Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
• I think it needs to be more proactive. A lot of the expense comes from uncertainty
which is because of a lack of fundamental knowledge, so when one is negotiating
with clients or regulators we go with a conservative estimate and that always
comes with a cost.
• Consultants and the industry need to be a bit more proactive in engaging academ-
ics in defi ning and answering key questions, so we don't have to keep reinventing
the wheel and putting bad data and best guesses into models.
• Universities have a huge breadth of skills and facilities and an incredible labour
base - people who pay us to come and do projects. Huge resource to do quality
work. It takes a bit of vision from industry to ask Universities to do that work, but
you would fi nd that models would be based on better data and costs to your cli-
ents will be much lower.
Comment (from the fl oor) Cindy Hull Hydro Tasmania - We have been trying to
engage the universities and there hasn't been much interest. Agree with SP that
we could get much better and more focused research. Can only guess that there
is a lack of interest in being involved in applied research. SP?
Comment (from the fl oor) Brett Lane BL&A - I'm encouraged by what you say and
I think there is a very important and fundamental role for academia in any envi-
ronmental process. The only way academia will take interest is if funding is allo-
cated by the government. Problem with the consulting industry is it is focused on
single projects. Very encouraged in Victoria in that there had been a partnership
between industry and government with the brolga to do a population and range
study. Set of unambiguous guidelines about what to do at a population level to
address impact. Very important and academia has a very important role in fi lling
a huge gap in the impacts and assessments process.
SP
• Universities act at a different level in terms of the questions asked. Many would
see consultant work as not the same as academics.
• Need to think about asking broader questions such as impacts on the genetics of
a population, rates of decline, reproductive rates - these broad ecological ques-
tions is where you need to engage with academia.
• You may need to think about skill sets and equipment they have access to.
• A perennial question is who is going to fund these projects? We may need gov-
ernment and industry partnerships.
Q: TP to NW - Can you please explain to us where you sit as an independent asses-
sor of a wind farm proposal that has to advise government on whether it should
be approved or not. What are the things you are looking for and what are the key
problems you think?
NW
•
A key issue is uncertainty - at what point to you reduce uncertainty to a level you
can take it to the panel or enquiry? Obviously can't reduce it to zero.
