This is the end of my first term (2 years) as President. I came into the position as the last State Awards were being organised. Today the 2009 awards are well on track and I hope you will all come to the cocktail party being planned in The Mortlock Wing of the State Library on 17th October. Thank you to all who have put in submissions and to those planning the night.

This year has been another busy one for members of the executive and many of you volunteering or co-opted into short term and skilled tasks. These have included advocacy issues, implementing the registration programme (workshops and interview process) working with the University of Adelaide through the Mentor Scheme and the Rodney Beames Award and attending various meetings, functions, launches and workshops on behalf of the SA Group. I do try to put out Expressions of Interest, which may be limited to those I know have some knowledge on a subject. Please let me know if you want or are able to participate or have particular interest should issues turn up.

Some of the issues covered this year include Adelaide Park Lands Strategy, Lower Lakes Strategy, Adelaide 30 Year plan still being worked on, meetings with Laura Lee, Thinker in Residence at the invitation of the AIA, judge for Adelaide Prize (announced at the Architecture Awards), representing BEDP at state level (I am still looking for a proxy to attend bi monthly meetings).

One of the bigger changes initiated at a National level has been with the Education Committee and the relationship with accredited courses. Previously we had a State Committee (or person) that undertook the registration training workshop and provided comment on National issues from a State perspective. The committee overseeing accreditation of Landscape Architecture courses was undertaken nationally and the State had no input. The changes this year require the States to provide the Committee who provide an annual report on the status of the course and bring to the attention of the National Education Committee and major discrepancies. The accreditation process is still run through the National Office in Canberra. The SA Education Committee who will report through the State Exec are Daniel Bennett (Chair), Keith Davis and Brett Grimm. It is hoped they will stay for a three term and be replaced or re-nominated on an annual basis. May I thank the previous members Kevin Taylor and Cathy Bawden for the time and commitment they put into the previous committee. Daniel has agreed to stay on and take over the position of Chair. The course at University of Adelaide will have its accreditation process undertaken in the first half of 2010.

Most importantly I work as part of a team of dedicated Landscape Architects and I would like to thank the following committee members who have made a contribution to the SA Group over the last 2 years.

• Nick Pearson who stepped up to Vice President this year for his ongoing support and as current chair of the Awards Committee, social events, advocacy responses.

• Heath Edwards as Treasurer has kept control over the money and organized a number of CPD events.

• Paul Herzich as secretary has kept you all informed of activities and done a very thorough job with the minutes. Paul has been Secretary for more years than I would like to think and in fact has been on the State exec since he was a student over a decade ago. Paul has decided it is time to retire and concentrate on family life for a while. He will be sorely missed.

• Ben Wilsmore, has been our contact with Place – regular monthly commitment. He has also been on the registration panel and is contributing to the Awards night.

• Tim Conybeare has puts the contributions to Earthquake together and co-ordinated advocacy responses.

• Simon Lee and James Hayter – who put the student mentor scheme together. The was a delayed start this year due to Tanya Court being on Study Leave.

• Chris Tidswell – has remained on exec, though no longer a student. He is useful for his contacts in the entertainment world.

• Paul Harding - National rep. We see his regular reports in Earthquake and for his advocacy work.

• Daniel Bennett, Ben Wilsmore, Paul Herzich provided the assessment committee for registration this year and we have 4 new members.

• Sharon McKay, currently on maternity leave, for her support during my first year. She resigned as Vice President earlier this year.

• Damien Mugavin who has run the registration workshops for a number of years. I think he is teaching in Korea at the moment.
  and all those who have been part of the mentor scheme.

The Rodney Beames Award sponsored by Hassell and SA group was presented to John McIntyre for his project, Common Ground, on an Aboriginal Community meeting place in Arnhem Land. We wish him well for his future career and look forward to updates on his project.

Place has been running for a year. We have had a few Landscape issues and will have some coverage of award submissions and award presentations. Place’s position in The Adelaide Review is still tenuous but while it survives please provide articles (or those you are prepared to write).

On a more somber note though we have only had a few CPD events this year they have been very poorly attended. We had a very good presentation from John McIntyre on his Rodney Beames Award project and Sheryn Pitman gave an informative night on sustainable landscapes – some designed by Landscape Architects. Are we not making CPD events regular enough, are they on the wrong subjects, are there too many competing events or is everyone too busy with their jobs and other lives. Could I please have some comment.

On the social front we have had a few successful events – 2 quiz nights this year (one last winter and one this) and an end of year function. Tonight is also ann occasion to get together.

I would like to recognize our 4 new members. We had hoped to present their certificates but National Office sent them out very quickly. Instead I have a little SA gift for Emma Hammond, Simon Bradley, Carina Green and Grace Lin. Good luck in your future careers and hope you will provide future input into the profession in SA.

Finally before I finish I am prepared to re-nominate as President for the next 2 years but I shall be retiring from the SA Public Service on 18th September. Timing has not been great and I am not sure what my plans will be over the coming months but I do expect to be away from SA for a number of months over the coming year.

Alison Radford

President
SA Group

click on image for the report by Ben Willsmore

or here for the PLACE Magazine PDFs

The financial year auditing process has been undertaken by National Office. I have for circulation a balance sheet and profit and loss statement from National Office which is current for July 2008 to June 2009

The current account balance for the AILA SA Savings Account is $9,367.95 as compared to $6,698.60 for the same time last year.

Our Beames Account contains $10,033.06 and is invested with an annual interest rate of 7.05%. Interest from this account will be transferred annually into the AILA SA Savings Account.

The Beames Award Account is intended to provide back up funds for student awards money and other minor sponsorship purposes.

Our major expenditure was related to the sponsorship of Place Magazine ($6,000 ex gst) and an item called "Write off Internal & Bad Debts" for $3,872 which is an amount entered by the National Auditor to balance our account from the previous multi account system we had.

Other expenditure was related to Administration costs from National Office and catering for AILA CPD, Xmas and AGM functions.

Our major income was from membership levies ($4,054.00), interest paid from the Beams Award and sponsorship of AILA Xmas and CPD events.

Other income was generated from the 2008 SA Quiz Night.

Last month we held another quiz night in aid of raising money for the State Awards.Approximately 120 people attended and over $1000 in cash was raised. We also have secured over $1000 in alcohol and soft drink that is available to members for sale, with leftovers used for AILA CPD functions and for the upcoming Awards.

In the past 12 months AILA SA has sponsored the following bodies/ events:

• Conservation Council of SA.
• Rodney Owen Beames Student Award
• Treenet
• AILA SA CPD program

We are also currently negotiating with PLACE magazine to finalise sponsorship

A budget for 2008- 2009 is currently being drafted to project income and expenditure for the next financial year. This will be tabled for discussion at the next Executive meeting.

Heath Edwards

AILA SA Treasurer