From AIBS National President - Timothy Tuxford
Dear Member,
On behalf of the Board of AIBS, I thank you for continuing to support our professional organisation through your membership. I know you are aware that membership of a professional organisation such as ours means more than just what we as individuals can get out of it - it is about each of us making a contribution to the development and viability of our profession.
As AIBS President, I am now seeking your support and commitment as a member so we can continue advocating on behalf of our profession and build on the achievements of 2016/17 which have ensured building surveying is being recognised for the vital role it plays in delivering safe compliant buildings for all Australians.
I also want to take this opportunity to highlight some of our major achievements over the past year that have been made possible due to your direct support.
AIBS developed a written submission for the Senate Inquiry into Non-Conforming Building Products and AIBS representatives appeared in person before the Senate Committee at a public hearing in Sydney last July. Both our submission and appearance at the hearing were widely acknowledged as presenting a credible position in favour of building surveying at a time when building surveyors were being publicly criticised, in most cases without any basis. AIBS was the only organisation to publicly advocate for the profession in this area and we will continue to do so.
Soon after our appearance at the Senate Inquiry, AIBS released a key building reform document, the AIBS Policy on Building Regulatory Reform in Australia. This policy provides a blueprint for reform of the building regulatory system in Australia and, for the first time, AIBS has provided a definitive position in representing the profession on this issue.
The policy remains the only complete plan for a proper building regulatory system to be put forward by any industry group and has been consistently recognised for that. Development of the policy took many hours of work by the Board and staff and would not have been possible without the thoughtful input by many AIBS members.
The policy was recognised in the recently released Shergold/Weir report, commissioned by the Building Ministers’ Forum, in which it was noted:
“We conducted 55 consultations with stakeholders during the process. It was pleasing that AIBS had released its Policy on Building Regulatory Reform around the time our assessment commenced. It set out the AIBS considered position on many of the same issues we were asked to address in our assessment and enabled our consultation with AIBS to be a constructive and focussed discussion. Many other industry bodies we met with did not have a considered position on issues aligning with our terms of reference in advance of our meetings.”
This type of high level validation of AIBS’s work confirms that we are being pro-active and effectively representing the interests of our members.
As you would remember, about 18 months ago AIBS increased its support of members by employing a National Technical Manager and we are currently in the process of employing a Professional Development Manager to further enhance our training and conference programs. Both these specialised positions will not only increase the level of professional training to members but will demonstrate to Government and regulators that we are committed in leading the professional development of building surveyors and increasing public confidence in our profession.
The above is just a snapshot of some of the big-ticket items we have developed and launched over the past year. There is a myriad of other projects and activities, big and small, going on all the time within AIBS as we work hard to represent your interests.
All of this work directed to the enhancement of our profession and providing the level of service our members require comes at a cost and the Board has recently approved an increase of $50.00 per annum for membership, which brings the annual subscription to $550.00. Costs for accreditation and training will remain unchanged over the next year.
The increase in membership fees will also ensure our National Technical Manager and Professional Development Manager positions can be adequately supported as we all benefit from the value and expertise they bring to the organisation.
The Board has agreed to continue with a corporate rate for membership fees and increased the benefit from 10% discount for any organisation with 5 or more members to 15%. To take advantage of this offer, you will need to contact the AIBS office directly on 1300 312 427 to organise your corporate membership package or email us on [email protected].
I assure you that the Board does not take your membership for granted and we appreciate your ongoing support and involvement. As we look forward to the coming year, each and every AIBS member can take credit for our achievements over the past 12 months. I also believe you can feel confident that by working together we are building a solid foundation from which to advocate on your behalf in the coming year, one which is set to bring challenge and change for us along with the whole Australian building industry.
If you require any assistance at all to renew your membership, please do not hesitate to contact our member services team directly on 1300 312 427 or [email protected] who will be only too willing to assist you.
Timothy Tuxford
AIBS National President