APIA’s Board does this in detail every three years.
Our board comprises an interesting cross-section of the membership with a varied range of experience and ideas.
Sectors represented by the current APIA board include: engineering and design companies, pipeline infrastructure owners, construction contractors, community consultation and environment.
While there might be some gaps, this is a good representation of the industry with a variety of experience around the table.
The last APIA Board detailed strategy discussion took place at the 2011 February board meeting, so the next discussion is scheduled for this February.
Good planning and strategic thinking by boards is a key element of success.
While the management or the secretariat will implement new ideas and changes, and often come up with new ideas or new ways of doing business, the overall direction is always given detailed consideration by the board.
APIA’s strategic plan is available via the “˜about’ section of the website.
It lists APIA’s mission, role and objectives.
Of course, the main role of any industry association is to work for its members and, from my experience in several associations, this is something at which APIA excels.
Services to APIA’s members are covered in all strategic plan objectives.
We focus on governance and management in aiming to maintain a viable association.
Our commitment to educating young pipeliners, support for the Research and Standards Committee, and partnership with the Energy Pipelines Cooperative Research Centre help us maintain research and development programs and ensure knowledge transfer.
The objective of maintaining leadership in environment, health and safety provides direction for our active committees and their good work on codes of practice and guidelines that benefit the whole industry.
And our advocacy role means we promote good government policy for pipelines and encourage the use of natural gas in Australia.
Obviously, the proposal to include “˜gas’ in the Association’s name has been prompted by the increased importance of this part of the strategic plan – the need to ensure we have a strong and successful gas industry in Australia and its benefits to the broader membership.
I would like to join Cheryl in thanking all members who voted on the proposal to change our name.
Part of the Board’s consideration at the February planning meeting will be to assess the environment our industry operates in.
Looking ahead, it’s clear there will be challenges and opportunities in 2015 and beyond.
A major challenge for our industry is the plummeting oil price and the effect that will have on gas developments.
Another key challenge is the anti-gas lobby which continues to stifle the progress of excellent gas developments.
Our politicians need to show greater leadership and ensure they are acting in the best interests of Australia and our energy needs rather than short-term political gains.
Of course the big challenge for Australia and the gas industry is the potential gas shortage for both domestic and export needs.
That is something that should really be driving opportunities for our industry with more activity in the upstream area to get more gas to market.
There is plenty of gas – we need to develop it and build the infrastructure to make sure it gets to the market.
The year ahead will also present opportunities.
For example, the pipeline to connect the NT gas network to the eastern gas network will be quite transformational for our industry if it goes ahead.
Coal seam gas fields in NSW and Victoria and longer-term developments of shale gas in the Cooper Basin also present opportunities, and all predictions are very strong for continued export growth for LNG.
During 2015, APIA will continue to create many opportunities for its members.
Again, we have a fabulous schedule of events for 2015 and the highlight of this schedule is the annual convention in October.
This year we return to the “˜almost’ home of our convention. It will be fabulous to get back to the Gold Coast this year.
The first 2015 function is in Perth.
It’s become tradition for the year to start with the Perth golf day – complete with heat and a little bit of madness at the dinner. I look forward to seeing members at many of the dinners and other events in 2015.