The Australian Constructors Association (ACA) today announced the appointment of a new national executive team to lead the industry’s major construction businesses in 2018.

The new President is Craig Laslett, Managing Director of Lend Lease Engineering Pty Ltd, while the Vice Presidents are Scott Cummins, Chief Executive Officer of McConnell Dowell Corporation Limited and Cathal O’Rourke, Managing Director of Laing O’Rourke Australia Construction Pty Ltd.

Mr Laslett was elected following the completion of the term of office of the previous President, John Flecker from Multiplex Constructions Pty Ltd. Mr Laslett said that under Mr Flecker’s leadership the ACA had embarked on a substantial change process designed to develop a more robust and inclusive industry culture and a more collaborative approach to relationships with clients, subcontractors and the supply chain in general.

Mr Laslett said that he intended to both continue and build on the sound foundation of reforms commenced during Mr Flecker’s term.

“The ACA has made significant headway in establishing a platform for implementing a major change process in the culture of the industry and in achieving a more inclusive workforce. That change, which the ACA will be pursuing with vigour in 2018, is essential if the industry is to be able to develop its skill base and deliver quality outcomes for clients and the community into the future”, Mr Laslett said.

“We will also take to the next stage the collaboration with governments the ACA has developed in 2017, that is designed to achieve significant reforms to procurement processes for major projects. We have already seen that by enhancing the collaboration between client, contractor and supply chain there is significant scope to make major savings in the cost and timing of delivery of public infrastructure, and the ACA is pleased to support the Construction Industry Leadership Forum recently established in conjunction with the NSW and Victorian Governments”.

Mr Laslett said that the ACA’s task in 2018 is to bring the industry’s major stakeholders together with government and private sector clients to advance the reform processes already commenced.