First woman surveyor joins board

The first woman surveyor has joined the state’s surveying regulator, the Surveyors’ Board of Queensland.

Central Queensland cadastral surveyor Karen Norton was appointed today to the eight-member board.

Acting Natural Resources and Mines Minister Bill Byrne said Mrs Norton, from Gladstone, had 20 years’ experience as a cadastral surveyor, one of three specialist areas of surveying.

“The Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute nominated Ms Norton, who has more than 20 years of experience in the industry with exposure to large and small-scale engineering, construction and cadastral projects,” he said.

“I hope her appointment serves as an encouragement to women to consider pursuing a career in what has traditionally been a male-dominated industry.

“This is line with the Palaszczuk Government’s election commitment to increase the proportion of women on Government boards to 50 per cent by 2020, and for 50 percent of all new appointees to all Government boards to be women.”

The board has two other women members, appointed as community representatives.

Mrs Norton’s appointment follows mining engineers Julie Devine and Bryony Andrews becoming the first women on the Queensland Mining Board of Examiners, Mrs Kate du Preez becoming the state’s first female Commissioner for Mine Safety and Health.

The Surveyors Board of Queensland plays a key role in ensuring public confidence in the surveying profession by setting competency standards for registration and investigating complaints about the conduct of surveyors.

Visit http://sbq.com.au/ for more information about the Surveyors Board of Queensland.

ENDS             8 July 2016

Media inquiries:        Jan Martin 0439 341 314