Listen to this fascinating conversation as Fiona Gardiner and Leah Lang discuss the appeal of government roles – the excitement of making a big impact, the importance of maintaining networks, and the need for patience and resilience in navigating changing governments, ministers and personnel.
Our conversationalists for this episode are Fiona Gardiner and Leah Lang. Having spent over 30 years as a public servant, Fiona has been involved in a variety of conservation projects and legislative reviews. An accomplished conservation architect and heritage consultant, she was undertaking a PhD at UQ at the time of this conversation. Leah is an experienced Strategic Design Advisor and a registered architect, currently working as the Queensland Government Architect.
Fiona and Leah share insights into their diverse careers within the Queensland government and public sector. Fiona opens the discussion by asking about Leah’s path to working in government practice, and shares her own. They both emphasise the challenges and constraints of design practice within government decision-making. Fiona stresses the importance of building and maintaining relationships to develop trust and collaborate better with colleagues. The conversation continues with the importance of networking between departments and places emphasis on working together towards the common goal.
This episode of Parlour POD was produced with the assistance of the Alastair Swayn Foundation through a Design Audio Grant. Thanks!
This episode was recorded live on Yuggerah and Turrbal Country at the 2022 Brisbane Spring Salon. Hosted by Cox Architecture, it was convened by Kelly Greenop. Photos Alanna McTiernan.
