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Insider
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Transport & Infrastructure News
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What’s inside? A quick look at what’s in today’s edition: |
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1. CEO message
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Board update |
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2. Policy news
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2026 Federal Budget priorities |
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3. Event photos
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Latest event wraps and photos |
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4. Upcoming events
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Get your ticket for our Annual Lunches |
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5. Program update
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Emerging Leaders Forum, 2025 & 2026 Fellows |
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6. People moves
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Updates for your contact lists |
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7. Industry news
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Highlights from the last two weeks |
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Our next edition will be out the week commencing 3 November. Have stories, news or industry perspectives to share?
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FROM THE CEO |
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Roads Australia hit an exciting milestone last week with the appointment of Josh Murray, Secretary of Transport for NSW, to its Board.
Josh brings more than 25 years of experience in government services and infrastructure delivery, including leadership roles in the private sector. As Secretary of Transport for NSW, he leads a portfolio of more than 30,000 people and is driving a transformative agenda to deliver a safe, sustainable, and integrated transport system. |
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I want to take this opportunity to thank outgoing Director Camilla Drover’s excellent and dedicated service to Roads Australia since joining the Board in June 2021. We look forward to further acknowledging Camilla’s tireless commitment to RA at our upcoming Sydney Annual Lunch.
It was an honour to be joined by both Josh and Camilla at an RA Board dinner in Brisbane last week. Our Chair Aneetha de Silva facilitated a thought-provoking and engaging conversation with guest of honour Damien Walker, Director-General, Department of Premier and Cabinet, who was also joined by fellow senior Queensland government leaders Sally Stannard, RA Board Director and Director-General Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, and Leah Kelly, Deputy Director-General at the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning. This was an important opportunity for a number of RA member CEOs and our Board to discuss the ambitious pipeline of infrastructure projects being delivered in the lead up to the to the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the legacy the Queensland Government is hoping to achieve following the Games.
Congratulations to the Roads Australia 2025 Fellows who have submitted their final projects. We are looking forward to hosting you for the end of year workshop and dinner in November and celebrating your achievements.
I’m looking forward to connecting with some of you today at the industry lunch in Sydney, where TfNSW Deputy Secretary for Road Maintenance and Resilience Matt Fuller will talk about the changing funding priorities in NSW and getting more value out our infrastructure assets. |
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If you have stories, news or industry perspectives to share please submit
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POLICY NEWS |
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What does the transport sector want in next year’s budget?
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Each year we make a pre-budget submission to the Federal Government detailing priorities for our roads and transport industry.
To help us pull together our 2026-27 Federal Budget Submission, we are asking members for your top budget asks for each of our policy priority areas.
Look out for an email next week from Nicole McLean, our Executive Director of Policy and Government Relations. |
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EVENT PHOTOS |
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Industry Lunch Melbourne
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In Melbourne on 9 October Kevin Devlin, Director General of Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority, told the packed Industry Lunch about the challenges of mega-project packaging, optimism in pricing and timelines, as well as the impact of uncertainty on long-term investment.
Thank you to our sponsor CPB Contractors. |
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Emerging Leaders Breakfast Adelaide
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Young professionals joined Tammie Pribanic, Under The Young professionals joined Tammie Pribanic, Under Treasurer, Department of Treasury and Finance in South Australia for breakfast on 15 October in the Adelaide Convention Centre. Her advice was to be curious and take every opportunity to learn something new or try something different.
That was our final breakfast in the series, sponsored by CPB Contractors |
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If you have stories, news or industry perspectives to share please submit
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UPCOMING EVENTS |
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2026 Annual Lunch
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Celebrate and connect Visit roads.org.au
For dates, details and tickets. See below
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Celebrate 2025 with industry leaders at a Roads
Australia Annual Lunch
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Join us for the most anticipated event series on the industry calendar, the Roads Australia Annual Lunch. This is more than just an event – it’s the unofficial end-of-year celebration for the transport infrastructure sector, where colleagues, partners and friends come together to reflect, reconnect, and raise a glass to 2025.
Why attend?
- Reconnect with your network: Share stories, celebrate wins, and strengthen relationships in a relaxed, festive setting.
- Reward your team: Bring your colleagues along for a well-deserved break and a chance to celebrate together.
- Be part of the tradition: These events sell out every year and for a good reason. They are fun! It’s where the industry gathers to mark the year that was and look ahead to what’s next.
- Enjoy premium hospitality: Expect great food, great connections, and a vibrant atmosphere which captures the spirit of the season.
You’ll also have a chance to shape the discussion – when you purchase your ticket, you can submit a question for our guest speaker.
Early bird tickets still available – links and details below. |
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PROGRAM UPDATE |
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Emerging Leaders Forum – last chance to book
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CPB Contractors is proud to sponsor the Emerging Leaders Forum 2025, a one-of-a-kind experience hosted by Roads Australia. It’s happening next week 29 October.
This isn’t your typical industry event for young professionals. The day will start with a site tour of one of Sydney’s biggest infrastructure projects, will include exclusive insights from CPB GM Engineering Benita Husband, and will offer the chance to connect with friends and peers shaping Australia transport infrastructure future.
Places are limited so don’t miss out. |
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Fellowship update
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Thank you to everyone who applied for the 2026 Fellowship. The quality has been outstanding. RA is still in the process of notifying successful candidates of the outcome, and matching those people with appropriate mentors. We will be ready to announce the 2026 cohort soon, and just in time for the Fellowship event in Sydney in November.
The countdown is on for the 2025 Fellows who have now submitted their final projects on the theme of safety, and are preparing to present before three judges at the Fullerton Hotel on 12 November. It will be followed by a formal dinner with a keynote speech by Infrastructure Australia Chief Commissioner Tim Reardon. |
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Victorian Fellowship Alumni reconnect in Melbourne
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Members of the Victorian Fellowship Alumni gathered for an exclusive networking event last week in Melbourne, proudly sponsored by Rockfield Technologies. With familiar faces and trusted connections in the room, the evening was a great opportunity to reconnect, share insights, and strengthen the bonds within this unique network. |
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PEOPLE MOVES |
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Aneetha de Silva
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Aneetha has taken on a consulting role with ACCIONA as Strategic Advisor working with the CEO and Executive Team. Aneetha is Chair of Roads Australia Board and is an infrastructure professional with over 25 years’ leadership experience in the private and public sectors developing, procuring, delivering and managing large-scale infrastructure assets and services. She will be working with ACCIONA on their exciting growth strategy for Australia and New Zealand. |
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Julia Ward
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After 10 years as Chief Executive Officer, Ward Civil & Environmental Engineeringis pleased to announce Julia Ward has stepped up to the role of Executive Chair, effective immediately. For the past 10 years Julia has led the business to substantial growth and has been Julia has been a key member of the executive leadership team since 2014, initially as Chief Financial Officer. |
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David McPadden
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David McPadden was also announced as the new Chief Executive Officer at Ward. David is a Civil Engineer who has significant experience in delivering a diverse range of major projects across a variety of disciplines. With over 25 years in the industry, he has spent the past five years as Group Executive – Transport, at Ventia. |
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INDUSTRY NEWS |
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Altus Traffic takes advanced mobile
barrier system on the road to Victoria
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The MBT-1® is Australia’s most advanced mobile barrier system and is the only unit of its kind currently in Australia. After successful deployments on some of New South Wales’ busiest corridors, including joint operations with Transport for NSW and Connect Sydney on the M1, it has made the long trek interstate and is now available for use in Victoria. Check out a video of the amazing road trip. |
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Electric Vehicle Council releases latest
State of Electric Vehicles report
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The EV Council’slatest report finds that Australia has made gains in EV uptake but faces steep road ahead. Electric vehicle sales hit record highs, high-power charging plugs expanded and many new EV models launched over the past year. |
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New Reform Report from Transport for NSW
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The MBT-1® is Australia’s most advanced mobile barrier system and is the only unit of its kind currently in Australia. After successful deployments on some of New South Wales’ busiest corridors, including joint operations with Transport for NSW and Connect Sydney on the M1, it has made the long trek interstate and is now available for use in Victoria. Check out a video of the amazing road trip. |
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AECOM continues in-kind advisory Great Barrier Reef Foundation
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The EV Council’slatest report finds that Australia has made gains in EV uptake but faces steep road ahead. Electric vehicle sales hit record highs, high-power charging plugs expanded and many new EV models launched over the past year. |
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