ACRNA 2022 Conference, Site Visits & AGM

The 2022 Conference was held over 2 days at Brighton-Le-Sands on the shores of Botany Bay in Sydney. The venue was in a little disarray with major renovations taking place, but the Management looked after us well and ceased work during our sessions.

60 ACRNA Members from 34 businesses, organisations and universities showed what a post-COVID revitalised attended event means to the energy of this networking association.

We captured some random groups during the 2 days…some folks appear a few times, and some not at all.

Please go to the website and post your introductions, news and networking at ACRNA Connect

Jim Lindsay, Logan Water; Matthew Laguitton, Watersure; Michael Altamura, Epic Energy; Nick Flint, Epic Energy; Craig Timms, Unity Water; Brody Pearce, Unity Water
Chris Crawford (with Elise); Paul Sweet, TasWater; Chris Migocki, Ausgrid; John Reid, SSCR; Joo Ean Prasad, Ausgrid; Aaron Mote, Ausgrid
Geoff McKernan, ACRNA President (Transurban, Retired); Jill von Wolfersdorf, Transurban; Adam Boyd, Origin Energy; Matthew Laguitton, Watersure; Lacey Waller, Origin Energy; Elise Crawford, CQUniversity; Andrew Constantinou, Sydney Trains.
Mark Holmes, Circadian Australia; Ben Drakeley, EMV; Andre Frichot, Rio Tinto; Natasha Khanna, Rio Tinto.

Site Visits

The 2022 Conference site visits included 6 of Sydney’s important control rooms:

-  Ausgrid Sydney Systems Control Room

-  Fire + Rescue NSW AlexandriaCommunications Centre

-  Jemena Gas Control Room

-  NSW Rural Fire Service State Operations Centre

-  SYD Airport Landside Operations Centre

-  Transurban NorthConnex Control Room

The site visit groups gained valuable first-hand insights into the operations which their colleagues in the Associaition meet and manage daily.

This has, and will continue to be, one of the most valuable learning experiences of the ACRNA’s conference programe. It is planned to be extended to more frequent and locally-focussed events as the Events SubCommittee gains help and hosts from the control room community across Australia and New Zealand.

Matthew Wormald demonstrates the Fire + Rescue NSW Emergency Services Computer Aided Dispatch – ESCAD
Fire + Rescue NSW Alexandria Communications Centre
The SYD Airport site visit group: Peter Galey, AusNet Services; Mark Holmes, Circadian Australia; Chantelle Hatch, Transurban; Ged Griffin, CDMPS; Andrew Constantinou, Sydney Trains; Andre Frichot, Rio Tinto; Natasha Khanna, Rio Tinto; Brendan Butel, Translink; Elise Crawford, CQUniversity; Jane Dromgool, Translink.

Annual General Meeting

The 2022 AGM closed the year’s business for the ACRNA and, reflecting on Geoff McKernan’s presentation from Day 1 on the Future Directions of the ACRNA, saw the election of 11 Members to the new Management Committee…4 of them newcomers…more engagement and commitment that ever for the ACRNA.

The incoming Management Committee met for the first time since the AGM on Wednesday 21st September and designated four SubCommittees:

-  Events:
Tasked to plan and manage all events: conferences, short-format, state and regional, webinars, and third party presentations and events.

-  Marketing:
Developing visibility, promotion and growth of the Association.

-  Resources:
Identify, acquire and develop resources for the Members through recruiting and guiding Member volunteers to do these tasks.

-  Website:
On-going administration, revamping and improving the website as an effective Members’ resource.

No SubCommittee will operate as a silo and all will overlap each other with a view to improving the existence of the ACRNA as a Member network for the pursuit of control room best practice.

Members are welcome to offer their services to any of the SubCommittees, with offers of resource acquisition, mini-conference venues, and networking.