As June 30 approaches, so too does the end of another financial year. For most of us, it’s an important point in the year for bringing the administration of life into some order.

For a third of EIANZ members, one of those ‘admin-of-life’ matters on June 30 is renewal of their EIANZ membership. I’m one in that category. This year is EIANZ’s 30th anniversary year – a milestone for both the Institute and the environmental profession. EIANZ has been at the core of my professional life across that entire period, providing life-long friendships, learning, mentors, and colleagues.

As many of you receive your renewal notice in June, I invite you to reflect on your experience with EIANZ. I hope that like me, you’re finding the weekly Institute Insider e-newsletter of interest. The team at our Central office are keen to receive your feedback on this and other Institute initiatives, which you can provide at any time through office@eianz.org.

I also hope that you’ve been able to participate in some of the outstanding professional development events organised by EIANZ during the past year. For me, some highlights have been a range of EIANZ PEP (Positive Environmental Practice) talks by my local Division in NSW, including last week’s talk on planning approvals compliance, and the 2016 EIANZ Annual Conference in Brisbane.

If you have yet to get involved, and take full advantage of your membership, I encourage you to do so. Participate in EIANZ events - learn, contribute, build friendships and professional networks.

At this point in the year I’m also looking forward to the welcome our colleagues in New Zealand have planned for us at this year’s EIANZ Annual Conference in late October. This signature event in the Institute calendar will be held at the outstanding ‘Te Papa’ museum in Wellington. I hope that many of our Australian members will join us in making the trip across the ditch for what promises to be a landmark event.

Our 30th Anniversary conference is themed ‘Tu Kaha - Stand Tall: Fronting up with wicked solutions’. We’re challenging the profession and our members to generate the solutions to those wicked problems before us – the complex, chaotic, and confronting problems requiring clever, creative and compelling answers. I hope you’ll take up that challenge and join us at the conference in Wellington.

Beyond the conference proper, we’re planning an exceptional 30th Anniversary Gala Dinner and Awards Evening. If you come to the Conference, you will not want to miss that event. 

Finally, the Institute values the contribution its members make in delivering excellence in environmental practice. Once again, thank you for your membership of EIANZ. It’s critical in enabling your Institute to continue its support of you and other environmental practitioners across Australia and New Zealand.