Conference Agenda

09:00 - 09:30

SPEED NETWORKING

This speed networking session will allow delegates to introduce themselves and swap business cards with those they are seated with and other summit attendees.

09:30 - 10:00

Ministerial Address

Hon. Minister Nick Duigan MLC, Minister for Energy and Renewables, Minister for Parks and Environment

10:00 - 10:30

Address by Infrastructure Tasmania

• Looking at Tasmania's Infrastructure Priorities
• Boosting Tasmania’s Economy – Roads and Bridges Infrastructure
• Why Invest in Tasmania?

Ben Goodsir, Chief Executive Officer, Infrastructure Tasmania

10:30 - 11:00

TasPorts Projects – Building a Port for Future Generations

• QuayLink gives reference to the long-term history of port operations in Devonport since the 1800s and the critical future role that the port provides as a linkage between Tasmania and the mainland.
• QuayLink is a $240 million investment to upgrade the East Devonport port infrastructure and to future-proof Devonport as a tourism gateway for the next 50 years.

Michel de Vos, Group Executive Major Projects, Assets and Technical Services, TasPorts

11:30 - 11:50

AgriVision 2050 – Competitiveness of Tasmanian Agriculture for 2050

• The Tasmanian Government has an ambitious goal to grow the annual value of the State’s agriculture to $10 billion by 2050.
• Investment in agricultural research, development and extension (RD&E) is a key factor to achieving the growth rate necessary to reach this target.
• Project Update

Nathan Calman, Chief Executive Officer, Tas Farmers

11:50 - 12:10

Tranche Three Program Update

• Irrigation Projects and Adjacent Opportunities

Jacob Gerke, Project Delivery Program Manager, Tas Irrigation

12:10 - 12:30

Tourism as a Catalyst for Economic Growth

• As one of the fastest growing and most resilient economic activities, tourism is a catalyst for job creation and can stimulate the development of infrastructure and public services.
• A look at East Coast Tasmania Tourism regional priority projects 2022 – 2025.
• Innovative solutions post covid to help boost tourism within the region.

Anne Greentree, Director, Visitor Economy Strategy & Research, Tourism Tasmania

12:30 - 12:50

Introducing Bluebeam and Its Use Across the Project Lifecycle

Digitise your plan reviews and approvals with greater speed and accuracy using software designed for civil engineering, land planning, and public development project collaboration. Bluebeam Revu enables secure plan and permit reviews, markups, and modifications, allowing for easy editing of drawings and documents with industry standard tools. Custom toolsets can be saved and shared to ensure alignment among clients and project partners. Revu also enhances preconstruction estimation by enabling visual searches, quick asset counts, and precise measurements, linking totals to Excel for accurate estimates. Additionally, it tracks all markups on PDFs, including author and status, and exports data to BI tools for actionable insights into project progress and asset management.

Ben Byrnes, Professional Services Lead for Structural Engineering, ARKANCE | VinZero A2K Technologies

12:50 - 13:10

Presentation by TasRex

• TasRex is progressing the Northern Midlands Solar Farm with landowner Roderic O’Connor. At 288MW, it will be the state’s largest solar farm. The project has achieved planning and environmental approvals, and is working through transmission, EPC and offtaker frameworks.
• TasRex is working with a global offshore wind ddeveloper to progress licences for ~2GW of offshore wind farms off Tasmania’s north coast, taking advantage of Bass Strait’s world-class Roaring 40s wind resource.

Bess Clark, Chief Executive Officer, TasRex

14:10 - 14:30

Bryn Estyn Water Treatment Plant Upgrade

• The Bryn Estyn Water Treatment Plant (WTP) is Greater Hobart’s primary source of drinking water, providing around 60 per cent of the water supplied to customers in the Hobart, Glenorchy, Clarence, Brighton, Derwent Valley, Kingborough, Sorell and the Southern Midlands municipalities.
• With a budget of $243.9 million, the upgrade at Bryn Estyn is the largest capital works project in TasWater’s history.
• Project update

Tony Willmott, General Manager - Project Delivery, TasWater

14:30 - 14:50

New Bridgewater Bridge Project

• Building a new Bridgewater Bridge is Tasmania’s largest ever transport infrastructure project. The new bridge will make travel safer and more efficient. It will connect local communities, create more open space and change the way people travel between the north and south of the state.
• Major construction is underway, and the project will be finished in 2025.
• Project update.

Ben Moloney, Project Director, New Bridgewater, Department of State Growth (TAS)

14:50 - 15:10

Midland Highway 10 Year Action Plan – Latest update

• Improving road safety and decreasing driver frustration by providing a safer road with more overtaking opportunities. The safety upgrade includes the installation of a flexible safety barrier to reduce the number of head on crashes and will include road widening, extending sealed shoulders and building additional overtaking lanes.
• Project update

Vanessa King, Acting Director Programming and Delivery, Department of State Growth (TAS)

15:40 - 16:00

City of Launceston Major Projects

• Overview of major projects across the city of Launceston

Matthew Garwood, Mayor, City of Launceston

16:00 - 16:45

Presentation and Fireside Chat: Reducing Tasmania's Carbon Emissions by 2030

Alan Whykes, Editor, Tasmanian Times
Lachlan Johnson, Research Fellow, TPE, University of Tasmania
Richard Eccleston, Director, TPE and Professor of Public Policy, University of Tasmania

09:00 - 09:20

Ministerial Address – Government’s Plan to Build Tasmania’s Healthcare Infrastructure

Hon. Guy Barnett, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Minister for Veterans' Affairs

09:20 - 09:40

SPEED NETWORKING

This speed networking session will allow delegates to introduce themselves and swap business cards with those they are seated with and other summit attendees.

09:40 - 10:00

Energising Tasmania – A New Era of Hydropower

• As Australia’s largest generator of renewable energy, Hydro Tasmania is embarking on a new era of hydropower, transforming its hydropower system to meet the needs of a modern energy system.
• Learn about plans for major renewable energy projects including reimagining the iconic 85-year-old Tarraleah scheme to deliver more energy, flexibility and capacity, and new pumped hydro at Lake Cethana to provide the critical long duration storage needed to meet future energy demands.

Erin van Maanen, Executive General Manager, Strategy, Hydro Tasmania

10:00 - 10:20

Transforming Construction Culture: Leveraging Technology for Retention and Equity

• Innovative Retention Strategies: Employing advanced technological solutions to retain women in the construction industry, effectively addressing labor shortages by fostering sustainable cultural change.
• Transforming Industry Culture: Tackling systemic issues and psychosocial hazards by utilising technology to uncover and address subconscious biases, leading to significant behavioral and cultural transformations within the industry.

Angela Hucker, Chief Executive Officer, EPIC - Empowering People in Construction

10:20 - 10:40

Addressing Skills Shortages in the Construction and Infrastructure Sector Across Tasmania

• How do we attract and retain the right people to build the major large-scale projects over the coming years across Tasmania?

Nik Ruparel, Director, ProNEXUS Careers

10:40 - 11:00

The Urban Renewal project - Macquarie Point Precinct

• An Australian Government investment of $240 million under the 2023-24 Budget will help unlock the potential of the Macquarie Point precinct, cementing the site as the next step in building a more vibrant Hobart.
• The Macquarie Point Urban Renewal project has a multi-purpose stadium at its core, which will inspire economic activity around it and strengthen our economy for decades to come.
• Project update.

Anne Beach, Chief Executive Officer, Macquarie Point Development Corporation

11:30 - 11:50

How Can We Accelerate Construction to Meet Timelines and Budgets Through Alternative Construction Materials and Methods?

Construction materials and methods are pivotal in shaping construction projects' efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and quality. Considered selection of the hybrid structural systems offers advantages that align with completing projects on time and within budget, as well as challenging the traditional construction model to date. Careful planning and selection of the construction material and systems, while considering availability in the Tasmanian market, may bring multiple benefits, facilitating on-site construction by optimising quality and cost-savings for our future.

Dr. Manikandan Muthiah, Engineering Manager, HED Consulting

11:50 - 12:10

Challenges in the Infrastructure, Building & Construction Sector

• Delve into challenges that affect the sector and solutions.

Catherine Searle, Industry leadership in Infrastructure and Renewable Energy,

12:10 - 12:30

ABEL Energy Project

• Green Methanol production at Bell Bay. The $3b opportunity for Tasmania.

Simon Talbot, Chief Executive Officer, ABEL Energy

12:30 - 12:50

Marinus Link Project

• Marinus Link is a proposed electricity and telecommunications interconnector between Tasmania and Victoria.
• It will enable the flow of electricity in both directions between the two states, delivering low-cost, reliable and clean energy for customers in the National Electricity Market (NEM). It will enable excess energy generated on the mainland to be stored in Tasmania’s hydro storage and made available for use when NEM demand outstrips supply.
• Project Update

Prajit Parameswar, Chief Commercial Officer, Marinus Link

12:50 - 13:10

Expediting Tasmania’s Major Renewable Energy Developments – A Consumer’s Perspective

Marc White, Principal Consultant & Chief Operating Officer, Goanna Energy Consulting Pty Ltd

14:10 - 14:30

Delivering Infrastructure Sustainably

Jane Nicholls, Chief Engagement and Development Officer, Infrastructure Sustainability Council (ISC)

14:30 - 15:10

Panel Discussion: Managing Risk in Major Projects Delivery

• Challenges, Risks and Solutions for Project Delivery

Chris Hawkins, Tasmania State Director, WT
Jennifer Lawley, Manager Land Use and Development Planning, City Futures Divison - City of Hobart
Ross Mannering, General Manager Transport Tasmania, pitt&sherry
Tim Johns, State Director, Tasmania, Lockton Companies Australia Pty Ltd