The time has come, after 19-plus years, to hand over the editorial content and production of this great publication to Natasha Jojoa Burling, our new Managing Editor at Contrafed Publishing.
Natasha and I have spent the past six weeks discussing and navigating the idiosyncrasies and practices of our two unique magazines, their sector audiences, and the sheer scale of the industries we serve as a publishing house.
I have always taken the stance that we are here to serve you: to collate industry trends, celebrate your successes, and recognise your value as part of the associations that own us – as another of your advocates.
This year, the magazine celebrates 50 years of doing just that. Look out for Natasha at the CCNZ conference on the Thursday as she pays tribute to the people who helped pave the long road to this celebration of industry publishing.
If you have read this column with any regularity, you will know I have a disdain for the way our wee country is politically and bureaucratically managed and my persistent reminder that you – the industries this magazine presents – do the design, build and maintenance of our country’s essential infrastructure. And, while governments and ministers come and go very quickly, you are consistently there – always ready to do the actual work. In a more enlightened political system, you would have a logical place at the projects’ decision tables!
The past three decades here at the editorial desk have been quite a journey, carried by a supportive legacy of colleagues and contributors (Tracey Asher has been designing and mentoring its layout for over 20 years), and association chiefs and board members who have been involved with this publication. To you all, including our readers and industry marketing and sales managers – my sincere thanks.
Since its first issue, Contractor magazine has only had a handful of editors, including the very capable Gavin Riley, but we have all been guided by the editorial in the first edition of October 1976 that said Contractor is devoted to the industries that have built, and are building our country – as your voice, “pointing out the problems being faced by members and the effect that decisions will have on the industry … there’ll be no shirking our task of setting out the message and addressing it to the appropriate ears.”
It also made the important symbiotic relationship between the magazine and advertising as “an important service to contractors who constantly need to be kept in touch with new product developments in their industry.”
And for me, 50 years ago, they wrote something very pertinent and dear to my heart – “we can’t do it by ourselves.”
We still can’t – and thank you for your support over my 10 years as this magazine’s editor, and please keep it up for Natasha – because this is your magazine.
Meantime, look out for her down at the conference in Wellington this year, she is hard to miss with that infectious smile of hers and eagerness to learn and talk.
And keep on shifting dirt for a better nation.
Alan Titchall, Editorial Manager
Strong branches mean a healthy organisation