Conference Agenda

09:00 - 09:30

Keynote Address from Infrastructure Canberra

• Shaping Canberra’s Infrastructure Program

Gillian Geraghty, Director-General, Infrastructure Canberra, ACT Chief Engineer

09:30 - 10:00

Light Rail – Stage 2A

• Light Rail Stage 2A will extend the light rail system from Alinga Street to Commonwealth Park. The 1.7km extension will follow along London Circuit West. It will feature stops at Edinburgh Avenue and City South. It will feature new stops at Edinburgh Avenue, City South, and Commonwealth Park.
• Light Rail Stage 2A will provide greater connection between the city and the lake. It will support active travel in the city by including new cycling and walking infrastructure.
• Project overview and updates

Anthony Haraldson, Acting Deputy Project Director - Light Rail, Infrastructure Canberra

10:00 - 10:30

Speed Networking
This speed networking session will allow delegates to introduce themselves and swap business cards with other conference attendees.

10:30 - 11:00

Keynote Address from the City Renewal Authority

• Revitalising Central Canberra
• Creating a great place to live and visit.

Craig Gillman, Chief Executive Officer, City Renewal Authority

11:30 - 11:50

ACT Infrastructure Investment (Road and Rail) by the Australian Government

• Building a more sustainable and credible pipeline of investment in resilient, nationally significant infrastructure.
• $785 million allocated to the ACT over the next 10 years by the Australian Government.

Lok Potticary, Assistant Secretary, NSW and ACT Infrastructure Investment, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts

11:50 - 12:10

ICN:  Built for Business, Designed for Growth

• The presentation will center on ICN's Structure, the essential business tools used to promote collaboration and connection between buyers, suppliers and government etc across the country and how Morgan personally works with businesses in the ACT to achieve these goals. 

Morgan Ferrier, ACT Business Manager, Industry Capability Network (ICN) ACT

12:10 - 12:30

Social and Indigenous Inclusion in Infrastructure Projects

• Adding long-term social and economic value to cities and communities
• Accelerating Indigenous business and employment growth
• Fostering and sustaining Indigenous engagement in industry supply chains

Belinda Kendall, Chief Executive Officer and Business Lead, Curijo

12:30 - 13:00

CIT Woden Campus Project

• The ACT Government is investing in a purpose-built CIT campus, youth foyer and new public transport interchange for Woden, stimulating the local economy and supporting the revitalisation of Canberra’s southern hub.
• Design Overview

Amanda Fyfe, Lead Partner ACT, Gray Puksand

14:00 - 14:20

The City as a Score: Conducting the future of Canberra

The great cities of the world have their own soundtracks, their own rhythms and pulse.

New York is syncopation, a city built on improvisation. Paris is an accordion in Montmartre. Rio is the sway of the samba, and Berlin a techno beat. What of Canberra? What is our sound?

With the ACT Government introducing new policies to strengthen Canberra’s nighttime economy, including the establishment of the City Centre Entertainment Precinct, our city is at a turning point. Now is the time to think beyond individual venues and ask how music can be embedded into our urban fabric as an essential part of city-making.

All cities are music cities. But not all cities design, maintain and invest in their musical identity as a type of infrastructure. Yet, if Canberra is a driver of economic growth, social cohesion and cultural identity, how can Canberra build on its new reforms to maximise the benefits for our city’s future?

What would happen if we treated Canberra’s music like a type of infrastructure? How would that change the way we design and develop our city?

In this session, Catherine Carter will examine how every street, square, bridge and building in Canberra is part of a larger score – and how we can tune Canberra’s urban renewal for sound. This session will explore:

• How can the ACT’s recent reforms be a springboard for positioning Canberra as a leading global ‘music city’?
• What is the economic case for treating music as infrastructure beyond entertainment precincts?
• What are the key indicators for a musical city across governance, economics, social and cultural wellbeing?
• What can we learn from global music cities? What do they do well? What can we do better?
• How can the built environment better support our grassroots music scene and broader cultural economy?
• What practical changes can we make today to better ‘compose’ our city’s future sound?

Catherine Carter, CEO, DJAS Architecture, Managing Director, Salon Canberra

14:20 - 15:00

Panel Discussion
Role of Cultural Infrastructure in Precinct Development

Exploring how cultural infrastructure plays a critical role in precinct development, investment attraction, infrastructure and the long-term sustainability of cities.With the ACT Government introducing new policies to strengthen Canberra’s nighttime economy, there is a major opportunity to integrate culture into broader infrastructure planning.

Catherine Carter, CEO, DJAS Architecture, Managing Director, Salon Canberra
Dr Tim Williams, Head of Cities, Grimshaw
Elvis Gleeson, Director, Creative Guild
Rebecca Townsend, Founding Director, Creative Road

15:30 - 15:55

Is the construction sector headed for a hard landing?

• President Donald Trump's return to the White house has seen a flurry of executive actions, statements, and threats. How will the rapidly changing geopolitical landscape affect the Australian construction sector?
• With governments and households under pressure to reduce spending, how much further can construction activity grow?
• In this presentation Dr Nicholas Fearnley will take stock of the ACT's construction market and discuss the broader issues facing the industry including sustainability, capacity and capability, costs and funding.

Dr Nicholas Fearnley, Head of Global Construction, Oxford Economics

15:55 - 16:30

Panel Discussion
Planning ACT's Infrastructure for the Future

• Housing Canberra's growing population – addressing supply and affordability
• Delivering infrastructure to support sustainable growth of the ACT
• Addressing construction skills shortages

Anna Neelagama, Chief Executive Officer, Master Builders ACT
Ashlee Berry, ACT and Capital Region Executive Director, Property Council of Australia
Dr. Darius Danesh, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM)
Natalia Anderson, ACT President, Planning Institute of Australia (PIA), Associate Director- Capital Region, Gyde Consulting

09:05 - 09:35

Speed Networking
This speed networking session will allow delegates to introduce themselves and swap business cards with other conference attendees.

09:35 - 10:05

Dario Spralja, Principal, Architectus
Muir Livingstone, Partner, Foster + Partners

10:05 - 10:30

Building a Better Canberra for Today and Future Generations

Canberra is highly regarded for its liveability, reflecting a strong commitment to quality of life. Join us at the upcoming conference to explore Canberra's strengths and challenges, and collaborate on shaping a more liveable city. Learn how intentional urban planning and design can enhance residents' quality of life, promote sustainable growth, and create vibrant, inclusive communities. This session will highlight the Government's design guidelines and their impact on Canberra's transformation. Engage with experts, share insights, and contribute to the conversation on building a better Canberra for today and future generations. Together, let's envision a city that thrives on smart design and thoughtful development.

Mel Jones, Associate Director, Urbis

10:30 - 11:00

Delivering People-Focused Neighbourhoods Across the ACT: Presentation from Suburban Land Agency

Adam Davey, Chief Executive Officer, Suburban Land Agency

11:30 - 12:00

Molonglo River Bridge Project

• The new bridge will span approximately 200 metres across the region’s major river, the Molonglo River. It will also be built above the one-in-100-year flood level of the Molonglo River.
• The completion of this major road and bridge project will support improved traffic safety and public transport.

Sam Tindal, Project Manager, BMD Group

12:00 - 12:30

2023 - 2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy

• Protecting Australia's Critical Infrastructure Assets

Fiona Brockenshire, Assistant Director - National Office of Cyber Security, Department of Home Affairs

12:30 - 13:00

Ginninderry - The Power of Collaboration

Ginninderry is more than just a residential development and infrastructure project —it's a bold vision for a sustainable, connected, and inclusive future.

Find out how:

• government, industry and community collaboration drives innovation and the long-term vision for Ginninderry
• community  voices can be embedded in large-scale urban development
• building inclusive, sustainable neighbourhoods can inspire a new way of living

Jessica Stewart, Head of Sustainability and Community Development, Ginninderry

14:00 - 14:30

Passive Sustainable Design: Towards Affordable Sustainable Housing in Canberra

Ric Butt, Director, Strine Environments

14:30 - 15:00

Unpacking Australia’s Housing Crisis and the Link to Infrastructure Development: Innovate, Collaborate, Act! 

Join us for a session unpacking the urgency of the housing crisis and exploring innovative solutions that tackle the hidden infrastructure barriers prior to pouring the slab that are crippling housing supply. We will discuss the cycle of instability in temporary accommodation, political barriers to change, grassroots initiatives, and collaborative strategies for impact. Learn how you can make a difference, from advocacy to supporting affordable housing initiatives to pave the way for a more equitable future.

Nicholas Proud, Chief Executive Officer, Civil Contractors Federation Australia Ltd