This month sees the culmination of another bumper year for the Association both nationally and, of course, in Queensland with our last major event for the year, our state conference, QWater.
In a period of unprecedented climate extremes, from increasing water scarcity to ravaging bushfires the conference was somewhat topical, with a focus on 'The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in our own backyard'.
The SDGs target action across the five P’s: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership. There are 17 goals in all, and SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation in particular formed the basis of the conference, with its aim of ensuring 'availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all'.
For me, in both helping organise the conference and in attending it, I was reminded that while we as a country must help those around us and lift standards to meet the intent of the SDGs, we cannot become complacent and forget that inequality and the standards of living for many in our own country must also be addressed.
During World Water Week, the United Nations launched a data portal to provide country-based snapshots of the performance metrics for each of the 12 indicators used to measure SDG 6.
If you would like to have a look at how Australia is going, you can find it here.
In my final column for the year, I would also like to thank Richard Petterson for his contribution to the Queensland Branch Committee. His ability to ask questions that forced us to think differently took the Association in Queensland to new places and his leadership as Vice President will be sorely missed.
We are however graced with a very strong bench and it gives me great pleasure to announce that Dr Nicole Davis from Mackay Regional Council has taken on the role of Vice President for the Branch.
I am going to sign off for the year here and I look forward to seeing many of you at our end of year Quiz Night. To you and yours, all the best for a safe and merry festive season.
Cheers,
Justin Simonis