Conference Program

08:50 - 09:00

MC OPENS

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 conference attendees.

09:30 - 09:50

Ministerial Address

09:50 - 10:20

Cross River Rail

• Latest updates on Cross River Rail.
• The project, which is jointly funded by state and federal governments, will ease congestion, improve connectivity and boost capacity.

Graeme Newton, Chief Executive Officer, Cross River Rail Delivery Authority

10:20 - 10:50

Resilient & Future-Focused Transport Infrastructure

• This presentation will examine Queensland’s approach to delivering a resilient and sustainable transport legacy in the lead up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Andrew Mahon, Deputy Director-General (Policy, Planning and Investment), Department of Transport and Main Roads

11:20 - 11:40

European Train Control System Program

• The European Train Control System (ETCS) is a digital signalling system will be delivered to key parts of the Southeast Queensland rail network.
• The program will improve flow of information, help increase the frequency of trains, ensure a high level of safety, future-proof the rail network, and increase the reliability of the state’s rail network.

Steven Thirkell, Engineering Delivery Director (Design and Delivery of the European Train Control System), Hitachi Rail

11:40 - 12:00

Presentation by Conference Gold Sponsor

12:00 - 12:40

PANEL DISCUSSION
Planning for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics & Legacy Transport Infrastructure 

• Hear from a panel of experts about planning for Brisbane’s 2032 Olympic Games.
• Challenges, risks, and opportunities.

Clare Robertson, Director, Infrastructure Advisory Group
Eugenie Buckley, Deputy Director-General, Dep of Sport, Racing & Olympic Games
Jack Shelley, State Director, WT Partnership
Kate Mackay, Principal, Arup
Peter Milward, General Manager, Department of Transport and Main Roads

12:40 - 13:00

Sunshine Coast Terminal Airport Upgrades 

• Sunshine Coast Airport is undergoing a $170 million terminal expansion, which will double its size by 2027
• Upgrades include modernised facilities, enhanced retail and dining, improved passenger experience, and more baggage facilities.

Chris Mills, Chief Executive Officer, Sunshine Coast Airport

14:00 - 14:20

Presentation by Conference Gold Sponsor

14:20 - 14:40

Presentation by Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility

Garry Mueller, Director, Investment, NAIF

14:40 - 15:00

Brisbane Metro - One Year On

• In 2025, Brisbane City Council launched two new metro routes, Brisbane Metro M1 and M2, alongside a new bus network to reduce congestion and make journeys more reliable. Hear from Council how the success of Brisbane Metro is shaping the future of bus rapid transport across the city.

Cr Andrew Wines, Civic Cabinet Chair of Public Transport, Brisbane City Council

15:30 - 15:50

From Budget to Build: Navigating Cost Escalation in Queensland’s Transport Infrastructure Pipeline

• Queensland’s transport infrastructure pipeline is entering a period of unprecedented demand, with Olympic-related works coinciding with broader state and national investment in roads, rail, and utilities.
• Construction cost escalation is being driven by overlapping project timelines, labour shortages, supply chain volatility, constrained market capacity – and geopolitical challenges.
• This session will outline the findings from WT’s latest Australian Construction Market Conditions Report, explore the systemic pressures behind rising costs, the unique risks facing transport infrastructure delivery, and practical strategies available to mitigate escalation.

Jack Shelley, State Director, WT Partnership

15:50 - 16:10

Lauren Hewitt, CEO, Queensland Transport and Logistics Council

16:10 - 16:40

QTLC Pilots and Escorts Project – Safe and Sustainable Escort Reform for Queensland

• The QTLC Pilots and Escorts Project, A Safe and Sustainable Pilot and Escort Framework for Queensland (P&EFQ), responds to growing safety, capacity and delivery challenges associated with Oversize Overmass (OSOM) movements across Queensland. Rapid growth in major construction and renewable energy projects has exposed the limits of the current escort system, particularly heavy reliance on Police escorts, resulting in delays, operational risk and network disruption. The project was led by the Queensland Transport and Logistics Council (QTLC) with support from WSP, Pastin Solutions and industry partners.
• The project undertook a comprehensive national and international review, supported by extensive engagement with government, police, road managers and industry. This evidence base informed the development of a harmonised, safety‑led framework that supports a “police‑by‑exception” model, expanded use of accredited industry pilots, clearer operating envelopes and targeted trials to underpin staged reform. The outcome is a practical pathway to improve safety, unlock freight capacity, reduce congestion and future‑proof Queensland’s transport system, with relevance beyond Queensland and potential for national alignment.

Kieran Cook, Principal, Infrastructure Advisory, WSP Australia

08:50 - 09:00

MC OPENS

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 conference attendees.

09:30 - 10:00

FIRESIDE CHAT
Coomera Connector (Stage 1)

• The Coomera Connector will deliver a road transport network expansion over a 45-kilometre stretch between Loganholme and Nerang. 
• The $3.5 billion project is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments and will provide a new road link to the east of the M1 corridor, with new crossings of the Albert, Coomera, Logan, and Nerang Rivers.

Darren Wagstaff, Project Director, ACCIONA
Jay Sharma, Project Manager, Georgiou

10:00 - 10:20

Warren Briggs, Chief Financial Officer, Brisbane Airport

10:20 - 10:40

Queensland's Freight Strategy

• Updates and priorities for Queensland’s Freight.
• Challenges and opportunities.

Brayden Soo, Manager, Freight and Supply Chain, National Heavy Vehicle Regulator

10:40 - 11:00

Outback Way Upgrade Program

• The Outback Way is a 2,720-kilometre route that crosses Central Australia, connecting Laverton in Western Australia with Winton in Queensland via Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.
• The upgrades will progressively seal and widen the Donohue Highway and Diamantina Developmental Road between Winton and Tobermorey, which will improve safety, connectivity, and access for tourism, freight, and mining.

Mel Forbes, General Manager, Outback Highway Development Council

11:30 - 12:00

Biosecurity in the Boardroom: How Agricultural Leadership is shaping Queensland's Transport and Infrastructure Agenda

Jo will explore how agricultural leadership is shaping Queensland’s transport and infrastructure agenda beyond the farm gate. Through the Biosecurity in the Boardroom project, delivered in partnership with Biosecurity Queensland, QFF is elevating biosecurity as a core governance risk—highlighting the operational, financial and reputational exposure facing transport and supply chain businesses. It will also examine QFF’s joint advocacy in the Fix The Bruce campaign alongside RACQ and other peak bodies, and QFF’s ongoing role on the Bruce Highway Advisory Council to prioritise critical upgrades that improve safety, strengthen freight efficiency and unlock productivity for regional industries and communities.

Jo Sheppard, Chief Executive Officer, Queensland Farmers Federation

12:00 - 12:30

Innovation, Digital and Smart technologies in Transport Infrastructure Delivery 

• Hear about how AI, data, and smart technologies can optimise transport infrastructure projects in Queensland.

Professor Zuduo Zheng, Professor & Deputy TMR TAP Chair, University of Queensland

12:30 - 13:00

From Accessible Assets to Accessible Journeys: What We Learned from Victoria and the World

Many public transport systems can point to accessible buses, platforms, policies, and standards, yet passengers with disability continue to report inconsistent, stressful, and unsafe journeys.

This presentation brings together two complementary perspectives: results from Hailo’s Victorian trial focused on improving safety and accessibility outcomes in real-world operations, and international learnings from Santiago Velasquez’s Churchill Fellowship, which examined how cities around the world approach inclusive public transport.

By comparing local trial data with global best practice, the session reveals a recurring gap between infrastructure availability and passenger experience. It identifies the “missing puzzle piece” that prevents accessibility from working holistically.

The presentation offers actionable insights into how transport systems can move from fragmented accessibility initiatives to truly accessible journeys, that are better for all travellers, not just people with a disability.

Jonathan Dalton, CEO, Hailo
Santiago Velasquez, CTO, Hailo

14:00 - 14:20

Bruce Highway Upgrade Program

• The Bruce Highway Upgrade Program is the largest road infrastructure program in the state, aimed at enhancing capacity, safety, and flood resilience along the Bruce Highway between Brisbane and Cairns.
• The 1,673-kilometre highway serves as Queensland's major north-south road corridor, supporting approximately 58 per cent of Queensland’s population.

14:20 - 14:40

Beerburrum To Nambour (B2n) Rail Upgrade

• The B2N upgrade will duplicate the North Coast Line between Beerburrum and Landsborough stations.
• The $1.004 billion project will also deliver station upgrades, new park 'n' ride facilities and new rail passing loops.

14:40 - 15:00

Community Engagement in Major Transport Projects 

• The benefits and opportunities related to active community involvement in transport projects.