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Chairman’s Foreword | Sir Rod Eddington AO Chairman, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia
Chairman’s foreword
I am delighted to present the 2022 edition of Future Building, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia’s annual journal of insights from Partnerships, Australia’s most prestigious gathering of infrastructure leaders.
Ahead of you is a comprehensive examination of how respected industry leaders believe the infrastructure sector can refocus its proven capacity for innovation and delivery against a backdrop of continuing economic and geopolitical uncertainty, surging labour demand and supply chain pressures, and the challenge of delivering the decarbonisation of our sector.
This year’s program saw Australia’s leading political, public service, and business figures share their insights on how the infrastructure sector can meet these challenges and opportunities to deliver a record infrastructure pipeline, and provide ongoing economic and social benefits to Australians.
New South Wales Infrastructure Minister the Hon. Rob Stokes MP opened the conference with an address on the role infrastructure must play in decarbonisation. Respected leaders Jim Miller, Tony Shepherd AO and Nicole Lockwood, in their capacities as i-body chairs, shared their reflections on the impact of current macro-economic settings on project delivery, how we can make the most of Australia’s new emissions reductions targets and the potential outcomes from the independent review of Infrastructure Australia.
Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, the Hon. Catherine King MP, made her first significant address to the sector as the new Federal Government finalised its forward agenda. Managing Director and CEO of Macquarie Group Shemara Wikramanayake presented her thoughts on the outlook for the Australian economy, the state of the infrastructure investment market, and how Australia is placed to achieve its decarbonisation agenda.
This year’s Partnerships conference also saw senior leaders consider crucial topics ranging from Australia’s growing superannuation investment pool and the opportunities for deployment in infrastructure, to delivery of a pipeline increasingly under pressure. Discussion also covered the role of private capital and whether Public Private Partnerships need a rebrand. Our colleagues in the property and business sector also joined us to share on the common themes and challenges across our respective sectors.
With a multitude of insights and ideas contained in these transcripts, my hope is that they contribute to the collective efforts we must make to meet common challenges and to seize shared opportunities.
