Blog / Podcast

In our fourth podcast, John Kenny, an experienced solicitor and expert in copyright and intellectual property law, was instrumental in setting up the legal structure of The Surveyors’ Trust in the early 1990s. His achievements, working alongside other key members of the surveying industry, including Jack de Lange, have resulted in the recognition of surveyors’ plans as artistic works – with the attribution of ownership and royalties that exist today.

This is an extraordinary achievement, perhaps the only one of its kind in the world. Queensland Surveyors were the first Australian industry or professional group to get passive income from their copyright.

The matter went all the way to the High Court and was a mix of legal research, serendipity and politics. We hope you enjoy the interview.

In our third podcast episode we bring you a fascinating interview with the legendary Sydney Kirkby OA MBE. Mr Kirkby’s long and illustrious career saw him explore The Great Sandy Desert and Antarctica. In fact, he has explored more of the land mass of Antarctica than any other person.

In this interview, Mr Kirkby talks about how he got into surveying, how if you “don’t ask you don’t get”, that there are plenty of frontiers remaining for young people and how to use fear as your friend to conquer new horizons.

We hope you enjoy this interview.

In this second episode, Jack de Lange, Board Member of The Surveyors’ Trust, describes the background to setting up The Surveyors’ Trust - why it got started and what has taken place since. Previous to the Trust, surveyors were not retaining their rights over their artistic works (surveyors’ plans) and Jack and a group of others dedicated to the industry, set about achieving recognition of the intellectual property of surveyors.

The group then decided that rather than benefit from the royalties gained from the sale of individual plans, they would pool their royalties and achieve greater good for the industry. The matter went all the way to the High Court and in 2008, 12 years later, the ruling passed and surveyors were granted permission to collect royalties from their intellectual property as a collective known as the Copyright Trust.

The initial purpose of setting up the Trust, now referred to as The Surveyors’ Trust, started as a way to recognise the intellectual property of surveyors and now every time a survey plan is sold the royalty goes to the Trust. So there is a group of individuals working together to achieve something as a collective, like big projects that benefit the whole industry, and not just the individuals.

It is now up to the members to come forward with suggestions for how we can support the industry.

In this first episode, Lee Hellen, Director of Land Solutions and Board Member of The Surveyors’ Trust, describes the changes being faced by the land surveying industry, the opportunities and his advice for emerging surveying professionals.

The current land surveying landscape is full of great opportunities. The world is more complex, there is more information to be deciphered, the economy is growing and the way land is being used is changing. These opportunities are leading to increased demand for professional services to combat the highly complex and risky problems being faced by the market.

And … the surveying industry is essentially moving into a digital world. We need to move 150 plus years of tradition to digital processes.

There has been an increased pressure on land surveyors in terms of more efficient outcomes and our skilled workforce is ageing. We need to do more with less. We need to meet a community expectation around digital delivery and the government departments and systems that we rely upon will change. Land surveying practitioners need to work with government to give the greatest opportunity to them and the people they serve.

Land Solution will continue to network and maintain close industry relationships. That helps to truth innovation and professional judgement. I recommend this strategy for emerging surveyors. Associate with peers and look at ways to innovate with new technology – UAVs, drones, laser scanners, robotic instruments, data modelling incorporating systems into GIS and BIM etc. All of these technologies will benefit land surveying in the future and they make efficient judgements more effective.

While some of these technologies make surveying more accessible to the community, surveyors have the respected knowledge as a profession. It is complex and high risk. Land is a finite resource that is also highly valued. The last thing the community needs is dispute of ownership and surveyors have managed this very successfully for the community.

There is great opportunity to continue to solve complex and risky problems, our profession is just about having the ability to press buttons. It is how the information is interpreted ethically and with due care and responsibility.

Parting words for any young people considering the industry:

“Believe. Find something you enjoy doing. Work hard and always try. If you have a passion for the outdoors, for serving the community I recommend land surveying"

For more information, contact Lee Hellen from Land Solution on 07 3366 3525