On Thursday 4th August, 63 of our members registered for our first hybrid event of 2022, discussing the past, present and future of our stormwater industry in Queensland. Panelists Himanthi Mendis, David Simpson, Brad Dalrymple, Ben Penhallurick and Courtney Henderson, were led through a facilitated discussion by Katie Fletcher.

Where have we come in the past 20 years?

Some highlights discussed included:

  • Total watercycle management
  • Mandatory (and then not mandatory) rainwater tanks
  • SQIDEP
  • Off-site Stormwater Solutinos
  • Senate Inquiry into Stormwater Management
  • The Living Waterways Framework (Healthy Land and Water)
  • CRC for Catchment Hydrology then CRC for Water Sensitive Cities

A key outcome from discussion of our past was that many of the great leaps forward didn’t necessarily continue to the present day and perhaps didn’t result in quite the stormwater outcomes we had hoped.  Audience members were asked to ponder why this might be so and there certainly seems to be a need for more pervasive and long-lasting influence beyond our stormwater industry to enact long term improvement.

Broaching a difficult topic head on, the culture and behaviours present within our industry were discussed.  At times in our history, and perhaps today, we have seen some members acting in a way which appears to benefit the individual more than stormwater outcomes.  We also noted that where the focus of the association is not balanced, this can lead to lack of interest within the membership.  Across Stormwater Queensland are aiming to lead by example to ensure that our dealings are honest and honourable and present a welcoming environment for early professionals and seniors alike to flourish.

Looking forward, attendees both online and physically present broke out into smaller group discussions with the question, “What are the biggest issues facing stormwater today and into the future”. View the attached Menti survey summary for some of the suggestions from our audience. The outcomes of this workshop will help the Stormwater Committee to plan our calendar of events and advocacy activities.