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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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Our inaugural CEO workshop |
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2. Program
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Meet the 2027 FLC |
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3. Event highlights
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Emerging Leaders series wraps up |
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4. Upcoming events
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Annual Lunches; Summit Week 2027 |
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5. People moves
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Updates for your contacts book |
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6. Industry news
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Highlights from across the sector |
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Have stories, news or industry perspectives to share?
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FROM THE CEO |
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Transport Australia facilitates many industry conversations, but our inaugural CEO Workshop held in Melbourne last week was different.
We brought together Tier-1 CEOs, agency heads and government secretaries from across the country for a candid discussion about the tectonic shifts experienced by our sector, the barriers to delivery and investment, and the practical changes that would make a meaningful difference.
It was a pleasure to have Fiona Adamson, Secretary of the Department of Transport and Planning, in the room as our newest Board member. It means a great deal to have Fiona provide continuity for the Victorian Government on our Board. |
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For members, the value of the workshop was in having industry and government decision-makers in the same room to not just share priorities, but workshop approaches, test ideas and understand what it would take to move shared plans forward. There was a clear willingness to work through these issues together and focus on practical solutions. It was particularly valuable to understand how members ranked their priorities and the reasons behind those choices.
TA takes pride in bringing evidence and industry experience into discussions with government, identifying improvements and making a credible case for change. Transport supports business activity, access to opportunity and connected communities. Its performance depends on how well the system works together.
The workshop will inform our strategic priorities and advocacy, keeping members’ operating realities at the centre of that work. We will share more in the coming weeks.
Thank you to everyone who contributed, and to AECOM for hosting us in their Melbourne office and the team which supported us on the day. |
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If you have stories, news or industry perspectives to share please submit
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CELEBRATE WITH US |
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Annual Lunch tickets on sale
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Whatever 2026 has brought your organisation, there is value in taking time to reconnect, recognise the milestones, and celebrate the people who keep our sector moving.
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Don't miss our end-of-year celebration
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Tickets are now on sale to Transport Australia’s Annual Lunch series across Australia and New Zealand. Bring your team, invite your clients and catch up with colleagues over lunch, with perspectives from senior government and transport leaders.
This year’s line-up includes:
Adelaide, 13 November: Hon Joe Szakacs MP, SA Minister for Infrastructure and Transport.
Sydney, 20 November: Hon John Graham MLC, NSW Minister for Transport.
Auckland, 27 November: Sara Lindsay, Group General Manager, Commercial and Corporate, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.
Perth, 2 December: Hon Rita Saffioti MLA, WA Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Transport and Major Infrastructure and Minister for Sport and Recreation.
Brisbane, 4 December: Hon Brent Mickelberg MP, QLD Minister for Transport and Main Roads.
Hobart, 9 December: Shane Gregory, Secretary, Building Tasmania.
Melbourne, 11 December: rounding out the series.
Across projects, operations, policy and delivery, relationships help our industry make progress. These lunches offer a welcome opportunity to strengthen those connections, make new ones and look ahead together.
Whether your year has delivered milestones, difficult decisions or plenty of both, join us to acknowledge the effort, thank the people alongside you and finish the year in good company.
Get tickets |
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PROGRAMS |
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Meet our 2027 Future Leaders Committee
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Matt Burns (Transport for NSW) will lead Transport Australia’s Future Leaders Committee as Chair in 2027, with Kelli Hansen (SMEC) as Deputy Chair, supporting our Fellowship and Emerging Leaders programs.
We welcome three new members: Matt Rogers (Transurban) and Uma Ranjan (Gamuda) representing NSW, and Gretta Stewart (John Holland) representing Victoria. They join continuing members Alex Berry (WSP) in Victoria, Rebecca Greenaway (Aurecon) in WA and Ana Guzman (WSP) in SA.
With a record number of Fellows joining in 2027, additional representation in NSW and Victoria will help share the Committee’s workload and strengthen local connections and support.
We also thank Chair Verity Turner (Transurban) for her service on the FLC including two years as Chair. Verity has provided valued leadership and continuity through our transition from Roads Australia to Transport Australia.
Thank you to everyone who nominated. We look forward to involving more alumni in Fellowship activities, Emerging Leaders events and alumni gatherings in 2027. Stay tuned for more detail about the 2027 Fellowship cohort. |
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EVENT HIGHLIGHTS |
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Practical lessons and lasting connections: Emerging Leaders series wraps up
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Thinking beyond project handover and building the skills to lead complex projects were central to TA’s Emerging Leaders Breakfasts in Adelaide and Perth, which completed our five-city series for 2026.
In Adelaide, Fellowship alumni Chloe Williams, Design Director at Aurecon, and Mark Elms, Manager, Delivery Strategy, Road Maintenance at South Australia’s Department for Infrastructure and Transport, explored what success looks like decades after a road opens. Their advice: involve maintenance teams early, consider the lasting implications of design decisions and keep the communities using the network in view.
In Perth, Padraic Murphy, Project Director for Westport Road and Rail at the Office of Major Transport Infrastructure Delivery, and Jason Flowerdew, Smart Construction and Development, discussed WA’s freight future and the leadership skills needed to deliver it. They encouraged participants to look beyond their discipline, navigate disagreement constructively and seek opportunities that broaden their experience.
Across both conversations, a shared message emerged: effective leadership grows through curiosity, relationships and an understanding of how individual decisions affect the wider transport system.
Following Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, these events concluded a series co-designed with emerging leaders around practical learning and honest discussion.
Thank you to our speakers, facilitators Ana Guzman (WSP) and Rebecca Greenaway (Aurecon), the Future Leaders Committee, and Emerging Leaders Program sponsor CPB Contractors for supporting connections and learning across the industry. |
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UPCOMING EVENTS |
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Western Sydney: Delivering the next phase of growth
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How can transport turn Western Sydney’s growth into greater productivity, opportunity and connection?
Join TA at CommBank Stadium, Parramatta, on Tuesday, 27 October, for an Industry Lunch with Hon Jenny Aitchison MP, NSW Minister for Roads and Minister for Regional Transport.
Also joining the discussion is Transport for NSW Secretary Josh Murray, and Camilla Driver, new Chief Executive of Sydney Metro.
The discussion will explore the infrastructure, planning and partnerships needed to connect communities, employment precincts and freight corridors across a changing region.
For industry, it is an opportunity to consider how roads, public transport and freight networks can work together to support housing, jobs and investment. Join government and industry colleagues for a timely conversation about Western Sydney’s future.
Event partner: Stantec |
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Save the Date: Transforming Transport Summit and John Shaw Dinner
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Join Transport Australia in Sydney on Thursday, 20 May 2027 for two flagship events bringing government and industry leaders together to discuss transport’s future and celebrate the sector.
The Transforming Transport Summit at W Sydney will provide an opportunity to exchange ideas, explore shared priorities and connect with colleagues working across the transport system. That evening, the John Shaw Dinner at ICC Sydney’s Grand Ballroom will bring the industry together for celebration and connection.
The program begins on Wednesday, 19 May, with pre-Summit networking at Ventia, offering time to reconnect with colleagues and build new relationships ahead of the main events.
Key dates and times:
Pre-Summit networking: Wednesday, 19 May, 6–8pm.
Transforming Transport Summit: Thursday, 20 May, 8am–4.30pm.
John Shaw Dinner: Thursday, 20 May, 6–11pm.
Mark your calendar and plan to join us in Sydney for discussion, fresh perspectives and opportunities to connect. |
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If you have stories, news or industry perspectives to share please submit
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PEOPLE MOVES |
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Shane Gregory
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Shane has been appointed Secretary of Building Tasmania. |
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Simon Barnes
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Simon is now Chief Executive Officer, Australia at Fulton Hogan. |
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Heather Bone
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Heather has joined AECOM as Industry Director, Future Fuels, Fleets and Facilities. |
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Matthew Fleet
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Matthew has been promoted to Industry Director, Major Projects at AECOM. |
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Roxy Shirvani
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Roxy has begun a new role as Director, Delivery Strategy and Improvement at VIDA Roads. |
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John Perrott
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John, a Fellowship alumni, has been promoted to Market Sector Manager, Transport WA at KBR. |
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Simone Hutchinson
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Simone, a Fellowship allumni, begins a new role as Executive Director, South Australia at North Projects in November. |
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INDUSTRY NEWS |
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Sydney's Southwest Metro to open on 30 October
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Southwest Metro will open on Friday, 30 October, connecting communities from Bankstown through the CBD to the city’s northwest and delivering a significant boost to public transport capacity.
The NSW Government confirmed the opening following final safety approval from the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator. Passenger services will begin at 4.31am, with trains every four minutes during weekday peaks.
The converted railway will provide 50 per cent more passenger capacity than the former T3 Bankstown Line. Journeys from Bankstown to Central will take 28 minutes, while passengers travelling from Canterbury to Chatswood will save 23 minutes.
For the transport industry and our members, the opening marks the culmination of a complex engineering and delivery task: converting a 130-year-old railway and heritage stations into a modern, driverless metro system.
Station upgrades include platform screen doors, improved passenger information and new lifts, with five stations becoming accessible by lift for the first time. The opening follows 30,000 kilometres of testing and more than 6,000 timetabled test runs.
The project demonstrates how investment in an integrated transport network can expand access to jobs, education and services, while giving communities more travel choices. Additional staff and Southwest Link buses will support passengers during the opening weekend. |
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INDUSTRY NEWS |
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Transport for NSW seeks industry feedback
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Transport for NSW’s annual Industry Sentiment Monitor is now open, inviting feedback on the issues affecting industry and opportunities to improve how government and industry work together.
The survey seeks views on early market engagement, procurement processes, workforce challenges and industry capability. Findings will help shape Transport for NSW’s engagement priorities for 2027 and beyond, support policy discussions and inform improvements to project planning, procurement and delivery.
Industry participants are encouraged to share what is working, where barriers remain and which practical changes would make a difference. Sharing the survey with relevant colleagues will help capture perspectives across the sector.
The survey takes approximately 15 minutes, and all responses are anonymous. Participants who would like to provide more detailed feedback can also indicate their interest in a follow-up discussion.
Have your say through the TfNSW industry portal before the survey closes at 5pm on Friday, 6 November 2026. |
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BYDA seeks industry partners for utility portal case studies
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Before You Dig Australia (BYDA) wants to work with industry on project case studies to support implementation of its Digital Utility Portal.
BYDA is seeking participants to test the platform on live projects, building evidence of how better access to underground utility information can improve planning, excavation safety and productivity.
Originating in a 2023 Transport Australia Fellowship project, the secure, GIS-enabled Portal brings fragmented, PDF-based asset plans into a single interactive map.
A proof-of-concept trial involving more than 1,000 industry stakeholders found average savings of 9.6 engineering hours per planning request. Pilots include Brisbane’s Olympics construction program and projects in Sydney, Perth and northwest WA.
Planners, engineers and delivery teams are encouraged to register for Portal access and explore opportunities to contribute a case study.
To discuss participation, contact Kitty McCarthy, BYDA Head of Product, Digital and Data, at kitty.mccarthy@byda.com.au. |
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