Construction 4.1 Rebooting Our Sector
Construction of new infrastructure will be an important tool for governments seeking to rebuild economies devastated by shutdowns in response to COVID 19. Every dollar spent on construction projects has a multiplier effect. It directly results in increased employment by the contractors and consultants engaged to do the work, increases demand for goods and services required to build the project and results in increased spending by the new workers employed. This in turn leads to further employment of people in the wider economy.
Chosen wisely, new infrastructure also has the capacity to improve the performance and competitiveness of the economy as a whole and bring broader social benefits.
However, with our industry already under pressure and the COVID-19 Pandemic causing further challenges, we need to look at how our sector operates and identify ways in which we can change to build a sustainable industry into the future. If there is a silver lining to the COVID-19 cloud it is the once in a generation opportunity it provides to reboot how the industry operates for the benefit of all stakeholders, not just contractors.
Let’s call it Construction 4.1
In this page, you’ll find news, opinion, information and context for Construction 4.1, drawn from experts in their field and leaders in our industry.
Industry Opinion
We’ve asked key leaders in our sector to share their insights on how construction can and should look into the future. Over the coming weeks we will share their opinion pieces with you as we seek to build consensus across clients, design, contracting and the supply chain about how Construction 4.1 should look and can be achieved.
Jon Davies
CEO QMCA
Construction 4.1 The Case For An Urgent COVID-19 Reboot of The Construction Industry
QMCA, CEO Jon Davies, takes a look at the case for Construction 4.1, the challenge, the benefits and why QMCA is leading the call for change.
Annabel Crookes
DIRECTOR LAING O’ROURKE AND VICE PRESIDENT AUSTRALIAN CONSTRUCTORS ASSOCIATION
The Lucky Industry
In the 1964 classic, The Lucky Country, author Donald Horne depicts Australia as a lucky country, but one that is squandering its luck. If we look at Australia now, through a Coronavirus (COVID-19) lens, we are indeed still a lucky country and the construction industry is arguably the lucky industry.
But will we squander that luck?
Peter Robinson
Project Director South West Pipeline – Seqwater
Seeking an Optimum Delivery/procurement Model for Industry Success
Major water supply and wastewater construction projects have seen a wide variety of delivery/procurement models adopted over the past 20–30 years, Seqwater’s Peter Robinson look at each and offers thoughts on achieving optimal outcomes for all.
Barton Maher
Manager Engineering & Technical (Major Projects) – Seqwater
Dam Improvement Program
Seqwater is delivering a suite of dam projects as part of a Dam Improvement Program. This program of work is driven primarily by changes in assessed risk and the evolution of good practice. As an owner, the asset risks ultimately belong to Seqwater along with the obligations of ownership – to provide a safe, reliable and affordable bulk drinking water supply. Seqwater’s Barton Maher outlines what this means for our sector and how Construction 4.1 can be part of ensuring better outcomes for all.
Samiul Hossain
State Manager Qld/NT, Smec
What a failing Aluminum giant taught me about our industry
When Paul O’Neill took charge of Aluminum manufacturing giant Alcoa in 1987, he was faced with an overwhelming set of priorities. He had all the challenges – from absenteeism to low staff morale, from low productivity to declining profitability and from failed product lines to mounting shareholder expectations. Setting everything aside, much to the horror of the investors, he chose to focus on the safety statistics of the company. By the year-end, Alcoa had declared a record profit under his leadership. Thirteen years later, when he retired, Alcoa’s annual net income had grown five times.
There are important lessons in this journey that are highly relevant to Construction 4.1, explore them in Sami’s guest blog.
Construction 4.1 Virtual Breakfast – May 2020
Watch as Queensland Major Contractors Association (QMCA) look at the case for change in construction as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic which provides a once in a generation opportunity to implement all aspects of Construction 4.1, demonstrate its benefits and make it the operating system of choice in the future.
With addresses from Annabel Crookes Vice President of Australian Constructors Association (ACA), Barbara Van Heerden of Seqwater, Krishan Tangri of Brisbane Airport Corporation, Samiul Hossain of SMEC and Shane Graham of LafargeHolcim and a panel discussion you will hear perspectives from across our sector on how we can have a more sustainable industry into the future.
Resources, Information and Analysis
Over the past 12 months QMCA’s working groups, partners and stakeholders have been working to identify and analyse key challenges that are posed to our sector.
Future Industry Working Group
Talent Attraction and Retention in The Civil Contracting Industry
According to Queensland’s peak infrastructure body, the single biggest threat to the future of the industry in the sunshine state is access to skilled workers. In a report published today, QMCA’s Future Industry working group has identified a desperate need to improve the industry’s perception for current and future skilled workers across professional, trades and supporting roles.
2020 Queensland Major Projects Pipeline Report
Identifying and Analysing Queensland's Major Projects Across The Next 5 Years
A sustainable pipeline of work is essential for the health of our sector, for investment attraction, employment and much more. In the 2020 Queensland Major Projects Pipeline Report, we look at the projects that will shape our state in the next 5 years and what that means for our industry, people and projects.
Priorities for Industrial Relations Reform
QMCA Industrial Relations Working Group
QMCA welcomes plans by the Federal Government to set up roundtable discussions to investigate reform of industrial relations in Australia. On behalf of our members, QMCA’s Industrial Relations Working Group has developed Priorities for Industrial Relations Reform, calling for construction industry-specific action to be taken.
Sustainability Framework
Future Industry Working Group
QMCA’s Future Industry Working Group will research the environmental, social, economic and governance challenges within the construction industry. This quadruple pillar approach will explore how these challenges and issues relate to construction contracting companies, government and supply partners.
As part of this process, the Group has created a Sustainability Framework, which outlines the priorities, terms and commitments we have to Sustainability as part of Construction 4.1
