Below The Surface podcast

#Science #Geology #Natural Sciences #Gunnar Haid & James Hammond #Gunnar Haid #James Hammond

28:24

In our second installment of the Small Business Starter Kit series - we’re tackling a topic that’s sometimes tricky, sometimes confusing, but ever-present: taxes. Hosts Austin and Jannese have an insightful conversation with entrepreneur Isabella Rosal who started 7th Sky Ventures , an exporter and distributor of craft spirits, beer, and wine. Having lived and worked in two different countries and started a company in a heavily-regulated field, Isabella is no stranger to navigating the paperwork-laden and jargon-infused maze of properly understanding taxes for a newly formed small business. Join us as she shares her story and provides valuable insight into how to tackle your business’ taxes - so they don’t tackle you. Learn more about how QuickBooks can help you grow your business: QuickBooks.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

Below the Surface

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Casual chats between an Austrian and Australian on environmental topics that usually don't get talked about openly.
Hosts Gunnar Haid and James Hammond set out to provide a light-hearted and thought-provoking look into Contaminated Land, Resource Recovery, Ecology and general environmental issues in Australia, in particular NSW. They use their experience and industry connections to talk about subjects that, at least in their opinion, don't get talked about enough or not in the right context. Join them for a chuckle and some unique perspectives.
And don't forget to keep track of your listening experience. It is official, listening to Below the Surface collects CPD points at a rate of 0.5 points per hour of listening (self education category).
Contact: bts@4pillars.com.au
https://www.linkedin.com/company/below-the-surface-podcast
The necessary disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this Podcast are the speakers’ own. They do not necessarily represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of 4Pillars Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd or any Client, Supplier or other party related to 4Pillars or the speakers.
(c) Gunnar Haid and James Hammond

27集单集

Below the Surface

updated 4天之前

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27集单集

#Science #Geology #Natural Sciences #Gunnar Haid & James Hammond #Gunnar Haid #James Hammond

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Below the Surface

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#27 The Chronicles of an Auditor 42:23

4天之前42:23

42:23

Rod Harwood - do we need to say anything else? There are few who have had more influence on our industry and who have contributed more than Rod. Gunnar had a chat with Rod and while they reminisce about 'the good old days', Rod sprinkles in some anecdotes of his impressive career and shares gems of his incredible knowledge as an engineer and a business man. James was unfortunately unavailable (you know, work and stuff ...), but we promise, this is one everybody in our industry will enjoy. BTS Episode mentioned: The Duty to Report The episode was recorded on 7 March 2025. Listen to Below the Surface and collect CPD points. We have confirmation that you can claim 0.5 points for every hour you spend with us under the Self Education Category Contact: bts@4pillars.com.au https://www.linkedin.com/company/below-the-surface-podcast The necessary disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this Podcast are the speakers’ own. They do not necessarily represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of 4Pillars Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd or any Client, Supplier or other party related to 4Pillars or the speakers. (c) Gunnar Haid and James Hammond…

Below the Surface

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#26 The Quickie 32:23

25天之前32:23

32:23

Gunnar and James take a dive into all sorts of events that have happened in the past few weeks. 1 - The EIANZ announces the punishment of a member. 2 - A $30,000 fine issued by a Council 3 - MASSIVE NEWS: The Office of the Chief Scientist and Engineer has released a recommendation to the NSW Government regarding the "Management of asbestos in recovered fines and recovered materials ...". Gunnar and James present the key points and almost find reasons to celebrate. We start off with an answer to the question, why there are so many Ampol and Caltex service stations on the contaminated land register. Gunnar's long time friend Simon Caples knows exactly why and he provides a rather amusing and amazing explanation. Flashback to the last episode ' The Duty to Report '. Other BTS Episodes mentioned: #14 The Honest Truth - Re the EIANZ Code of Ethics #8 The Power Grab - Re the new fines in the PoEO Act #9 The Amazing Pierina - Re asbestos in soil assessments This episode was recorded on 25 February 2025 Listen to Below the Surface and collect CPD points. We have confirmation that you can claim 0.5 points for every hour you spend with us under the Self Education Category Contact: bts@4pillars.com.au https://www.linkedin.com/company/below-the-surface-podcast The necessary disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this Podcast are the speakers’ own. They do not necessarily represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of 4Pillars Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd or any Client, Supplier or other party related to 4Pillars or the speakers. (c) Gunnar Haid and James Hammond…

Below the Surface

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#25 The Duty to Report 45:23

6 weeks之前45:23

45:23

The Duty To Report may seem like a peculiar law in our industry, yet it's just another one of the many quirky regulations that shape our environmental consulting world. As such, it was begging to be turned into a podcast episode. In fact, Gunnar and James are even joking about selling movie rights to this one—so send your offers quickly! In this episode, Gunnar and James sit down with Elizabeth Wild , a distinguished Partner at Jones Day , to unpack the nuances of this obligation. They delve into the specifics of who is required to report, what must be reported, and under what circumstances. They also discuss the pros and cons of playing it safe when you're in the grey zone. Plus, if you've ever wondered what it’s like to stay in the Ice Hotel in Sweden (yes, a hotel made entirely out of ice), Elizabeth offers a perspective that goes beyond the picture-perfect scenes on Instagram. Who knew our podcast would also serve as a travel review platform? – Enjoy! The episode was recorded on 24 January 2025 Listen to Below the Surface and collect CPD points. We have confirmation that you can claim 0.5 points for every hour you spend with us under the Self Education Category Contact: bts@4pillars.com.au https://www.linkedin.com/company/below-the-surface-podcast The necessary disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this Podcast are the speakers’ own. They do not necessarily represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of 4Pillars Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd or any Client, Supplier or other party related to 4Pillars or the speakers. (c) Gunnar Haid and James Hammond…

Below the Surface

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#24 The Recruiter 50:55

8 weeks之前50:55

50:55

Daniel James is someone worth knowing when you are working in our industry. Is he a contaminated sites or resource recovery leader like many of our other guests? No, but he will put you in touch with such experts if you are looking to employ one. His decade long experience as a specialised environmental recruiter gives him a unique insight into the workings behind the scenes of our industry. He shares his experience, talks about how he sees our industry performing in 2025, and also gives tips on how to make your next step in your career. Whether you are about to graduate or you are a seasoned environmental Principal, you should not miss this episode. Recording date: 22 November 2024 Listen to Below the Surface and collect CPD points. We have confirmation that you can claim 0.5 points for every hour you spend with us under the Self Education Category Contact: bts@4pillars.com.au https://www.linkedin.com/company/below-the-surface-podcast The necessary disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this Podcast are the speakers’ own. They do not necessarily represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of 4Pillars Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd or any Client, Supplier or other party related to 4Pillars or the speakers. (c) Gunnar Haid and James Hammond…

Below the Surface

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#23 The Basics: Acid Sulfate Soils 55:01

14 weeks之前55:01

55:01

Acid Sulfate Soils are a tricky subject. The second episode of our "The Basics" series is all about the ASS (oh this acronym is just endlessly amusing, isn't it?). Gunnar and James' guest is Laurie Fox , one of the most recognised and distinguished ASS experts not only in Australia, but globally. Aside from doing fantastic assessment and ASS management work on mind bogglingly big projects himself, Laurie is also committed to improving our industry's understanding of these soils. This improvement pathway he is on involves not only industry talks like this one, but also a tireless commitment to liaison with and education of various regulators. People like Laurie are a rare breed, one that is vitally important to have in our industry. It is people like him who improve all of us. This episode was recorded on 29 November 2024. Listen to Below the Surface and collect CPD points. We have confirmation that you can claim 0.5 points for every hour you spend with us under the Self Education Category Contact: bts@4pillars.com.au https://www.linkedin.com/company/below-the-surface-podcast The necessary disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this Podcast are the speakers’ own. They do not necessarily represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of 4Pillars Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd or any Client, Supplier or other party related to 4Pillars or the speakers. (c) Gunnar Haid and James Hammond…

Below the Surface

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#22 The Basics: Planning 50:41

16 weeks之前50:41

50:41

Everything you always wanted to know about planning, but were afraid to ask. If you don't get that movie reference, don't worry, it just means you are much younger than Gunnar, that's all. We are starting a new series called The Basics and we are kicking it off with town planning as the subject. Henry Burnett of DFP Planning is our expert guest. Henry and James go back many years and aside from discussing what town planning is all about, they relive their common past as sales clerks at an outdoor and camping chain. Gunnar sits mostly on the sidelines and only briefly shows up now and then, all the more reasons to listen in. Enjoy becoming a planning expert. Recorded on 22 Nov 2024. Listen to Below the Surface and collect CPD points. We have confirmation that you can claim 0.5 points for every hour you spend with us under the Self Education Category Contact: bts@4pillars.com.au https://www.linkedin.com/company/below-the-surface-podcast The necessary disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this Podcast are the speakers’ own. They do not necessarily represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of 4Pillars Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd or any Client, Supplier or other party related to 4Pillars or the speakers. (c) Gunnar Haid and James Hammond…

Below the Surface

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#21 The Forever Plates 43:44

18 weeks之前43:44

43:44

Can eco-friendly plates and food containers made from sugarcane mulch sneak in some hidden PFAS? And can that PFAS end up in your compost, and eventually your garden soil? Cara Roberts and David Springer did the dirty work (literally) to find out. Gunnar and James couldn't wait for them to come onto the podcast and present the scoop. Tune in to hear what they uncovered! Oh, and this time there's no "Gunnar's gone rogue" segment. In fact, he's eating a slice of humble pie after a listener fact-checked him on one of his recent rants. Oops! After that little reality check, they tidy up a few loose ends and jump straight into the interview. Don't miss it! This episode was recorded on 4 November 2024. Listen to Below the Surface and collect CPD points. We have confirmation that you can claim 0.5 points for every hour you spend with us under the Self Education Category Contact: bts@4pillars.com.au https://www.linkedin.com/company/below-the-surface-podcast The necessary disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this Podcast are the speakers’ own. They do not necessarily represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of 4Pillars Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd or any Client, Supplier or other party related to 4Pillars or the speakers. (c) Gunnar Haid and James Hammond…

Below the Surface

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#20 The Loophole 48:36

20 weeks之前48:36

48:36

Grey Areas and Loopholes – Where to Draw the Line? This episode dives into the murky waters of our industry's "grey areas", or, if we are re being honest, loopholes . From VENM (Virgin Excavated Natural Material) issues to Council demands for auditors in a gotcha move, to James's creative methods for getting trial waste recycling facilities approved, and even the use of silica gel to clean up tank pit samples - these are some of the fine lines or thin ice areas we navigate in the environmental consulting world. Before Gunnar and James unpack their take on which loopholes are fair game and which ones in their opinion cross the line, they handle some podcast housekeeping, read out a listener comment, and share big news: the NSW EPA has withdrawn their 2022 asbestos position paper! And, because no episode is complete without a "Gunnar moment," he takes us back to a memorable prenatal class incident. In typical Gunnar style, he set things straight, though, admittedly, even he now wonders whether going full Gunnarish was, well, entirely necessary. Enjoy the episode! This is the link to the EPA article announcing the asbestos news. The episode was recorded on 18 October 2024 Listen to Below the Surface and collect CPD points. We have confirmation that you can claim 0.5 points for every hour you spend with us under the Self Education Category Contact: bts@4pillars.com.au https://www.linkedin.com/company/below-the-surface-podcast The necessary disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this Podcast are the speakers’ own. They do not necessarily represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of 4Pillars Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd or any Client, Supplier or other party related to 4Pillars or the speakers. (c) Gunnar Haid and James Hammond…

Below the Surface

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#19 The Inventor 31:20

22 weeks之前31:20

31:20

In a fictitious world where electricity reigns supreme, Gunnar has "invented" a revolutionary engine that uses ... wait for it ... petrol! That’s right, in this universe, electric engines are the norm, and Gunnar is pitching this wild idea of a new type of engine to a venture capitalist, skilfully played by James. We’re taking a detour from our usual lineup of site contamination, waste streams, asbestos scares, and blood lead levels. Instead, Gunnar and James are stepping into the world of dramatic fiction — or at least, are attempting to. They’re acting out a "screenplay," minus the screens, with Gunnar taking full responsibility for the writing (and any questionable humour). It’s all in good fun, so let’s embrace the satire and enjoy the ride! Gunnar and James certainly had a blast recording it! But before the “acting” begins, the two go on a trip down memory lane with a skydiving tale straight out of Top Gun. Depending on who you ask, it was either hilariously entertaining or a borderline disaster that nearly took out everyone nearby. You decide — either way, it’s unforgettable. Recorded on 18 October 2024, this episode is one for the books! Listen to Below the Surface and collect CPD points. We have confirmation that you can claim 0.5 points for every hour you spend with us under the Self Education Category Contact: bts@4pillars.com.au https://www.linkedin.com/company/below-the-surface-podcast The necessary disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this Podcast are the speakers’ own. They do not necessarily represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of 4Pillars Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd or any Client, Supplier or other party related to 4Pillars or the speakers. (c) Gunnar Haid and James Hammond…

Below the Surface

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#18 The Remedial Action Assessment 38:04

24 weeks之前38:04

38:04

A re-think of the classic Preliminary Site Assessment => Detailed Site Assessment => Remedial Action Plan scenario. Guest Andrew Kohlrusch, EPA Auditor and contaminated sites expert extraordinaire, joins Gunnar on an excursion to explore a more bespoke way to assess contaminated sites from the initial stages to the final remediation report. Of course the two veer off into their private lives first and discuss a Billy Joel Maddison Square Garden concert, whether dinner with David Bowie or Clint Eastwood would be more interesting than chatting with Louis Theroux and how working 'just two days a week' on a certain project mostly really means you will be working 7 days a week on that project and everything else that is going on. There is a lot in this episode that entertains and even more that informs. Listen in, you will not regret it. The episode was recorded on 2 October 2024. Listen to Below the Surface and collect CPD points. We have confirmation that you can claim 0.5 points for every hour you spend with us under the Self Education Category Contact: bts@4pillars.com.au https://www.linkedin.com/company/below-the-surface-podcast The necessary disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this Podcast are the speakers’ own. They do not necessarily represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of 4Pillars Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd or any Client, Supplier or other party related to 4Pillars or the speakers. (c) Gunnar Haid and James Hammond…

Below the Surface

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#17 The Blueprint 41:23

26 weeks之前41:23

41:23

Australia's landscapes are in serious need of an injection of TLC (Tender Loving Care, not some dyslexic chlorinated hydrocarbon). TLC and a bit of money. $7.3 Billion per year over 10 years to be more precise, according to a recent report published by The Wentworth Group. Our Guest is The Wentworth Group's Prof Mike Grundy, a former Research Director, Soil and Landscapes with CSIRO, and an Adjunct Professor with the University of Sydney. We discuss what is currently going wrong with Australia's landscapes, what is needed and how can this all be financed. This podcast is all James' baby, he has read the entire report and the article in The Conversation . James and Mike are all over the subject, Gunnar is unusually quiet but does manage to inject a few pessimistic (he calls them "realistic") points from the sidelines towards the end. The episode starts with the usual banter between out two hosts. One highlight is that Gunnar shows what he and Donald Trump have in common. Is it a bad hairstyle, a fake tan or maybe even narcissism? Listen in and you will find out. Listen to Below the Surface and collect CPD points. We have confirmation that you can claim 0.5 points for every hour you spend with us under the Self Education Category Contact: bts@4pillars.com.au https://www.linkedin.com/company/below-the-surface-podcast The necessary disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this Podcast are the speakers’ own. They do not necessarily represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of 4Pillars Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd or any Client, Supplier or other party related to 4Pillars or the speakers. (c) Gunnar Haid and James Hammond…

Below the Surface

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#16 The Sparrow in the Lead Mine 46:46

28 weeks之前46:46

46:46

Measure lead levels in blood of house sparrows and accurately predict lead blood levels in children in that town. No way? Absolutely YES WAY! That is exactly what Prof Simon Griffith with his PhD candidate Max Gillings have achieved in one of their recent papers . From the outside it is all so easy. Go to an area with known high lead impact (towns like Broken Hill or Mt Isa come to mind), catch a few hundred sparrows, take a blood sample from each sparrow (non-destructively by the way), analyse the blood for lead (and all sort of other markers) and overlay the data to blood lead levels in children living in those areas that the sparrows frequent. Establish that there is a correlation and explain why there is one as well. Then use that data to predict children's blood lead levels in areas where there is no good heath monitoring available. Publish the research and take a bow! It is fascinating research, presented by equally fascinating scientists in a beautiful paper. Gunnar and James were both glued to Prof Griffith's lips and we are sure, so will you. Link to the paper: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.4c00946 Simon Griffith links: https://griffithecology.com/ https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/persons/simon-griffith https://au.linkedin.com/in/simon-griffith-07830719 Max Gillings https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=yIHdN_0AAAAJ&hl=en https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/persons/max-mclennan-gillings This episode was recorded on 26 July 2024 Listen to Below the Surface and collect CPD points. We have confirmation that you can claim 0.5 points for every hour you spend with us under the Self Education Category Contact: bts@4pillars.com.au https://www.linkedin.com/company/below-the-surface-podcast The necessary disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this Podcast are the speakers’ own. They do not necessarily represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of 4Pillars Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd or any Client, Supplier or other party related to 4Pillars or the speakers. (c) Gunnar Haid and James Hammond…

Below the Surface

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#15 The STEMinist 46:35

30 weeks之前46:35

46:35

How can young (female) professionals tackle the flood of knowledge they must acquire in a fast-paced consulting environment while at the same time having to deal with sometimes perceived but too often real disapproval by established good old boys in meetings or on construction sites? How can you tackle the ever niggling self-doubt? How can you become more like the you you want yourself to be? Hailey Spry from Easterly Point Environmental , a DESI (that’s Queensland’s EPA) Accredited Contaminated Site Auditor and well established and respected expert in the environmental consulting scene, was generous enough to give us some of her rather expensive time and chat about women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics). Gunnar and James are handing over hosting duties to two young and upcoming environmental stars for this episode. Sophia Bourke is a Senior Environmental Consultant and despite her young age (don't let the ‘senior’ title fool you) forms the corner stone of the Environmental Impact Assessment Team at 4Pillars Environmental Consulting. Co-host is Laura Kent , an Environmental Consultant working with Sophia, specialising in Environmental Compliance and Management. The three of them have an interesting chat about what it is like to be a young professional in a technical field and in an industry that is traditionally rather male dominated. James took a break during this episode and refreshingly, Gunnar talks very little. Now, that alone should make it worth listening in! This episode was recorded on 9 August 2024. Listen to Below the Surface and collect CPD points. We have confirmation that you can claim 0.5 points for every hour you spend with us under the Self Education Category Contact: bts@4pillars.com.au https://www.linkedin.com/company/below-the-surface-podcast The necessary disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this Podcast are the speakers’ own. They do not necessarily represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of 4Pillars Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd or any Client, Supplier or other party related to 4Pillars or the speakers. (c) Gunnar Haid and James Hammond…

Below the Surface

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#14 The Honest Truth 48:15

32 weeks之前48:15

48:15

The EPA names and shames a consultancy for allegedly falsifying reports. Meanwhile clients are beginning to use legal privilege as a strategy to avoid potential subpoenas — just as we anticipated in The Power Grab . On a positive note, thanks to The Policy Predicament (yay!), the EPA has made a change to their website, now featuring all policy and regulatory updates in one easily accessible location . Kudos to the EPA! Gunnar and James take the opportunity to talk about ethics, morals and integrity in our industry. They discuss the EIANZ's Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct , share their approaches to navigating ethical and moral challenges, and offer suggestions on how we might be able to improve our industry's standards. As usual, none of this sounds all that exciting. But, as usual, the episode delivers more excitement than expected. Tune in, you will come out the other end a way better person. The episode was recorded on 2 August 2024 Listen to Below the Surface and collect CPD points. We have confirmation that you can claim 0.5 points for every hour you spend with us under the Self Education Category Contact: bts@4pillars.com.au https://www.linkedin.com/company/below-the-surface-podcast The necessary disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this Podcast are the speakers’ own. They do not necessarily represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of 4Pillars Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd or any Client, Supplier or other party related to 4Pillars or the speakers. (c) Gunnar Haid and James Hammond…

Below the Surface

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#13 The Train Wreck 33:29

34 weeks之前33:29