK industry, however the theories stand and apply internationally. The documents concentrates on the preparation and planning, publication, selection, evaluation and contract implementation stages with regards to improving efficiency and accelerating decarbonisation. The documents recommends policy changes to bring together existing commercial best practice which include:
The Playbook’s advice is not rocket science, but ironically it is not being done well globally and therefore the theories can be applied internationally to assist our global industry to deliver infrastructure in a better, faster and greener way to assist the world during the covid recovery for future generations.
#buildbetterMCE #ICE
It was a pleasure to chair the Collaborative Contracting webinar series recently and running the question and answer session for Peter Higgins and Amri Denton.
The series explored how suitable the NEC suite of contracts is for the Australian market and the NEC features provisions which promote collaborative contracting and how these provisions can meet the NSW Government Action Plan: A ten point commitment.
The second session made comparisons between discuss NEC ECC4 and GC21 contracts to demonstrate how the two contracts manage risk allocation, programme delivery and payment provisions..
Very topical subject in today’s environment.
Today is Remembrance Day – the day that commemorates the signing of the Armistice with Germany that ended the First World War, and more broadly, that calls us to remember our fallen and their tragedies and triumphs.
‘In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.’
– John McCrae (1872–1918)
NEC is hosting two Contract seminars next week on behalf of Thomas Telford Group next week, details to register for free are below. The sessions are
Session 1: Collaborative Contracting – describing how NEC supports collaborative contracting; collaborating to meeting NSW 10 point plan, followed by a Q&A.
Tuesday 17 November 2020
08:30am- 10:0am (Australian Eastern Daylight Time)
Session 2: NEC vs GC21 – working through a comparison of the two forms of contracts, drawing out synergies and advantages of each, followed by a Q&A.
Wednesday 18 November 2020
13:00pm – 14:30pm (Australian Eastern Daylight Time)
Matt Colton has the pleasure of chairing the two sessions and the Q&A. To receive your free log in details please register at:
https://www.neccontract.com/NEC4-Products/NEC-Webinars/Australia-webinars
MCE are proud to have been appointed to the Victorian Department of Treasury and Finance Master Supply Panel. MCE’s team are approved to provide Strategic Policy and Commercial advice and Leadership incorporating service needs and analysis, service planning, feasibility studies and strategic assessments.
Our team will imminently be providing the following expertise:
If your expertise and experience is suitable and you are keen to join our growing vibrant team in Victoria, then please get in touch.
MCE has actively supported the Black Dog Institute for the last 4 years and will continue to do so.
Research has shown acknowledging and talking about suicide may reduce suicide risk.
The facts are stark:
Suicide is the number 1 cause of death for people aged between 15 and 44 in Australia.
For every death by suicide in Australia, it is estimated that there are 30 attempts made.
It is known that Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders, and people in the LGBTQI+ community are more likely to die by suicide.
Some people may have suicidal thoughts when things are too hard and painful. If you feel like life is no longer worth living, it’s really important to seek immediate help. With help, you can overcome these thoughts and stay safe.
If you need support call one of the following numbers
Working on a project like Sydney Metro or any project, it’s very easy to get caught up in the size, excitement and shear work load of being involved in a significant project. The pace of work means it’s easy to forget how you, your team or your family are being affected. This constant strain, combined with personal issues, health concerns, financial worries or any of a hundred other anxieties, can have a serious effect on the well-being of the people around you. That’s why it’s important to take time to ask:
RUOK?
This year, we are more likely than ever to hear a “no, I’m not ok”. If you are feeling well and able, check in with the people around you that might be doing it tough. It’s not always easy to keep the conversation going when someone says they’re not OK, but it could change a life. If they say they are not ok, you need to listen, encourage action. Try and help them find strategies to manage better, plan a follow up and check in to see if they have found a way to cope. They might not be feeling better, but genuine care and concern can make a real difference. On the other hand, if they are ok, that person will know you’re someone who cares enough to ask.
Do you feel that someone you know or care about isn’t behaving as they normally would? Perhaps they seem out of sorts? More agitated or withdrawn? Or they’re just not themselves. Trust that gut instinct and act on it. You don’t need to be an expert to reach out to the people around you – just a friend and someone willing to listen.
Thomas Lee | MCE Leadership Team | CSW Engineering Director | Stations, Sydney Metro
It was an absolute pleasure to host the Institution of Civil Engineers’ President Paul Sheffield last week for our Asia Pacific Presidential address. Paul personally welcomed our new Chartered Civil Engineers and Fellows within the region and discussed the international, reach and value of reaching professional milestones. Paul shared new technologies and where they could be applied and listened to our members sharing their own innovations and ideas. We discussed how global Governments are keeping economies moving by injecting money into infrastructure this is especially evident in Australia and NZ. Where Federally Scott Morrison has pledged $10B over 10 years. With NSW Gladys Berejiklian has pledged $10B over 4 years with a view to creating 88,000 jobs in infrastructure. In New Zealand Jacinta Ardern has recently committed an addition $3B to the existing $12B infrastructure budget. With this in mind, our infrastructure profession is going to be in the limelight for the foreseeable future, challenged to efficiently deliver upon the our government commitments and kick start our respective economies.
Paul talked about the challenges associated with a growing population using ageing infrastructure and how governments need to not only build new infrastructure but look to extend the life of existing assets. It is our role to deliver this infrastructure efficiently harnessing innovation through design, construction methodology, materials and technological advances. Our profession needs to continue to apply and achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) as we are at a pivotal moment in time where we can reset the construction industry to deliver sustainable infrastructure.
I found the whole experience enlightening hosting a question and answer through a system being managed from the UK, speaking to people based across Australia, NZ, Malaysia, Hong Kong and China.
What a big world we live in, but it is amazing how technology can bring us all together to share ideas.
