CHAIR’S MESSAGE

It’s’ my pleasure to welcome you to Partnerships 2020.

Just over 12 months ago we came together to discuss the Future of Infrastructure. Since then, Australia has experienced immense upheaval following a devasting drought and summer bushfire season, and now confronts the ongoing health and economic impacts of a global pandemic.

COVID-19 has disrupted the way our sector operates, but it has also provided a unique opportunity to rethink traditional infrastructure approaches. That is why this year’s theme focuses on the Reset.

Over the course of this two-part program, we will hear from Australia’s leading political, public service, and business figures as they share their insights on how we can use this crisis to reset our approach and position the sector to build back better.

We will open the Conference with an address from Australian journalist David Speers on how COVID-19 has changed the political landscape. We will explore how we can strengthen Australia’s economic resilience, the journey towards decarbonisation, and how we might reset construction in a postCOVID environment.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Regional Development, the Hon. Michael McCormack MP will provide an address on the Commonwealth’s response to COVID-19 and share his insights on how the sector can build greater resilience into the Federal Government’s 10- year infrastructure program.

We’ll hear from the Victorian Treasurer, Tim Pallas MP on his plans for the state’s economic recovery. The Chair of the NSW Federal Financial Relations Review, David Thodey AO will

discuss the key revenue reforms required to fund our essential services and infrastructure, and some of Australia’s largest infrastructure investors will provide their perspectives on the appetite for assets in a reset future.

We will also examine how COVID-19 has impacted mobility trends and changed the course ahead for our major airports, and be joined by CEO of Macquarie Group Shemara Wikramanayake on how we can leverage private finance and expertise to aid in the delivery of a renewed infrastructure pipeline.

I hope over the course of the two-part program we provoke and challenge your thinking about how we can reset our infrastructure approach and instigate further discussion on how, as a sector, we can generate positive change for the better.

Thank you again for joining the 2020 Partnerships Conference.

Yours sincerely

Sir Rod Eddington AO

Chair Infrastructure Partnerships Australia