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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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A message from transport’s future leaders |
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2. Policy News
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CEO workshop to shape national transport priorities |
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3. Program
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Give your career an edge: 2027 Fellowship applications open soon |
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4. Upcoming Events
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Annual Lunch dates coming soon |
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5. People Moves
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Latest appointments from across the transport sector |
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6. Industry News
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Latest developments across the transport sector |
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CEO UPDATE |
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Last week, Transport Australia’s Emerging Leaders Forum brought professionals from across Australia together in Brisbane to learn, challenge ideas and build relationships across projects, disciplines and state borders.
The day began with site tours of Cross River Rail at Boggo Road, Albert Street and Clapham Yard to experience the excitement of a transformational rail project in major delivery. At an afternoon workshop, participants leveraged their insights to share their thoughts around the legacy of major project investment and delivery. |
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A live illustrator captured the ideas, challenges and honest advice shaping the day. At the centre of the finished artwork was an envelope marked “From your future self”, surrounded by one question: what legacy should today’s major projects leave for tomorrow’s transport system?
The answers were refreshingly direct: build trust in the trenches; make a great safety culture the norm; design before building; respect everyone because it is a small industry; and raise your hand to new things.
What struck me most was how far participants looked beyond individual projects and Brisbane 2032. They spoke about adaptable infrastructure, stronger transport connections, better retention of skills and knowledge, and a resilient workforce ready for what comes next.
The legacy of a major project is not only the asset left behind. It is also the people developed through delivery, the relationships built, the lessons carried forward and the purpose the project continues to serve long after the ribbon is cut.
Thank you to CPB Contractors, our speakers, the Future Leaders Committee and every member who helped create a day of practical insight and valuable national connections. |
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Be part of the conversation. Send your news and updates to Insider.
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POLICY NEWS |
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CEO workshop to shape national transport priorities
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Transport Australia will bring together State and Federal transport leaders and Tier 1 member CEOs in Melbourne on 14 October for a workshop focused on the national priorities shaping our sector.
The forum puts our purpose into practice by bringing government and industry together for discussion on the issues that matter. Participants will examine how the sector can lift productivity, strengthen network resilience and sustainability, maintain safety and support a healthy workforce culture.
Secretaries will share strategic priorities, challenges and successes from their jurisdictions, identifying areas where closer national collaboration could improve outcomes. Tier 1 CEOs will bring the industry perspective, including practical insights, innovations and solutions drawn from delivering and operating Australia’s transport networks.
The facilitated discussion will also help Transport Australia test and refine its policy priorities. Insights from the workshop will inform our advocacy and ensure our policy program remains grounded in the real delivery challenges facing government and industry.
Thank you to our Productivity Policy Partner AECOM for partnering with us to deliver this workshop in Melbourne. |
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Transport is a productive national asset
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People see the road they drive on or train they catch, but they rarely see the freight corridors, intermodal links, signalling, maintenance and operational systems working behind them. Transport tends to become visible only when it fails.
At Trasport for NSW InMotion 2026, Transport Australia CEO Ehssan Veiszadeh joined the Enable the Economy panel, where he discussed an often overlooked part of Australia’s economic story: the transport network that makes almost every other industry possible.
Transport Australia’s Value Australia’s Transport Network report found transport activity directly supports around $189 billion in economic output each year, equal to 9 per cent of GDP. Australians also spend five billion hours travelling annually, with that time valued at about $100 billion.
The panel explored what it takes to turn investment into lasting value. Construction creates an asset, but integrated planning, maintenance, resilience, sustainable funding and smart operations determine how well it performs over its life.
Freight must be central to that thinking. Every home, energy project and supermarket shelf depends on it. Yet industry participants at our Perth Industry Lunch rated freight’s importance to national prosperity and security at 4.5 out of five, while rating the future-readiness of our freight infrastructure just 2.4.
Technology can help us extract more value from what we already have, from advanced train control and intelligent network management to higher-quality data and digital freight platforms.
The task now is to plan, fund and operate transport as one connected national system. It is not simply a cost or a collection of projects. It is a productive national asset. |
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PROGRAM |
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Give your career an edge: 2027 Fellowship applications open soon
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Applications for Transport Australia’s 2027 Fellowship Program open on Monday, 3 August, with a record intake of 60 Fellows planned for the year ahead.
If you are considering applying, join our information webinar on Tuesday, 11 August to hear how the program works, what is involved and how the Fellowship can give your career an edge.
The Fellowship is for emerging leaders ready to broaden their knowledge of the transport sector, strengthen their leadership capability and make connections beyond their organisation, discipline or region.
Every Fellow receives a Golden Ticket to all Transport Australia events in their state, providing access to industry leaders and the conversations shaping the sector. Fellows are also matched with a senior mentor for practical career conversations, honest advice and a perspective outside their workplace.
Just as valuable is the active network Fellows build with peers across government, contracting, consulting, operations and technology. Alumni continue meeting with mentors, collaborating through policy working groups, hosting site visits and staying connected through their own peer networks long after the formal program ends.
The Fellowship also turns knowledge into action. A policy project developed by five 2023 Fellows has progressed into a digital utility portal being piloted by Before You Dig Australia to improve access to underground utility information.
Applications for the Fellowship open 3 August 2026. Register for the Fellowship information webinar on 11 August 2026 to learn more. |
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Meet a mentor: Tom Pearce
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Tom Pearce, Managing Director of Infragroup, is a trusted and approachable infrastructure adviser with extensive experience across transaction and contract management, procurement, commercial advisory, project governance and strategic delivery.
Having worked across government agencies, multinational organisations and major infrastructure projects throughout Australia, Tom brings both public and private sector perspectives to mentoring. His breadth of experience gives Fellows practical insight into how complex projects are planned, procured and delivered, as well as the leadership decisions that shape successful careers.
Why did you choose to become a mentor through the Fellowship Program? It really is a valuable opportunity to hopefully play a meaningful role in the career development of the seriously impressive people we have across our industry that take part in the Fellowship Program. I just feel privileged to have the chance to sit, listen, go deep sometimes, and share some thoughts that might make a difference.
What have you gained from the mentoring relationship, professionally or personally? Working through and going on the journey of an individual’s background, achievements, motivations, and dreams in this game is personally very rewarding. It even goes to prompt your own reflections on the career established to date and what else could pop up on your own journey! |
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UPCOMING EVENTS |
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QLD Industry Lunch with Neil Stephens | Brisbane | 21 August
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Transport Australia invites you to join Queensland’s transport and infrastructure community in Brisbane on 21 August for an industry lunch with Neil Stephens, CEO of the Port of Brisbane.
Neil will be joined by Sally Stannard, Director-General of the Department of Transport and Main Roads, for a timely conversation about the projects, connections and investment decisions shaping the port’s next era.
For industry, this is an opportunity to:
• hear directly from two of Queensland’s senior transport leaders
• understand the long-term priorities likely to shape freight and infrastructure planning
• explore what Vision 2060 means for operators, contractors, consultants and supply-chain partners
• connect with government and industry leaders working across Queensland’s transport system
The event runs from 12pm to 2.30pm in Brisbane CBD. |
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SA Industry Lunch with Jon Whelan | Adelaide | 10 September
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Reconnect with industry colleagues at Transport Australia’s industry lunch with Jon Whelan, Chief Executive of South Australia’s Department for Infrastructure and Transport, on 10 September.
Mr Whelan will provide a senior agency perspective on South Australia’s transport and infrastructure priorities, delivery pipeline and policy agenda for the year ahead.
The discussion comes as South Australia delivers a $25 billion transport pipeline, including the $15.4 billion T2D project, the Greater Adelaide Freight Bypass and safer regional networks.
As Chair of the Austroads Board, Mr Whelan also brings a national perspective on the shared challenges facing transport agencies across Australia and New Zealand, including productivity, road safety, asset resilience, workforce capacity and the delivery of complex projects.
Following our June conversation with Minister Joe Szakacs MP, this event gives members the opportunity to hear directly from the agency chief responsible for turning government priorities into delivery.
The event runs from 12pm to 2.30pm at SkyCity Adelaide. |
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Transport Australia's Emerging Leaders Breakfast Series is back
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Designed for early-career professionals across transport and infrastructure, each breakfast combines practical industry insight with the opportunity to meet peers, build relationships and connect with people working across government, consulting, construction, engineering and operations.
Each event will tackle the issues shaping its city:
• Melbourne: managing interfaces, disruption and delivery across major projects
• Perth: connecting projects, freight corridors, ports and supply chains
• Adelaide: delivering whole-of-life value across South Road and the wider network
• Sydney: how design and constructability decisions shape network performance
• Brisbane: turning infrastructure pipeline ambition into delivery on the ground
These are practical conversations about what happens beyond the project plan. Expect honest lessons on decision-making, risk, collaboration, delivery pressures and the skills needed to build a career in a changing industry.
The Emerging Leaders program is proudly sponsored by CPB Contractors. |
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Save the dates: TA Annual Lunches return for 2026
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Transport Australia’s 2026 Annual Lunches return across Australia and New Zealand at the end of this year, bringing members, government and industry leaders together to reflect on the year and look ahead to the priorities shaping each jurisdiction.
Save the dates:
• Adelaide: Friday, 13 November
• Sydney: Friday, 20 November
• Auckland: Thursday, 26 November
• Perth: Wednesday, 2 December
• Brisbane: Friday, 4 December
• Hobart: Wednesday, 9 December
• Melbourne: Friday, 11 December 2026
Each lunch will provide a valuable opportunity to hear from transport leaders, strengthen relationships and continue the conversations needed to build a safer, more productive and better-connected transport system. |
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PEOPLE MOVES |
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Adam Copp has been reappointed as Infrastructure Australia CEO for another three-year term. |
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Heidi Mitchell has been appointed CEO of WT Australia, stepping up from COO after leading the firm’s strategy and values relaunch since 2023. |
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John Sams has been appointed new CEO of KPMG Australia, with deep expertise in infrastructure advisory and major project delivery. |
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Anthony Donald has been appointed CEO of Interport Global, bringing ports and infrastructure experience to lead the proposed $20 billion Project Velocity investment pipeline across Central Queensland. |
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Christopher Hood has been appointed new CEO of Queensland-based Agricultural logistics and supply-chain operator Wingara AG Limited, bringing experience from Grainx Australia and the East West Road and Rail intermodal network. |
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Transport Australia Fellowship alumnus David Li has been appointed Technical Direct at Aurecon, based in Singapore and working across the wider Southeast Asia region. |
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Chris Wing has joined BG&E as National Pavements Lead. |
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INDUSTRY NEWS |
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BMD appointed for Brisbane Stadium early works
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BMD Constructions has been appointed to deliver the early works for the new Brisbane Stadium at Victoria Park.
The early works program includes bulk earthworks, erosion and sediment controls, haul roads, stormwater drains, retaining walls and a logistics plaza.
BMD will bring local workforce and supply chain expertise to the project. The early works are due for completion by mid-2027.
The 63,000-seat stadium will host the opening and closing ceremonies and athletics at the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. |
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Project Swift to accelerate NSW road delivery
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Transport for NSW is rolling out Project Swift across its road program after trials showed planning, procurement and construction could be significantly faster.
The new approach removes duplicated processes and tailors project development to each project’s size and risk. Projects that once took over seven years from funding to construction could now move into procurement in under 12 months.
The aim is to remove unnecessary administration, and the framework would not remove safety, environmental or community protections. |
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DT Infrastructure awarded Rockhampton and Bundaberg station upgrades
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DT Infrastructure has been awarded the design and construct contracts for major accessibility upgrades at Rockhampton and Bundaberg stations.
The projects will deliver improved accessibility, safety and customer experience at two of Queensland’s key regional rail hubs. Upgrades include better access for passengers with limited mobility, safer station precincts and modernised facilities for daily commuters and visitors.
Stantec is the lead designer, working alongside DT Infrastructure and Queensland Rail.
Design work is now underway, with site works scheduled for 2027. |
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Rising e-mobility fires prompt rail safety review
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Lithium-ion battery fires linked to e-bikes and e-scooters are on the rise, and rail networks are taking notice.
A new report for the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONSRR), led by GHD’s Dr Eleanor Short, examines the risks these devices pose in enclosed, high-density rail environments. Fire and Rescue NSW recorded 324 lithium-ion battery fires in 2024, up from 165 in 2022.
Thermal runaway, a chain reaction within battery cells, can cause intense heat, flames and toxic gases with little warning.
ONSRR has written to all mainline passenger operators requiring them to review controls for e-rideable fires on trains and trams.
Dr Short said education about warning signs and safety practices is one of the most practical steps rail networks can take.
The report also points to fragmented regulation, with devices able to be imported without consistent safety certification across most states. |
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Get in front of industry. Contribute to the next edition of Insider, out 13 August.
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