“The people in the industry are just really good people.
“They’re all in it for the right reason and a lot of them for the long-term.
“They’re out there trying to help the industry through member representation and advocacy,” says Board member John Wade about CCF NSW.
And he should know – he’s been with the organisation since 1992, when it was called the Australian Earthmovers and Road Contractors Federation.
A CCF Life Member, former president and vice president of CCF NSW, and industry stalwart, John is one of the most experienced members of our Board.
“One of the career highlights for me was starting our own business and being successful over 40 years, which we’ve just celebrated this month [May 2026].
“And the quality of projects we produced for clients,” he says.
Among these, a standout memory for John is the delivery of the Cumberland Highway deviation and Old Prospect Road reconstruction roadworks at Greystanes, as part of the original M4 construction.
“My father was involved in civil construction and I was out on sites at a young age.
“I just love machinery and getting things done and building roads and just seeing what you can produce,” he says.
John’s fondness for civil contracting is plainly evident in conversation.
He says one of his favourite opportunities his career, up to this point, has afforded him was a visit to the Caterpillar construction facility in Peoria in the US state of Illinois in 1997.
When asked whether he has a favourite type of plant, without hesitation, he says, “Absolutely I do, the motor grader, without a question.
“It’s because of the large volume of material that can be spread accurately to level,” he says.
It’s this kind of enthusiasm that makes him an effective advocate for civil.
“You need civil construction before people can construct buildings and the like, and I think government forget that or don’t realise it,” he says.
CCF NSW’s function is important in bringing people together to prevent this kind of apathy from politicians John says.
“Collectively, I think we can all make a difference if everybody works together.
“A lot of companies and people think they can do things by themselves and that they don’t need help.
“You just never know when you’re going to need help or assistance, or somebody to just have a chat with and say, ‘Hey, I’m having a problem, what do you think?’” he says.
Without CCF NSW, John says these opportunities are difficult to come by.
“It’s not that you don’t want to talk to your competitors, there’s just not the forum to do it when you’re working.
“But, certainly, at functions and the like you do catch up and talk to people you don’t normally get to see.
“And that’s where the CCF functions, the Earth Awards, the People Awards, those sort of things, you do get an opportunity to catch up face to face.”