A Place to Aim

A Note From John Bowen

In January this year, I was so inspired by a post I saw on Instagram that I sent it to my senior managers and declared it would be a theme for Bowens and Timbertruss through 2025. As I am sure it is for 99.5 per cent of Builders Bulletin readers, I had to look up the individual whose words shook me out of my holiday groove. As it turns out, the man’s name is Joe Mazulla, Head Coach of the NBA’s Boston Celtics, one of America’s most famous sporting teams. And, at that time, holders of the NBA’s version of the premiership cup.

The video was a response to questions about the performance of the Celtics’ star player, another person I had to Google, Jayson Tatum (it appears he is one of the best basketballers in the world). In a one-on-one interview, a question is put to Mazulla.

“It seems to me that Jayson has to deal with unfair criticism?” The coach’s immediate response: “He gets to deal with it. It is the ultimate compliment. You know, that’s what we talk about. It is like, this is what you asked for. You asked to be one of the best players in the NBA, on the best team in the NBA, with an opportunity, you know, to be an icon for the league for a long, long time. This is what you asked for.”

“He gets to deal with it. It is the ultimate compliment… You asked to be one of the best. This is what you asked for.”

I loved it. In reframing the perspective Mazulla actively changed the narrative. In my world, of Bowens and Timbertruss, I see it as an opportunity for us to adjust our thinking from ‘I have to get my work done’ to ‘I get to make a difference, or I get to work on a project, or I get to make a living.’ Instead of focusing on what we dislike about a task or event, are we able to identify the opportunities and subsequent rewards?

“In my world, of Bowens and Timbertruss, I see it as an opportunity for us to adjust our thinking from ‘I have to get my work done’ to ‘I get to make a difference.”

In writing this article, I can begin with a blank piece of paper, thinking, ‘After 20 years, what else can I say? There are a lot of other things for me to be doing with the time this is taking.’ Or, I can view this as another opportunity. I have a chance to make a positive contribution. I ‘get to’ publish my thoughts. In sharing my perspectives, I ‘get to’ expose Bowens’ DNA, as my father does in his articles. By knowing us better, by understanding us a little more, I hope our appeal as an independent, generational Victorian business grows. We ‘get to’ do this; others don’t.

In an odd link, I thought about Bowens’ 2025 theme when holidaying recently in Singapore. As frequent readers of the Bulletin could attest, I have an unhealthy obsession with the state of our State, Victoria. With so much potential and so much we should be doing better, I am on a constant lookout for solutions. Maybe Singapore is the inspiration we need?

Setting a vision is crucial for governments. It provides clear, long-term stimulation, guiding decision-making and helping to align various initiatives towards a common set of objectives. Goal setting enables the achievement of ambitious outcomes and for us to measure progress while on the journey. Why not go big? If Singapore is at the pointy end, why can’t Victoria take some cues and aim to be Australia’s shining light?

What captured my attention immediately was the Singaporeans’ positivity in the place they call home. Whether it was a taxi driver, a restaurant proprietor or a banking executive, they wanted me to know how proud they were of their tiny country. According to the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer (a United Nations survey), 76 per cent of Singaporeans trust their government. While I couldn’t find the same assessment for Victoria, the ‘Mapping Social Cohesion Report’ reveals only 33 per cent of adults believe the Australian Federal Government can be trusted to “do the right thing most of the time.”

The Singaporean model of Government is often described as a “managed democracy” or “benevolent technocracy”, with the prioritisation of long-term planning and national outcomes over partisan politics. This contrasts with Australia’s more adversarial democratic system, where frequent leadership changes and ideological battles can hinder consistent progress. Whatever the reason, it is the living environs and social cohesion I was more interested in.

As you exit the airport, visitors to Singapore are invited to drive along what must be the most flowered, tidy and aesthetically inviting freeway in the world. Contrast this with our exit from Tullamarine: weedy, rubbish-strewn and ruined with graffiti.

Across the city, the same themes are retained. No tagging, no vandalism, no crime, and yes, no chewing gum. Whichever platforms you use to discover the reasons why the city/country works so well, the answers are more or less the same. According to the Lowy Institute’s Asia Power Index, Singapore ranks number one globally for government effectiveness. Corruption is low and trust is high. In most years, Singapore’s GDP per capita is around the 5th highest in the world, with a maximum credit rating. Their infrastructure and built landscape are enviable, as are their health and education systems. Even when the nation’s leadership is changed, including the recent handover from Lee Hsien Loong to Lawrence Wong, Singaporeans respond with near-unanimous approval. They have had only four Prime Ministers since the role was introduced in 1959.

Singaporeans see their government as competent, responsive and aligned with national interests, while so many of us in Australia (definitely me) feel our governments are inefficient, short-term and disconnected with so much of what really matters. Even so, our northern friends are not perfect. Many civil liberties we take for granted are an issue in Singapore, judicial independence is a concern and freedom of expression is limited; none are small issues. Living costs are very high – the charge to register a car would make your eyes water. They don’t have our space, and their punishments for breaking laws many Victorians would rightly view as ‘minor infringements’ are extreme.

Of course, my perceptions of Singapore are incredibly limited. The rationale for sharing Joe Mazulla’s philosophy of opportunity with my holiday insights is to scratch out another possibility for my home, the place I have mostly loved. We can be so much better, so why not search out a vision for what we can be? Why shouldn’t we strive to re-create the best of what has been achieved, not just in Singapore but around the world? Our leaders want the responsibility. They ‘get to’ make it happen.

“We can be so much better, so why not search out a vision for what we can be?”