Welcome to the ICE’s web pages for the south eastern region of Australia, that includes the States of Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.
Since 1890 the Victorian Local Association (VLA) has provided support for ICE members in our region.
The services offered by VLA include:
- Four Dinner meetings with technical presentations
- Brunel International Lecture, joint with Engineers Australia
- Facilitating CPR in Australia
- Cooperation with Engineers Australia and other learned societies
- Encouraging membership of ICE by the award of the Fred Green Prize
Membership
The current membership in the south eastern region of Australia is 352 (315 in 2009 and 310 in 2008).
VLA Membership
| |
Fellows |
Members |
Associates/
Affiliates |
Graduates |
Students |
Total |
Percentage |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Victoria |
30 |
167 |
10 |
37 |
11 |
255 |
72% |
| Tasmania |
7 |
12 |
1 |
|
|
20 |
6% |
| South Australia |
2 |
41 |
1 |
7 |
26 |
77 |
22% |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Total |
39 |
220 |
12 |
44 |
37 |
352 |
100% |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Percentage |
11% |
63% |
3% |
13% |
10% |
100% |
|
The Fred Green Memorial Prize
This Prize was established by the VLA in 1974 to honour Frederick William Green B.Sc., AMICE, who was head of the engineering department at Swinburne College of Technology (now Swinburne University) from its start in 1913. Fred Green served as Honorary Treasurer of the ICE-VLA from 1934 to 1966, and also carried the Secretary’s duties from 1950 to 1964. The prize is awarded for academic achievement in the penultimate year to one civil engineering student from each of the 8 universities in our region of Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia. The prize is a certificate of commendation, a cash prize and ICE Student membership for one year. The universities are; The University of Melbourne, Monash University, RMIT University, Swinburne University, Victoria University - State of Victoria, University of Tasmania - State of Tasmania, Adelaide University, University of South Australia - State of South Australia. In general the awards are made at the AGM in May/June each year.
For 2009 the prizes were awarded to:
- Wee Hean Ng - The University of Melbourne
- Anna Lintern - Monash University
- Johannes van der Walt - Swinburne University of Technology
- Matthew Lukaszewicz - University of Adelaide
- Kathryn Easther - University of Tasmania
- Thuy Thi Thu Tran - Victoria University
- Mark Argent - University of South Australia
- Peter Charles Buffett - RMIT University
At the AGM on 26th May, Brendan Corcoran, consultant and research specialist presented the prizes to four winners who attended the dinner meeting, shown in the photograph. Brendan Corcoran is in the centre of the group and and left to right is Johannes van der Walt, Thuy Thi Thu Tran, Wee Hean Ng and Matthew Lukaszewicz. Brendan Corcoran congratulated the winners and stressed that the future of engineering was in the hands of young engineers and they could have a bright future.
Economic prospects
So far Australia has ridden out the global financial crisis in 2008/2009 thanks to government stimuli packages, which are still running, and the benefit of exports of minerals to China and India. Unemployment has fallen to 5.1% well below the unemployment rate in Europe and USA. The Reserve Bank of Australia long term rate has risen to over 4.5 %, with Banks’ cash rate 5.9 %. Fortunately the four major banks in Australia have not suffered from financial problems due to better regulation of operations than was the case with some US and European banks suffering insolvency. The down turn in share trading in USA and Europe has affected the Australian stock market, even though Australian shares recovered significantly after the September 2008 financial crisis.
State and Federal Governments are embarking on major infrastructure developments in water resources, transport and educational facilities. Construction activity in mining and infrastructure has accentuated the skills shortage of engineers and tradesmen. For general enquiries please contact either:
Committees
Victorian Local Association
As usual 50 percent of the committee members were up for re-election and all nominations were received at the AGM. The appointments were made at the Commitee Meeting on 5th July 2010. The new Committee of Management on fthe VLA for 2010/2011 comprises;
- Neil Thomson - Chair
- Ranji Casinader - Past Chair
- Dominic Brown - Vice Chair
- Erik Guldager Nielsen - Hon Secretary
- Alan Chuck - Hon Treasurer
Committee:
- John Grattidge
- Alan McCann
- Tony Bennett
- Paul Burgess - representing Graduates and Students
- Frank Bishop - ICE Representative (ex-officio)