On the 18-19 February this year, the Board met with the Secretariat to consider the challenges and opportunities the future offers the Australian Pipelines and Gas Association (APGA).
One of the items the Board has changed in recent years is four of the six Board meetings will have an agenda item to review our progress on key strategic items.
This regular review ensures the Board and Secretariat has good alignment with the strategy and are familiar with the detail.
The timing of this review was ideal to set the new course following on from our name change.
The review confirmed we are providing good value to our members given our surveys and other feedback measures.
Our Chief Executive and Business Manager are recognised as industry leaders and with the support of our talented secretariat staff the Association will continue its success into the future.
The Board found that the existing strategy was still quite relevant.
There were, naturally, changes to our vision and mission to specifically include the gas industry.
The Board retained four objectives with slight adjustments to ensure their continued relevance to our changing environment.
The four objectives that will be in the new plan are:
- Maintain a viable Association with an active membership;
- Advocate for the pipeline and gas industries;
- Maintain research and development and knowledge transfer for the pipeline industry; and,
- Support the pipeline industry in maintaining its leadership in the management of health, safety and the environment.
These Objectives support the APGA vision to lead the sustainable growth in pipeline infrastructure and the gas industry for Australasia’s energy future.
Of course a lot of the work on the strategy was developing the detailed tasks required for success.
Initially we reviewed what was working well and what needed improving, we then turned to a forward focus on what was required to achieve future success and how we measure success.
The Board believes we have the balance right between the key areas of support for the pipeline industry and the new items we have added to support the gas industry.
The APGA Strategic Plan will be released at the Annual Convention in October.
In my last report I noted some of the challenges that are facing our members.
Times are pretty tough in some sectors with a drop in available opportunities, given some projects are moving from development to production.
Combined with the low commodity prices, project spending is going through a contraction.
This is where the APGA strategy will come into play by being an advocate for industry and playing our part to ensure our industries have a sustainable future.
We need the projects to be created on the ground rather than stuck in a policy debate or some other form of blockage.
Our Chief Executive has written in her report encouraging members to put forward their nomination for the upcoming Board elections.
If I could just add a little support to Cheryl’s comments by saying my time on the APGA Board has been very valuable to my own development.
The way APGA is governed is first class and helps you set the bar at the right level for your own operations.
Adding your Board nomination is a good way to play your part in shaping our future.