PRESIDENT’S REPORT
		January – December 2003 Presented at Annual General Meeting 12 May 2004

The Concrete Masonry Association of Australia (CMAA) is a national organisation funded by the Australian Masonry Industry to maintain, extend and improve the masonry market. The CMAA communicates design information, technical advice and product advantages to architects, engineers, landscape architects, educators and local state and national bodies.

The CMAA continued this focus during its 2003 operational activities holding a clear vision and commitment – increased acceptance of the concrete masonry industry’s products to support, improve and extend the holistic masonry market.

Major activities and achievements during 2003 supporting the membership included:

REGULATORY

• Building Products Innovation Council (BPIC)
  The CMAA worked closely with the HIA and AWA in establishing and strengthening BPIC. The CMAA became a foundation member in July 2003 and is represented on the BPIC Board of Directors. BPIC’s mission is to promote the most efficient and innovative use of building products within a nationally consistent regulatory environment. BPIC represents a commitment from industry to build a stronger and more competitive Australian building industry.
  
  
• Representing the industry at some 28 Standards Australia meetings on 17 active main code committees and 18 sub-committees.
  
  
• Representing the industry to the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) on the Technical Committee and associated working groups in the major areas of Energy and Acoustics.
  
  
• AS 1170.4 Earthquake Loads
  Represented the industry at Standards Australia and ABCB committee meetings. This issue represented a major threat to all masonry walling – our work, research, network and technical expertise ensure that reasonable outcomes are achieved.

PUBLICATIONS

• Revision of LOCKPAVE Segmental Pavement Design and Specification software V15.1.
  
  
• Reinforced Concrete Masonry Cantilever Retaining Walls – Design and Construction Guide – MA51.
  
  
• Segmental Concrete Masonry Gravity Retaining Walls – Design and Construction Guide – MA53.
  
  
• Publication revisions:
  MA45 – Concrete Masonry Handbook
  HB156 – Segmental Reinforced Retaining Walls – Design and Construction.

EDUCATION

• Participating and supporting some 15 national major seminar presentations.
  
  
• Participating and presenting expert papers at five national conferences and one international conference.
  
  
• Clay and Concrete Segmental Paving Council (CCSPC) – NSW
  Administering, maintaining and conducting four segmental paviour courses in partnership with TAFE NSW.
  
  
• Regular liaison with TAFE and national universities.

ADMINISTRATION

• Review and revamp CMAA website
  
  
• Prepare and conduct four directors’ meetings during the year
  
  
• Corporate governance
  
  
• Accounts
  - including GST, FBT, BAS, P & L, Balance Sheet monthly or as required for the national office
  - above for CMAA State Groups including NSW and South Australia
  
  
• Prepare, co-ordinate and control budgets
  
  
• Correspondence

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

6th Biennial Golden Trowel Award

The competition encourages excellence among apprentices in the blocklaying trade. Teams, comprising second and third year apprentices assisted by a teacher, are required to complete highly technical projects. The 2003 task was set to challenge students and to allow them to demonstrate a high level of technical excellence. Nine teams from NSW and one each from the ACT, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia participated in the competition. The task involved constructing two joining walls – one with archways and the other curved. A complex feature pattern of a golden trowel was included in the design.

CMAA organises the competition to encourage excellence among apprentices and recognise the skills of young people in the blocklaying trade.

The Minister for Education and Training, Andrew Refshauge, launched the Golden Trowel Competition and TAFE Week 2003 on Monday 4 August at Granville College.

“The Golden Trowel Competition provides an excellent opportunity to bring the best young apprentices from around Australia together to demonstrate their skills. It is fitting that the competition was held during TAFE Week ... a celebration of the world-class training TAFE provides”, Dr Refshauge said.

	The Winning Wall – Coffs Harbour TAFE Team

BRICK/BLOCKLAYING TRAINING INITIATIVES

The CMAA Board, at its November 2003 meeting, endorsed a training initiative based on a voluntary levy to fund apprentice brick/blocklayer schemes, which are aimed at reducing the current shortages of skilled tradespeople.

The CMAA will partner the Clay Brick and Paver Institute (CBPI) at a national level to assist in existing state schemes and create new schemes where they do not exist. The objective is to have the ACCC voluntary levy system in place by 1 January 2005.

This initiative and support is fundamental for our industry - it is a vote for a strong and sustained future.


The results of all this work and activity (plus others too numerous to list) are not directly measurable. The activities are geared towards enhancing the generic technical and image base of the industry as a whole in a global effort to maintain, support and increase the use of concrete masonry products.

The CMAA is staffed by a small team, namely:
Alan Pearson, Executive Director
Tiere Morgan, Administration Manager
Wilma Robinson, Administrative Officer (part-time)

Their professional focus, dedication and belief have continued to produce exceptional results with minimal resources.

The contributions of a small number of consultants, Rod Johnston (Quasar), Brian Shackel (University of NSW) deserve recognition for their participation in key CMAA objectives.

Also, the efforts and support of the sponsoring members, their employees and the State Promotion groups is essential to the success of the CMAA and the support by all of these people is very much recognised and appreciated by all the CMAA staff.

Focus on external issues, industry co-operation and vision will see the CMAA and our industry continue into the future.

Malcolm Pointon
President
General Manager, Pioneer Building Products