ARCIA update: mid-year review

A big thank you to all the West Australian members, partners and guests for attending the two days of events in Perth at the start of April, which included training workshops, a conference and our state networking dinner. With all the work that goes into these events, it is very rewarding for the ARCIA team to receive such great support and feedback.

The conference program had some new faces, as we try to deliver relevant and fresh information each year, and it was another huge success for the WA chapter of ARCIA as they played host to our first major outing for the year. I’d like to thank the local committee members who assisted with the planning and execution over the two days, as well as with the presentation of the WA State Professional of the Year Award, which went to Dane Coetzee on the night. Well done, Dane: we look forward to seeing you in Melbourne in October, where the national winner will be selected from our state winners.

Please remember, for each state the association welcomes nominations for the Professional of the Year Awards. With so many delivering outstanding work, who go largely unsung, this is an opportunity to shine a light on those who continue to deliver and deserve recognition from their peers. We’ve made the process quick and straightforward, so please do head to the ARCIA website to submit your nomination, including all the relevant information and the reasons why the judges should consider your choice for the respective award.

Not to be outdone by the solid turnout in Perth, we followed this up with another Sundowner in Brisbane, just prior to the Easter long weekend. Whilst I was unfortunately unable to attend this time, by all accounts it was another fantastic get-together of local radio and critical comms stakeholders, with almost 50 making the trip to The Greek Club for a couple of hours. These more informal events are proving to be very popular around the country and ARCIA intends to keep expanding on this program, in line with demand.

Next up is the Sydney conference plus training workshops, running on 28–29 May, so make sure you book in at https://arcia.org.au/events/critical-communications-conference-sydney-may-2025/.

As we head to the middle of the year, the focus turns to Christchurch, as Comms Connect once again returns to Te Pae, giving the New Zealand market an opportunity to come together to see the latest technology, share ideas and collaborate. If you haven’t yet registered, head to the Comms Connect website to book your seat, at what looks like it will be the largest exhibition in the show’s history and one our partner association RFUANZ will no doubt be very pleased to see come together so well.

A few of our members and I had the opportunity to attend IWCE in Las Vegas in March, and for me this was the first time back to Las Vegas since COVID. It was great to catch up with old friends and review the latest technology. As the US market is a great indicator of future trends, it’s fair to say it has many layers of complexity — so learning how manufacturers, agencies and suppliers deal with policy, technology and people is very instructive. The US and Australia share many of the same challenges, including training and education shortfalls and where we will find the next generation of wireless workers will come from. This being the case, it was great to meet up and renew our relationship with the Government Wireless Technology & Communications Association (GWTCA), as we look to collaborate on shared issues.

Our longstanding spectrum and technical subcommittee leader and former EO, Ian Miller, has made the recent decision to step back further from active association duties, handing over the reins to Simon Lardner. With a wealth of knowledge and support from David Britt, Noel Higgins and Dale Stacey, this subcommittee, led by Simon, is perfectly set up to consider policy that affects our members and the wider market, as well as to manage the very important relationship the association has with the ACMA. And for all those members dealing with the ACMA regularly, please be aware that there is an online portal for the ACMA to manage your account: https://www.acma.gov.au/acma-assist.

Lastly, I would like to reiterate how grateful all at the association are, and say a massive thank you to all of our commercial partners, many of whom have stepped up their support over the last three years, helping to make what we do possible. And with this in mind, with the new partnership year approaching, please reach out to our CEO, Paul Davis, if you would like to take advantage of what ARCIA has to offer.

Hamish Duff, President (Hon), ARCIA – Australia’s Radio & Critical Communications Association.

Top image credit: iStock.com/matdesign24