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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 Update
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Welcome to Transport Australia |
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2. Policy News
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Australians spend around five billion hours travelling across the network each year, at an estimated value of $100 billion. |
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3. Event Update
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Arcadis joins as Sustainability Partner for the John Shaw Dinner |
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4. Upcoming Events
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2026 Transforming Transport Summit & John Shaw Dinner |
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CEO UPDATE |
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Welcome to Transport Australia, a new name that reflects a bigger task, but one built on the strong foundations and trusted legacy of Roads Australia.
Our new identity expresses what our sector already knows: transport is not just roads alone, but an integrated system connecting people, places, industry and opportunity. |
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At the heart of our expanded remit is the idea of driving connections between members, between modes, between stakeholders and between communities. In our logo, where Transport and Australia meet at the centre point and Australia is elevated, a simple expression of transport’s role in lifting the nation.
And while the brand takes us into a new era, it honours where we have come from and carries forward the trusted maroon of Roads Australia, now joined by a more contemporary, future-focused identity that helps us see further.
Our new Valuing Australia’s Transport Network research puts the scale of the transport network in view: around 5 billion hours of travel each year, about $100 billion worth of time, plus a $10–$22 trillion asset base – enabling almost every part of our economy.
Thank you to Scyne Advisory for partnering with us to develop this report. Scyne’s research rigor and transport expertise have made this a stand-out report not only for Transport Australia but for the transport industry as well.
At our launch event at the Sydney Opera House on Wednesday evening, we were honoured to have in the room NSW Transport Minister John Graham MLC, alongside many other public and private sector leaders from our industry.
A very special thank you Patron Arup for their support in making our launch event possible, alongside our other Patrons Arcadis, CPB Contractors, SMEC and Stantec. And to Bild Group for their partnership in the evening’s entertainment.
I’m also very excited to announce our new Patron, and the first to join us as Transport Australia, Ventia. |
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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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Australians spend around five billion hours travelling across the network each year, at an estimated value of $100 billion.
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Our inaugural research report, Valuing Australia’s Transport Network, shows transport directly contributes around $189 billion to the economy each year, equivalent to 9 per cent of GDP, and underpins almost every part of Australia’s $2.1 trillion economy.
From daily commutes and freight moving across long distances to supporting housing growth, liveability and the energy transition, the report argues transport should be understood not as a collection of individual assets or projects, but as a connected national system critical to productivity and everyday life.
It highlights the scale and significance of the national transport task, including:
- an indicative $10 trillion to $22 trillion replacement value for Australia’s land transport infrastructure
- a direct economic contribution of around $189 billion a year, or about 9 per cent of GDP
an estimated annual travel time value of around $100 billion
Over the next 12 months, Transport Australia will lead a national dialogue with governments, industry and experts on how Australia defines, measures and communicates the full value delivered by the transport network. |
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Valuing Australia’s Transport Network Report
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Valuing Australia’s Transport Network Media Release
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EVENT UPDATES |
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Arcadis joins as Sustainability Partner for the John Shaw Dinner
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Transport Australia is pleased to announce Arcadis as the Sustainability Partner for the John Shaw Dinner, supporting one of the sector’s premier gatherings of leaders from across Australia’s transport and infrastructure community.
As the industry focuses on delivering a transport system that is more resilient, efficient and sustainable, Arcadis’ partnership reflects the importance of embedding sustainability into the way we plan, deliver and operate transport networks. We thank Arcadis for its support of the John Shaw Dinner and its contribution to the national conversation on the future of transport. |
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UPCOMING EVENTS |
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The 2026 Transforming Transport Summit
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The agenda is now live for the 2026 Transforming Transport Summit: Connecting Communities, Powering the Economy.
The Summit will bring together top public and private sector leaders from across Australia and New Zealand to explore new ideas for a safe, sustainable, resilient and integrated system. Speakers include:
Jim Betts: Secretary, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport, and the Arts
Sally Stannard: Director-General, Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads
Jeroen Weimar: Secretary, Victorian Department of Transport and Planning
Josh Murray: Secretary, Transport for NSW
Michelle Jablko: CEO, Transurban |
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The 2026 John Shaw Dinner
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The John Shaw Dinner celebrates excellence in the transport sector, and is the most prestigious event on the industry calendar, attracting more than 750 leaders from across Australia.
In 2026, the event returns to the Crown Palladium in Melbourne and for the first time will be a black-tie dinner and awards evening.
The highest-honour of the evening, the John Shaw Medal, recognises an industry champion who has made significant and last contributions to the transport sector both in Australia and internationally.
The Ray Fisher Award for Technical Excellence, the Fellowship Alumni Award, and the Emerging Leaders Award (formerly the PPP Award), will also be presented on the evening. Application forms for all four awards are open now, and close on May 7, 2026.
The 2025 John Shaw Medal was presented to David Stuart-Watt AM, and the Ray Fisher Award for Technical Excellence, was awarded to Dr Torill Pape.
Dress Code: Black-tie |
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Our next edition will be out 26 March. Have stories, news or industry perspectives to share?
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