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Partner Housing Australasia applauds the establishment of the Western Solomons University of Technology, as an important step in lifting the living standards of the Solomon Islands Western Province. Since 2007, PHA has been providing vital water and sanitation in Western Province (mostly centred in Ranongga villages), and we can now offer practical professional assistance and … Read more

“… in geopolitics, unlike poker, the players you are not watching are frequently the ones who determine the outcome.” This is the conclusion of an insightful article on the All-In strategy currently being advanced in the Middle East As the superpowers raise the stakes in this global poker game. Australia must avoid becoming part of … Read more

“Australians oppose this war [in Iran], and expect our government to do the same, by actively organising to prevent escalation and war crimes. Silence is not enough.” See full article by Courtney Gould below. Read “Queen’s Pawn to D4” Visit https://RodJohnston.com.au  Greens call for PM to condemn Trump over Iran threat By Courtney Gould Mehreen … Read more

Quasar Management Services (not-for-profit consulting engineer and management consultant, a wholly-owned subsidiary of charitable NGO Partner Housing Australasia) has revised and published its Papua New Guinea public school staff housing designs and details. The standard architectural and engineering designs, construction details and bills of quantities are available for free as PDFs from https://RodJohnston.com.au/training/ for use … Read more

It is too easy to focus on short term issues, and to ignore the history that has led to current problems throughout the world. Greed and fear have combined in a toxic cloud that obscures clear vision and forward thinking. The link below describes how long-term greed of UK, Russia and (since 1953) USA turned … Read more

 Understanding the behaviour of connections is of major importance.   As a young engineer 52 years ago, I worked for nearly a year in London in a consulting engineers office analysing the friction grip bolted connections of the REDESIGNED Westgate Bridge in Melbourne, which had previously collapsed during construction, resulting in 35 fatalities. As the calculations … Read more

Australia faces a challenge, to wean ourselves off fossil fuel dependency for our own consumption and as a source of income.  The New South Wales government has just announced a ban on approving new greenfield coal mines. Australians are a smart compassionate caring and adaptive people. We are up for this challenge and should embrace … Read more

The delayed draft NCC 2025 will be published 1 May 2026 but can be viewed on the ABCB website now.  The Part B1 changes mandate acceptable quantified probabilities of structural failure (expressed as reliability indices). In the short term, there will be little practical effects on most designs, because most designers use Australian Standards which … Read more

Since 2005, I have been advocating through the Building Codes Committee, and previously through Standards Australia committees, for quantification of structural requirements. In May 2026, the NCC 2025 QUANTIFIED Structural Performance Requirements will be adopted. This is a very important and long-overdue improvement to the building code, because it levels the playing field for all … Read more

Australia say “No” Iran now … China next. Australia is being lured inexorably into World War 3 by American imperial ambition. Now is the time for Australia to opt out, to embrace military non-alignment before it is too late. Fiction … or prophecy? Here is a direct quotation from “Queen’s Pawn to D4”, published last … Read more