Conference Agenda

Speed Networking

Introduce yourself, swap business cards, and form new and lasting business connections during a series of one-on-one exchanges with fellow conference delegates.

Keynote Address by Josh Bull MP

Josh Bull MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Transport, Parliamentary Secretary for Level Crossing Removals

Mental Health Beds Expansion Program  

Codey Lyon, Technical Director | Health Sector Lead, Aecom
Nick Bourns, Director, NH Architecture

Major Projects by Development Victoria

• Development Victoria partners with government and industry to create places that make a genuine difference to the people of Victoria.
• This presentation will focus on both metropolitan and regional projects of significance that are transforming and reimagining places for people to live, work and visit. 

Joanne Wandel, Group Head | Regional Infrastructure Program, Development Victoria

Infrastructure Priorities for Victoria

• Quality infrastructure is vital for a thriving, inclusive and sustainable State.
• Join Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Spear for the latest infrastructure-related research and updates on Victoria’s Infrastructure Strategy 2021–2051.

Jonathan Spear, Chief Executive Officer, Infrastructure Victoria

The Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation

• The Victorian Government is investing $1.7 billion to transform the Melbourne Arts Precinct, making it Australia’s biggest cultural infrastructure project. 
• The project will deliver a new contemporary art gallery, extensive urban green spaces, and upgrades to the Theatres Building, that will see the city’s creative precinct transformed into one of the world’s greatest cultural destinations.

Michael Parry, Director, Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation

Data Loss in the Civil Industry: How Your Designs can be Made Clever Again

• A new data and verification tool has been released by Autodesk to promote the transfer of project data from your Civil Models through to the BIM Co-ordination process to the Build Process to ultimately delivery of Digital Twins and Facilities Management models.
• We will take a high-level overview to introduce the concepts of this new free tool.

Dean Petersen, Technical Consultant Civil / Geospatial, VinZero A2K Technologies

Star of the South

• Star of the South is Australia’s most advanced offshore wind project, proposed to be located off the south coast of Gippsland, Victoria. If developed to its full potential, Star of the South would supply up to 20 per cent of Victoria’s electricity needs, powering 1.2 million homes.
• Join Star of the South’s Senior Technical Development Director, Myles Daniel, for an overview of the opportunities the offshore wind industry will bring to Australian shores, sharing learnings from overseas experience.

Myles Daniel, Senior Technical Development Director, Star of the South

The Home of the Matildas Project

• The Home of the Matildas officially opened in July 2023 as part of the La Trobe University’s Sports Park Stage 3 redevelopment, establishing the official home of the Australian national women’s football team.
• Described as a “game-changer” for Australian Football by Football Victoria, the world-class facility was delivered ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand, and is the largest football-specific infrastructure project in Australia’s history.

Shane Bruce, Project Director – Strategic Infrastructure and Sport Economy, Sport and Recreation Victoria

Melbourne Quarter Tower

• Internationally acclaimed architects Woods Bagot are behind the design of Melbourne Quarter Tower, part of the $2.5 billion Melbourne Quarter precinct already transforming the city’s skyline.
• Situated opposite Southern Cross Station on Collins Street, the project described as “city-shaping urban regeneration” will prioritise sustainability and wellness. It boasts three commercial towers, including the 34-story Melbourne Quarter Tower (MQT).

Hazel Porter, Principal, Woods Bagot

Shepparton Breakthrough: Cannatrek’s impact on the future of medicinal cannabis in Australia

• Cannatrek’s new multi-million-dollar medicinal cannabis facility in Shepparton recently achieved GMP certification.
• Achieving this certification marks a major breakthrough for pharmaceutical manufacturing in Victoria and Australia. It will facilitate international trade, and it means more business and more local jobs for Shepparton.
• The project aligns with the Victorian Government’s Medicinal Cannabis Industry Development Plan to supply half of Australia’s medicinal cannabis by 2028. 
• Join Tommy Huppert, CEO and Founder of Cannatrek, as he shares the latest updates on this significant project.

Tommy Huppert, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Cannatrek

Metro Tunnel – The Road to Day 1

• Join Nicole Stoddart, CEO of Rail Projects Victoria and the first female CEO in the Major Transport Infrastructure Authority, as she shines a spotlight on the Metro Tunnel.
• The Metro Tunnel will transform the way Victorians travel, running the busiest rail lines through a new tunnel under Melbourne’s CBD and providing direct access by train to Parkville’s health, education and research precinct, St Kilda Road’s commercial hub and the Shrine of Remembrance and the Arden urban renewal area for the first time.

Nicole Stoddart, Chief Executive Officer, Rail Projects Victoria

New Trends in Charging Infrastructure

• Accelerated deployment of public charging infrastructure for Electric Vehicles will become crucial as more Victorians switch to EVs and opt to travel longer distances.
• This presentation will discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with EV charging infrastructure supporting the State’s transition to EVs as we work towards meeting future net zero emissions targets.

Ross De Rango, Head of Energy and Infrastructure, Electric Vehicle Council

Procurement Models: Innovation and Options for Social and Affordable Housing

• Governments Australia-wide are under pressure to address the current severe shortage of social and affordable housing. The design of the procurement pathway and use of public and private equity and debt is key to establishing a large and continuous supply of housing in catering for the rising demand. 
• Join Clayton Utz partners Jo Pugsley and Elizabeth Griffin who will share insights from the State's Social Growth Housing Fund and Ground Lease Model 2 as well as the latest procurement models for interstate and overseas.

Elizabeth Griffin, Special Counsel, Clayton Utz
Jo Pugsley, Partner, Clayton Utz

• Join Greater Western Water’s Amanda Smith for insights into how GWW is supporting growing communities while caring for Country and meeting the challenges of climate change and population growth.

Amanda Smith, General Manager | Growth and Infrastructure, Greater Western Water

Presentation by Industry Capability Network Victoria

• ICN Victoria has consistently championed local capabilities across all sectors, believing in harnessing the potential of local businesses and talent, which contributes to economic growth and fosters sovereign and resilient supply chains.
• With a core purpose to help local win, an extensive network and expertise has enabled ICN to facilitate countless connections that have resulted in sustainable local supply chains.
• ICN Victoria is committed to creating a more inclusive workforce where diversity is celebrated and valued.
• Join Chief Executive Officer Dianne Smith, who will discuss how ICN Victoria is here to connect local businesses to opportunities, promote sustainable and social outcomes, and support Victoria's infrastructure projects.

Dianne Smith, Chief Executive Officer, ICN Victoria

Speed Networking

Introduce yourself, swap business cards, and form new and lasting business connections during a series of one-on-one exchanges with fellow conference delegates.

The World-First Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain Project (HESC)

• The Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain (HESC) project in Victoria recently secured a $2.35b grant from the Japanese Government to take the project to a commercial scale.
• Clean hydrogen will be produced through extraction from Latrobe Valley coal supported by carbon capture & storage (CCS).
• Hydrogen production will be the responsibility of a J-Power/Sumitomo Corporation JV and liquified hydrogen export by Japan Suiso Energy.
• This project will reduce carbon emissions, create 1,000's of jobs and generate inbound investment and export income for Victoria.

Jeremy Stone, Non-Executive Director, J-Power Latrobe Valley
Yuko Fukuma, Hydrogen Strategy Division, Kawasaki Heavy Industries

The Theatres Building Restoration

• Major works at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Theatres Building have begun that will see the beloved heritage building upgraded for the first time since it opened in 1984.
• The restoration is part of the $1.7 billion transformation of the Melbourne Arts Precinct, Australia’s biggest cultural infrastructure project.

Hamish Lyon, Director, NH Architecture

Keeping the Community Safe During Construction Periods

• This presentation will provide an overview of Victoria's Construction Trucks and Community Safety project. The initiative aims to keep vulnerable road users - pedestrians, bicycle riders and motorcyclists - safe during construction periods that generate high truck use. 
• The presentation will outline key areas where safety can be uplifted and how contract clauses are an important lever for change.

Frances Taylor, Director Road Safety Partnerships, Policy and Programs, Road Safety Victoria, Department of Transport and Planning

Insights, Challenges and Opportunities for the Transport Infrastructure Industry

Michael Kilgariff, Principal, Kilgariff Advisory

Keynote Presentation by Transport Women Australia

• Join Jacquelene Brotherton, Chair of Transport Women Australia, who will share firsthand insights into how women are breaking down barriers across transport and discuss the support available to women wanting to join the industry.

Jacquelene Brotherton, Chair, Transport Women Australia

Overview of Major Projects: Mildura City Council

• Situated in the Mallee region of Victoria alongside the Murray River, Mildura is reviving its social and economic wellbeing through major infrastructure investment and projects that aim to transform the region and secure its future prosperity.
• These include a Riverfront Precinct Redevelopment, new Sporting Precinct, and the Mildura Future Strategy plan.

Martin Hawson, Chief Executive Officer, Mildura Rural City Council

Meeting Indigenous Procurement Targets

• First Nations Traffic Management & Labour Hire provides competent workforce and traffic management solutions on major projects throughout Victoria, helping to ensure Indigenous social procurement targets are achieved.
• With over 300 employees working on major infrastructure throughout the State, Lionel Dukakis will share insights into how companies can provide First Nations people with real long-term job prospects, as well as how to engage authentic Indigenous businesses on major projects.

Lionel Dukakis, Co-Founder and Director, First Nations Traffic Management & First Nations Labour Hire Pty Ltd

Gail Hall, President and Co-Founder, Australasian Green Infrastructure Network
Geoff Heard, Managing Director, Fytogreen
Oscar Danvers, Managing Founder, Urban Agriculture Company
TBA, TBA, Greening the West

Human Factors Impacting Project Performance and How to Mitigate Them

• Research shows that major and mega projects frequently are delivered in a way that does not meet the stated objectives of the project. Often what is found is the tangible evidence of this under performance e.g  over time, over budget, poor quality and safety incidents (etc) and is only apparent well after the causes of this performance has taken root.
• Join James Kelly, Managing Director of Alchimie to explore how intentionally managing the human factors dimension of project delivery can set your projects up for success

James Kelly, Managing Director, Alchimie