This year’s annual NZTA/NZIHT Conference was held from 4-6 November in Nelson, with the overarching theme of ‘Can we change our current thinking to meet the challenge?’

As roading costs rise and budgets shrink, the Auckland Transport Road Corridor Maintenance team has managed to develop a new collaborative framework that rationalises and advances road maintenance activities and has the potential to revolutionise the way maintenance contracts are procured and delivered throughout New Zealand.

At the end of November, Michael Kwok attended the third Creative Innovation Asia Pacific 2012 Global event (Ci2012) in Melbourne. The main theme of Ci2012 was “Wicked Problems, Great Opportunities! Leadership and Courage for Volatile Times.”

With an emphasis on breaking down the “one way communication presentation style that stifles many conferences,” 40 Australian and international keynote speakers, leaders, artists and thinkers helped delegates explore their creative understanding, learn new strategies, and leverage their innate right-brained creative capabilities.

Michael said, “to be able to discuss topics such as how the drug problems in Nicaragua will be solved, or the level of strategic planning involved in landing on the moon, with the individuals who led the initiatives, was both inspiring and humbling.”