UNITED KINGDOM Association

NEWSLETTER

No 155 November 1998

PRE-CHRISTMAS SOIRÉE Return Slip
Past Events: Trip to See Big Ben
Graduates Evening
IPENZ Mutual Recognition Agreements
IPENZ and Professional Review Fees
Future Events
Other IPENZ News
News From New Zealand
Contact

PRE-CHRISTMAS SOIRÉE - FRIDAY 18 DECEMBER 1998

"Winterval" has started and Christmas is just around the corner. It is time for all good Kiwis to come to the Party. This year's pre-Christmas soirée is hosted by the Australian's and will be held in the Downer Room of Australia House, Strand, London, on Friday 18 December 1998. The nearest underground station is Temple.

For those of you who have never been to Australia House it is a chance to see inside one of Australia's greatest London properties. The Downer room may not have a panoramic view of London but it makes up for this with rich furnishings and grand proportions,

Together with Ms Carolyn Walsh, the Australian High Commission's Minister-Counsellor for Industry, Science and Technology, IEAust invite all members of the Institution of Professional Engineers, New Zealand UK Association together with their spouses and friends. Festivities will start at 7:00 pm for 7:30 pm and will continue until 9:30 pm. Dress for the occasion should be 'lounge suit.'

The cost will be £12.00 per person. This will cover a buffet supper and will include a quantity of carefully selected Australian beers and wines.

Members and their guests are reminded that smoking is not permitted inside Australia House.

Time:

7.00 pm to 9.30 pm

Date:

Friday 18 December 1998

Location:

Downer Room of Australia House, Strand, London

Cost:

£12.00 per person

So gather your party together and make all speed to send in your return slips to reach the Hon. Secretary by Saturday 12 December 1998 latest. We have to let IEAust know our numbers and names for security and the necessary catering arrangements. .

Please make your cheques payable to "IPENZ UK Association."

Back to top

Past Events

Trip to See Big Ben

Our thanks to Alistair Saywell and the British Watch and Clock Makers Guild for organising our visit to the Westminster Tower so that we could see and hear Big Ben up close. Alistair also prepared a résumé of the main features of the clock, the bells and the politics involved when you call in a QC as an arbitrator and end up giving him power to direct the works.

Undaunted by the additional steps from the clock to the belfry our intrepid group of ten made it right up the 334 steps to the top in time for the two o'clock strike. There was a terrific feeling as the noise reverberated around the tower! Fred Hughes was a little disappointed to find that in climbing terms he was a spring chicken in age compared with the ICL Octogenarians and their zimmerframes. However, it was well worth the climb, even if we were all dizzy by the time we had negotiated the spiral staircase back down to earth.

Back to top

Graduates Evening

The Graduates Evening held on the 12th November was a great success. Thanks to advertising in the New Zealand News UK we were able to attract a large number of new members and in fact had a turn out of approximately 30 people. Despite having to step in at the last minute as main speaker Graham Barber gave an excellent presentation of the Routes to Membership. He was supported by Chad McCarthy, one of our graduate members, currently preparing for his Professional Review, and Clare Fisher from IPENZ Head Office.

Clare was able to give us up-to-date information with regard to current discussions in New Zealand about the Professional Review requirements. These are being amended to accord with our various reciprocal agreements. Key areas are those relating to elective options (two out of a possible seven to be covered by prospective candidates), CPD for all members and knowledge of the New Zealand Conservation Act and its application. IPENZ is also considering a Modified Review process for overseas IPENZ members returning to New Zealand after an absence of more than seven years since qualifying. I know one engineer in particular who might find this a problem.

Clare also mentioned that the Professional Review Requirement documents had been updated since the forms issued to us in February this year. She undertook to contact Wellington and ensure that we received the latest forms within the next few weeks. Most of the graduates at the meeting requested copies to be sent to them as soon as we receive them. If you were unable to attend the meeting but would like a copy please contact the Hon. Secretary or our Graduate Training Officer, Brian Anderson (see list of contacts at end of Newsletter).

Great emphasis is placed on the completion of Training Records, something that can be overlooked when you are only in temporary positions on contract. Some people find that it is difficult to find a Supervising Engineer on site. However, it is important to write down all activities so that it is possible to see a continuous record. If you set off travelling for a few months include it in your records so that the gap is explained. After all, travelling is good experience.

Back to top

IPENZ Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) for Membership purposes

IPENZ currently has an MRA at the professional/corporate membership level (M.IPENZ) with:

The Institution of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, UK (IEE)

The Institution of Civil Engineers, UK (ICE)

The Institution of Engineers, Ireland (IEI)

The Institution of Engineers, Hong Kong (HKIE)

The Institution of Engineers, Australia (IEAust)

IEAust Agreement also caters for other membership classes.

IPENZ are currently focusing on developing an MRA with IMechE and finalising an agreement with The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, UK (CIBSE). They have also negotiated a partial MRA with IStructE.

IPENZ and Professional Review Fees

Professional Review fees are due to rise in 1999. From 1999 the cost of professional reviews (modified and full) for entry into the class of Member (M.IPENZ) and/or Registration will be:

$400 for applicants who have been IPENZ members for at least two years

$600 for applicants who are not IPENZ members or have not been an IPENZ member for at least two years.

Note that the professional review fee for candidates applying for a second professional review will be substantially reduced.

The UK Association currently charges separately for Interviews in this country. This is being revised.

Back to top

Future Events

In addition to our normal annual events the committee are considering a number of events in the early part of next year as follows:

A Problem Evening - where members get together and present short talks on engineering problems they have encountered and how they resolved them. One example is a bridge constructed in the wrong place.

Trip to Dungeness Power Station (Nuclear) - taking in the Dymchurch Railway and Bird Sanctuary on the way.

Walk/Boat Trip along the Thames - taking in the Millennium Dome and the Thames Barrier amongst other London landmarks

We have also been invited to contribute to a Millennium Party at New Zealand House - a combined event with other New Zealand affiliated societies and clubs.

If you would like to contribute to any of these events please contact the Committee.

Back to top

Other IPENZ News

Death of Ken Ward

The UK Association was sad to hear of the death of Ken Ward during a routine operation in October. He had been an active member for a number of years and we are sorry that he is no longer with us. We extend our condolences to his family and friends.

News From New Zealand

Bob Jones' Gardener Found Not Guilty

The jury took a day to decide the case of Bob Jones' gardener, accused by Bob Jones of poisoning his plants, and found him not guilty. Bob Jones was heard to remark that he never liked the plants anyway so they weren't much loss.

Mortgage Rates Drop

Mortgage rates have dropped another half of a percent. Floating mortgages now stand at 5.9 - 6.5 %. Despite the downturn in the World Economy New Zealand's economy has stayed relatively stable prompting the cut in mortgage rates.

Hackers Strike Again

Hackers have hacked into the web sites of ihug and destroyed 4,500 of them overnight. Ihug has been left with a lot of egg on its face as there were no back-ups. Other Internet service providers are cashing in on ihug's misfortune by advertising their sites as secure with back-up facilities.

Wine Box Opened Again

Just when you thought it was safe to return to New Zealand, New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, has won his court case to challenge to the Cook Islands tax inquiry findings. The Court of Appeal ruled that the inquiry might have made errors of law, and overturned an earlier High Court ruling throwing out Mr. Peters' bid for a judicial review. The Appeal Court's five judges unanimously granted Mr. Peters' application to have the review heard in the High Court. Brace yourselves for another three years of this in the news.

Marlborough could easily become the burgundy wine-producing region of the southern hemisphere, according to one of Britain's foremost wine merchants. Johnny Wheeler, group general manager of Lay and Wheeler, is putting his money where his mouth is by being the first independent wine merchant to invest in Marlborough. His company has just bought a 50 percent share of Clayvin vineyard in the Brancott Valley, with Fromm Winery as partners.

Staff Accused of Selling Names

Public servants at two government departments are being investigated for selling confidential taxpayer information to debt collectors. Two staff at the Inland Revenue Department are suspended and face prosecution over allegations they sold confidential taxpayer information. Three more IRD staff have also been investigated ­ two were cleared and the third is to be interviewed again.

Two staff at Work and Income NZ were also under investigation, while another had been dismissed and prosecuted for releasing information to a debt collection agency. ACT MP Rodney Hide has called for an immediate inquiry into the allegations. State Services Minister Simon Upton said it would be premature to hold a wider inquiry.

Cancer Patients Forced to Wait for Treatment

An independent inquiry looks likely into delays in radiotherapy treatment for cancer patients at Palmerston North Hospital. Patients have been waiting up to three months for radiotherapy at the hospital, and some have died while waiting for treatment to start. There have been claims that the delays have been caused by a week-long strike by technologists in the first week of October, and counterclaims that the waiting list had been out of control long before then. Health Ministry chief medical adviser Colin Feek has recommended an external inquiry be held.

Return to Top *** IPENZ UK Association Contacts
Previous Newsletter Newsletter Index Next Newsletter