Keynote Speakers

Bernard Salt is widely regarded as one of Australia’s leading social commentators by business, the media and the broader community. After a 20-year career as a Partner in a global advisory firm, Bernard founded The Demographics Group in 2017 to provide advice to business on demographic, social and property trends.

For more than 2 decades Bernard has been one of the most in-demand speakers on the Australian corporate speaking circuit. He is a twice-weekly columnist with The Australian newspaper and was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2017 Australia Day honours. Bernard is also responsible for popularising the phrase “smashed avocado” … globally.

Please welcome, Bernard Salt …

Being Tasmanian born and raised, Carol Brown understands the many daily challenges faced by Tasmanians. Her passion and dedication is driven by her life experiences and her strong values. Her drive to fight for equality and equal access to employment, education, health and other community services led to her to join the Labor Party at 20 years old. She has remained dedicated to this fighter her entire working life.

Carol’s commitment to equality and fairness and her determination to ensure all Tasmanians have equal access to opportunities regardless of their background led her to the Senate in 2005. Since joining the Senate Carol has been a tireless advocate for her home state, worker’s rights, the LGBTIQA+ community and women’s access to reproductive health. Carol has held shadow portfolios across a diverse range of area including families and payments, disability and carers, infrastructure and regional tourism. Carol is honoured to have been appointed Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport.

Carol lives in Hobart with her family and their many pets.

Professor David Karoly is an honorary Professor at the University of Melbourne, having retired from CSIRO early in 2022. He is an internationally recognised expert on climate change science and climate variability.

David was Leader of the Earth Systems and Climate Change Hub in the Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Program, based in CSIRO, during 2018 to June 2021. During 2012-2017, he was a member of the Climate Change Authority, which provides advice to the Australian government on responding to climate change, including targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

David has been involved in the Assessment Reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2001, 2007, 2014 and 2021 in several different roles. He was awarded the 2015 Royal Society of Victoria Medal for Scientific Excellence in Earth Sciences and elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 2019.

From 2007 to February 2018, David Karoly was Professor of Atmospheric Science at the University of Melbourne and in the A.R.C. Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science. From 2003 to 2007, he held the Williams Chair in the School of Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma.

Prior to joining the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Ross had a career in construction and tourism infrastructure development. He is passionate about renewables and sustainable building and has taken part in development engineering and disaster relief assignments across the Pacific. Ross has degrees in civil engineering, commerce, and an MBA.

Sally Capp was re-elected Lord Mayor of Melbourne in October 2020 – having previously been elected in May 2018 – and is the first woman to be directly elected as Lord Mayor. Sally’s top priorities are setting the pace and driving a prosperous city economy, helping rough sleepers get more support and a pathway into secure housing, and ensuring Melbourne remains a global leader in environmental sustainability. She is committed to seeing Melbourne reclaim the title of the world’s most liveable city.

Sally is the current Chair of the Council of Capital Cities Lord Mayors, and also a member of the Federal Government’s Urban Policy Forum. In 2023, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in the King’s Birthday Honours for distinguished service to the people of Melbourne, to local government, to business, and to the community through various organisations. She was also named the McKinnon Emerging Political Leader of the Year in 2019.

Sally was the first woman to hold the post of Agent-General for Victoria in the UK, Europe and Israel. She has also served as the CEO for the Committee for Melbourne and Victorian Executive Director of the Property Council of Australia. A passionate Collingwood Football Club supporter, Sally made history in 2004 as the club’s first female board member. Sally began her career as a solicitor, after completing Law (Hons) and Commerce degrees at the University of Melbourne. She has held senior roles at both KPMG and ANZ, and co-founded a small business, which she took to the ASX. She is involved in a number of charities, currently sitting on the board of the Olivia Newton John Cancer Research Institute, the Mary Jane Lewis Scholarship Foundation and the Melbourne University Faculty of Business and Economics.

Since 1987, Gary Losier has served as the Director of Engineering and Works for the Town of Quispamsis, New Brunswick, Canada. He oversees Engineering Services, Public Works, Water and Wastewater, Building Inspection, By-law Enforcement and Planning. He has provided leadership, expertise, and vision to ensure community safety and quality of life with a commitment to continuous improvement and staff development.

Losier is currently President of APWA serving on the APWA National Board of Directors. He has been a member of APWA/CPWA since 1995. He served as Region 1 Director from 2017 until 2022 when he was selected as President-Elect of APWA. He has served on the APWA Finance Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, the APWA Foundation Committee, the Committee on Diversity and Inclusion and has served 5 terms as Board Liaison to CPWA. He served at the national level as a Director on the CPWA Board (2006-08) and as the National CPWA President (2008-10).

A graduate of the University of New Brunswick, he has degrees in both Civil Engineering (1984) and Business Administration (1986). In 1999, Losier received a Diploma in Public Management from Henson College, Dalhousie University. He obtained his Professional Engineer’s designation in 1989.

Scott Grayson serves as CEO for both the American Public Works Association (APWA) and the Canadian Public Works Association (CPWA). In this role he leads the organizations’ operations to provide strategic leadership and serves as the spokesperson along with the APWA and CPWA Presidents, on behalf of APWA’s 32,000 members. He collaborates with key stakeholders in the public works and infrastructure sector including: the U.S. Congress, Canadian Parliament, federal, and provincial/state branches of government sand agencies.

Grayson came to APWA from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE), the world’s largest professional/technical association. There, he served as the Associate Managing Director with responsibility for programs related to technology policy, employment, career and professional development, licensing, and accreditation of engineers and engineering schools and provided support to the IEEE-USA Board of Directors.

Mr. Grayson holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin and a master’s in Latin American & Caribbean Studies, specializing in international relations and economic development from New York University.

Councillor Linda Scott GAICD is an experienced non-executive director and local government leader, currently serving as the President of the Australian Local Government Association. Linda represented Australia’s 537 local governments on the National Reform Federation Council alongside the Prime Minister, Premiers and Chief Ministers, and now represents local governments on the National Cabinet and the Council of Federal Financial Relations, where required, as well as on a range of intergovernmental bodies including the Joint Council on Closing The Gap and the Meeting of Infrastructure and Transport Ministers.

Linda is an accomplished non-executive Board Director and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She is the Chair of CareSuper, an award-winning industry superannuation fund with $20 billion under management, and as a Director of the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI). She also serves on a range of Government boards and advisory groups, including the NSW Environmental Trust and CSIRO’s Ending Plastic Waste Mission.

Linda is also a Labor Councillor at the City of Sydney, first elected in 2012 and re-elected in 2016 and 2021. As a City of Sydney councillor, she has won new affordable housing, increased support for those experiencing homelessness, funding for new childcare centres and skate ramps, and spearheaded City action to fight racism and support refugees.

Luke Belfield is the Victorian Chief Engineer who champions engineering and project delivery excellence and works collaboratively with industry, academic experts, and delivery agencies on technical, design and engineering aspects of government service and project delivery.

Luke leads OPV’s Engineering and Innovation team responsible for advancing engineering in Victoria and leading technical infrastructure innovation. Luke is an experienced infrastructure professional with over 20 years of experience in policy, technology and business strategy and project management. Luke’s expertise is drawn from diverse roles prior to joining OPV. He has previously worked at the Department of Premier and Cabinet, as a management consultant for PwC and EY, as a project manager for a metropolitan based water utility and as an engineer for a large global engineering consultancy in the oil and gas and petrochemical industry.

Dr Jonathan Spear is Infrastructure Victoria’s Chief Executive Officer.

Previously the organisation’s Deputy Chief Executive, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, Jonathan has led Infrastructure Victoria’s work on Victoria’s 30-year infrastructure strategy, research program and provision of independent advice to the Victorian Government.

Before joining Infrastructure Victoria during its establishment in 2015, Jonathan held senior leadership, policy, strategy and legal roles with the Victorian Government Department of Premier and Cabinet, Department of Justice, Victoria Police and Slater and Gordon Lawyers.

Jonathan holds a Doctor of Philosophy in History, Executive Master of Public Administration, Master of Laws, Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts (Honours). He is also a legal practitioner, a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Williamson Community Leadership Program, and a director of the Melbourne Forum. 

Alison is the Chief Executive Officer of the City of Melbourne. Alison is responsible for delivering key initiatives funded under the city’s $851 million budget - with a focus on city-shaping infrastructure, liveability, prosperity and a world class events calendar.

Alison has more than 18 years of leadership experience in infrastructure, planning, operations and public sector business transformation.

She is a qualified engineer, an alumnus of Harvard Business School, a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and holds a Masters in Business Administration.

Nicci Rossouw is the CEO Robotics Australia Group, a not for profit organisation that advocates and promotes for, and on behalf of the robotics community in Australia. Our mission is to inform, connect, advocate and promote for our community! Prior to that she was CEO of Exaptec, a start-up company she founded in 2015 to provide service robotics solutions to the Australian market. She has provided numerous robotic telepresence solutions to educational facilities and businesses to augment communication and movement for disabled and incapacitated people. Noted as one of six women who “rock” robotics in Australia, Nicci is a passionate educator of how robots can augment your life for the better. Nicci was noted as “30 women you need to know about in robotics” in 2020. This is a global recognition and Nicci was one of two women in Australia to be awarded this accolade in 2022. Nicci hosts the podcast, "Let's talk robotics" which focuses on the talented and inspirational robotics and AI community in Australia, episode 126 recently released.