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JACK BOWeNThe leadership elite

March 2014 Volume 25 No. 02

bowens.com.au The Builders Choice

read more on pg 9

120 YeArsCeleBrATiNG

On Applicants for Builder registration

Police record Checks

BUILDERS BULLETIN2

fail, the people will get angry and the ‘rise’ of angry populists will be inevitable.

With the ‘world’ of Martin Wolf painting such a dim (but realistic) picture, I continue to be more than happy that I live in Australia. We complain too much about so little here. Our elites are controlled by a democracy that while not flawless, is a democracy that is close to being ‘pure’ i.e. “a form of government in which all eligible citizens participate equally – either directly or indirectly through elected representation – in the proposal, development, and creation of laws. It encompasses social, economic and cultural conditions that enable the free and equal practice of political self-determination.”

What started me on all of this was watching on CNN the violent demonstrations in both Thailand and in the Ukraine. The riots in Kiev particularly frightened me and again made me think just how lucky we are in this beautiful and well managed country of ours.

We must not take our situation for granted but ensure that our political elites (in particular) are brought to account and that anyone with political ambition understands the huge responsibility they have to maintain the representative form of democracy that has served us so well. We also need to understand that while we are still a predominantly Christian society this situation is also changing and needs to be managed correctly by our Church leaders (Intellectual Elites?)

And finally our business elites; and businesses where democracy is not pure (none existent?) and staff in many ways have to put their whole future in the hands of a Board of Directors who may or may not provide correct leadership. When a business is miss-managed and fails, people get angry.

Much of the world is angry now and the cause certainly lies with the Leadership Elite – both the elected and the unelected.

Jack Bowen, Chairman of the Board of Directors

When certain members of my family read this I know they will (again) be critical of my attempt to comment on matters beyond me, and beyond the scope of this Bulletin. But I can’t help myself!

I found an article by Martin Wolf headed ‘Elites continue to fail, and people still suffer’, and it really hit a nerve in me.

Elites – the Political, Economic and Intellectual leaders who we depend on to get things right in the world. Martin Wolf (The Financial Times) refers to the failure of the elites that created the disaster that befell the world between 1914 and 1945. “It was their ignorance and prejudices that allowed catastrophe: false ideas and bad values to work.

Complex societies rely on elites to get things, if not right, at least not grotesquely wrong. When elites fail, the political order is likely to collapse, as happened to the defeated powers after the First World War. The First World War also destroyed the foundations of the 19th Century economy: free trade and the gold standard. Attempts to restore it produced more elite failures, this time the Americans as much as the Europeans. The Great Depression did much to create the political conditions for the Second World War. The Cold War followed.”

Mr Wolf’s history lesson, if correct, brings me to our time right now when the elites of Syria, Russia (Ukraine), Egypt, Thailand, Iraq, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and a number of African countries have failed or are failing. The dire results are not surprising.

“An implicit deal exists between elites and the people: the former obtain the privileges and perquisites of power and property; the latter, in return, obtain security and, in modern times, a measure of prosperity. If elites fail, they risk being replaced. The replacement of failed economic, bureaucratic and intellectual elites is always fraught.

But, in a democracy, replacement of political elites at least is swift and clean. In a despotism, it will usually be slow and almost always bloody.”

Mr Wolf talks of three visible consequences from the failures of the economic, financial, intellectual and political elites of today:

1. Headlong financial liberalisation (expansion of debt).

2. The emergence of a globalised economic and financial elite.

3. In creating the Euro, the Europeans took their project beyond the practical into something far more important to people: the fate of their money.

The results of these failures (according to Mr Wolf) are a combination of economic collapse, higher unemployment, an explosion of public debt, plutocracy and a wider division between rich and poor, Constitutional disorder of the Euro Zone with too much power concentrated in the hands of the Governments of the creditor countries. While all this is very much beyond me and I may be well out of my depth, I do understand the premise that if elites continue to

The leadership eliteA Word From Jack Bowen

‘We must not take our situation for granted but ensure that our political elites (in particular) are

brought to account’

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Written byJeff HarveyTimber Expert

BUILDERS BULLETIN4

Having jusT pasT my 53rd anniversary of employmenT wiTH THe company i did reflecT on wHy i Have been able To sTay wiTH THe one employer so long. i Have come To THe conclusion a loT of my longeviTy comes down To my firsT 10 years of employmenT, parTicularly wiTH people i came in conTacT wiTH, wHo i am sure Helped mould me inTo a person THaT is Happy To do an HonesT days work and To geT recognised for iT.

Obviously, leaving school at the end of year 10 I did not have a great educational back ground to rely on. Living in Ascot Vale my mum and I went to the old Commonwealth Employment Bureau in Moonee Ponds, found there was a job going at a timber yard in North Melbourne and an interview was arranged and I was successful in gaining the position that was available. In those days the main office of Bowen & Pomeroy P/L was in Macaulay Road right next to the North Melbourne football ground.

My first day of employment was February13th 1961. I started with the company as a “Timber Cadet”. The cadet scheme spanned 4 years. Six months of the year was spent in the office and six months out in the yard. This was to give the cadets grounding in the basics of how the then company operated. I was to spend my first 6 months in the yard and the foreman, a fellow called Wally Turner came to the office to escort me to my first work station which was where most of the retail sales took place. The man in charge of that section was Rex Fenton who later went on to become yard foreman. I mention those two people because Wally served the company for 53 years (1923—1976 and Rex 40 years (1956—1996).

At that time, the company owned much of the block bordered Macaulay Road, Gracie, Henderson and Fogarty Streets. Besides the timber and hardware yard we had a large joinery factory. The company also owned the freehold for a substantial OB Hardwood yard in Arden. In those days OB Hardwood was the predominant house framing material. This included roof timbers as well, there were no roof trusses sold then. As well land was leased from the Victorian Railways where KD Hardwood products were dried, we also machined all the hardwood mouldings and floorings. We had a considerable country business which was largely underpinned by wholesale franchises with Softwood Holdings in

Mount Gambier for Radiata Pine and Tasmanian Board Mills for Tasmanian Hardwood.

After my 4 year cadet term was completed, I moved into the office on the sales counter, taking phone orders and cash sales. This was followed by purchasing special non-stock products. Also I handled the processing of all country direct sale orders; pine products ex Mt Gambier and K.D. Hardwood products ex Tasmania. My boss then was the company’s main timber purchasing officer Brian Brasher who served the company for 48 years (1946-1994). Brian in his latter years researched company records and identified the longest serving employee at anytime over the history of the company. To commemorate the company empolyee’s, their name was engraved on a small metal plaque fixed to a walking stick. This tradition has been continued to this day.

In 1962 a young John Bowen (Jack) left Xavier College to join the company. He also at first spent time out in the yard, then a stint out on the road calling on customers. When he entered the office, my greatest recollection was Jack running despatch. The company was expanding and we had trouble fulfilling our delivery commitments. As well we had a fledgling branch at Mt Evelyn, opened in 1966, that relied heavily on North Melbourne to service their clients. Unfortunately they were often let down. North would look after their clients first then worry about Mt Evelyn. Jack showed great leadership by making sure Mt Evelyn was given a fair go. He also brought customer service to a level not seen in the company. Customers would be contacted if he knew we could not make a delivery on time or an apologetic phone call to a client for a late delivery and at the same time, pushing for another order.

The managing director at the time was John’s father John (Jack) R. Bowen the first. He was a great servant of the timber industry by serving on the committee of the Timber Merchants Association for 37 years. He was quite a visionary, recognising the cost of the land at North Melbourne was getting too valuable to support a building supply merchant and he knew the large housing estates were moving to the outer suburbs. A few years later the OB Hardwood yard was sold and the company purchased land and established its second branch at Hastings and Jack Bowen asked me to be the manager. At the time the steel mill was being built at Long Island point Hastings and the builder was Hornibrooks. Our first month sales in December 1970 were $20,000, our sales to Hornibrooks were $10,000 or 50% of the total amount.

In May 1971 our managing director Jack Bowen suddenly died. He was managing director from 1931 to his death in 1971. He headed the company during the depression years and also during the second world war when building materials were difficult to get. For much of that time Jack relied heavily on the company secretary Tom Kean.

Tom Kean joined the company in 1937. He was with the company for 49 years (1939—1988), mostly as company secretary. Also,

Bowens History

A COMPANY BuilT

MARCH 2014 5

he was a board member for 28 years. He had an accountant’s brain and could think through any problem that he encountered. I remember when the company entered the prefabrication field and how he handled that. Tom was a true gentleman, (who never smoked or drank). I never heard him raise his voice or lose his cool and he was always there for advice. Unfortunately he succumbed to cancer in 1988.

Not long after John Bowen was appointed managing director. Shortly afterwards the company experienced a crisis when Softwood Holdings decided to cancel our franchise to sell pine products wholesale in the country. John immediately jumped on a plane to try and reverse that decision, but was not successful. Further bad news followed when the franchise to sell Tasmanian kiln dried products was also terminated by Tasmanian Board Mills.

The new head of the company had a baptism of fire. Realising the company had to change John spent time in America looking at building supply businesses. He also introduced prefabrication to the company in 1982.Once again, Tom Kean was there to help and guide John.

John or now Jack is widely respected by people within timber industry. He not only served on the committee of the Timber Merchants Association, but was president between 1978—1982. He is popular with all employees and knows them all by name.

Jack stood down as managing director 7 years ago to let his son John Bowen (the third) take over. Jack is still involved as chairman of the board. I feel privileged to have worked under three Bowens generations.

Another person who influenced me was Jack Dowling who joined the company in 1918. He was sales manager for many until his retirement in 1979 (51 years) He pioneered the company’s country business in the pre- war years. He also championed the use of Tallowwood and Brushbox in the Melbourne market. Tallowwood was a heavy slippery timber to handle and if you got a splinter it festered very nicely.

Interestingly, Jack Dowling largely influenced the type of timber used for the seating in the building of VFL (Waverley Park) and although we did not get the order for the stadium, the company was given a commission for the work that Jack originally had done.

The other noteworthy thing that should not be overlooked was his secretary. Her name was Marilyn Hillard who I later married.

Another person who was a great servant of the company that I should acknowledge is John Fewster. John was joinery manager when it closed and then went on to manager the North Melbourne branch. John served the group for 40 years. He still regularly comes to company functions and I always look forward to sharing some old time stories.

All the people I have spoken of were not only great servants of the company, but did their work with integrity that inspired me and I am sure others, that has engendered a culture that has continued on today.

- Jeff Harvey, Bowens Timber Expert

ON iNTeGriTY‘My first day of

employment was February 13th

1961. I started with the company as a “Timber Cadet”... I now feel privileged

to have worked under three Bowens

generations.’Jeff Harvey with long time friend Jack Bowen.

BUILDERS BULLETIN6

reviewed

Australian MadeAlpine stuctural Bracing

Cutting, drilling, shapingAlpine Braceboard can be sawn and shaped in the same way as solid wood with standard wood working tools. Alpine

Braceboard possesses similar shear carrying capacity to other sheet bracing materials and therefore holes of up to 100x100mm, not closer than 300mm from corners are allowable. Up to 4 small circular service holes are allowable within the envelope but their centres must not be closer than 600mm. No nogging is required for full height sheets unless being used for internal wall bracing to enhance the overlay of plasterboard lining.

Anchoring of bottom plates shall be in accordance with AS1684-1999 or designed in accordance with AS1720.1-1997

Storage & HandlingCorrect storage and handling of Alpine Braceboard is essential to ensure problem free installation and to guarantee bracing resistance for each panel as specified in this design guide.

• Store Alpine Braceboard horizontally on square, equal

• height bearers spaced at a maximum of 800mm. The sheets must not be stored directly on the ground.

• Pack strapping should be removed immediately upon arrival at building site.

• Alpine Braceboard should be stored protected from direct exposure to the weather in a well ventilated area.

• 48 hours of acclimatisation to humidity conditions at the building site should be provided, particularly if the panels are used as internal bracing covered by plasterboard lining.

design & installationAlpine Braceboard is a strong and durable, engineered wood panel with tightly controlled structural properties. Alpine Braceboard has uniform density, is free of knots and splinters and can be cut, drilled and sawn like regular solid wood.

Alpine Braceboard is suitable for use in humid conditions where the panel in-service moisture content does not exceed 20%. It is suitable for use within the cavity of a brick veneer building or under cladding throughout Australia. Do not butt joint Alpine Braceboard panels tightly together.

Allow for hygroscopic movement with a minimum 2mm expansion gap around the full perimeter of the panel. Timber framed walls should comply with government building regulations and AS1684. Framing members should be a minimum of MGP10 stress grade and joint strength group JD5. Stud spacing should not exceed 600mm centres for 1200mm sheets and 450mm centres for 900mm sheets.

For Alpine Braceboard systems detailed in this manual, use 2.8mm x 30mm flat head galvanised or corrosion resistant nails (or their gun nail equivalent) as specified in AS1684. Fastener edge distances along the top and bottom plates and edge studs should be to a minimum of 15mm and 8mm respectively where panels are fixed to internal framing.

racking PerformanceWhen installed as detailed on page 7, Alpine Braceboard is certified to achieve racking strengths as follows:

6.0kN/m 6.0kN/m

MARCH 2014 7

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MARCH 2014 9

industry News

Applicants for Builder registrationPolice record Checks On

It appears that the Victorian Government, the Victorian Building Authority and the Building Practitioners Board have all ignored HIA’s pleas for specific and objective criteria. There has certainly been no consultation on this matter at any level other than to be told the process has begun.

The types of police records that will be provided to the Building Practitioners Board include matters where no conviction has been recorded against the individual, or where a good behaviour bond or community based order has been applied. So in effect, even though the Court will tell a person placed on a good behaviour bond that after a period of time the matter would not be recorded against their name, this matter would still be supplied to the Building Practitioners Board. Matters could include minor traffic matters, summary (or minor) offences, and prosecutions that have no impact on the character of a person wishing to become a builder (for example – failing to vote).

HIA is currently seeking assurances from the government that police record checks will cease until a sound and acceptable set of policy guidelines are implemented. Other areas of concern relate to how securely the information is handled by the staff and members of the Building Practitioners Board and whether the records are destroyed after the purpose for their collection has expired.

It is important to note that with 5-year registration due to be brought in later this year, all currently registered builders may be subject to this process at every renewal phase.

Gil KiNGHia exective director Victoria

THe building pracTiTioners board, THrougH iTs agenT THe vicTorian building auTHoriTy, is requiring applicanTs for regisTraTion To sign an auTHorisaTion for a police record cHeck on THe applicanT.

The Housing Industry Association has been advised that the Board commenced conducting police record checks in early February 2014. The HIA is very concerned at what it perceives to be inadequate policies and procedures around this process.

HIA has been informed that the policy around the use of this highly confidential and sensitive material is still under development. In early January this year, HIA requested to be informed as to how Board members would use this information when considering an application for registration as a builder. It is unclear what principles and guidelines are being applied when assessing an applicant for registration who has a police record.

A police record should not automatically exclude a person from gaining registration. HIA would have thought clear policy guidelines would have been developed, communicated and available prior to the collection and application of this information. Last year the HIA wrote to the government raising this concern citing that in the absence of any specific criteria, the discretionary assessment of a police record represents a risk of arbitrary, inconsistent or oppressive outcomes. While it is expected that the nature of a crime, the relevant circumstances and the time since elapsed will be critical factors in any assessment, some level of objective criteria must be established to ensure fairness and certainty for applicants.

‘HIa is currently seeking assurances from the

government that police record checks will cease until a sound

and acceptable set of policy guidelines are implemented.’

NeW

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