Plenary SPEAKERS

Master of Ceremonies

Richard Champion

Richard Champion or ‘Champs’ as he is better known, has had a football career spanning 14 years, including 10 years with the Brisbane Bears / Lions before retirement at the end of the 2000 season. During his career he finished in the top six places for the Best & Fairest Awards three times. He also won the Bears’ prestigious “Most Professional Player” award in 1994 & “Best Clubman” honours in 1995. Qualifying for entry to the AFL’s prestigious 200 Club at the conclusion of his career, Richard Champion won rarely-given, lavish praise from coach Leigh Matthews for the professional manner in which he conducted himself.

He was awarded Brisbane Lions Life Membership at the end of the 2000 season for his 10 years of loyal service to the club. Richard Champion has a multi-talented personality, always prominent in the club’s off-field activities and in 1998 won an AFL Talent Show on Network Seven for his marvelous impersonation of Jimmy Barnes. That singing talent was put to good use when Champs competed in the popular Channel Seven program “It Takes Two”. You can also catch Richard Champion on a variety of radio shows, but he really shines on The Great South East each week and “Creek to Coast” with Channel Seven.

He also co-hosts radio programmes and is a regular commentator on the AFL when the Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns play at the Gabba and Metricon Stadium. There is no challenge that Richard Champion has backed away from and his competitive nature and high level of fitness make him an obvious choice for tougher assignments.

Day 2 - Keynote Speaker - Queensland Infrastructure Outlook

Adrian Hart
Head of Construction and Infrastructure - Oxford Economics Australia

Adrian has over 25 years of economic analysis and consulting experience with Oxford Economics Australia, focusing on the infrastructure, building, maintenance and mining industries.

Adrian has undertaken a wide range of consultancy projects for the public and private sector based on his detailed understanding of construction, mining and maintenance markets, their drivers and outlooks, the range of organisations operating in this space and the issues they face. This work includes deeper industry liaison, contractor and competitive analysis, pipeline analysis, demand and cost escalation forecasting, and industry capacity and capability projects for the public and private sector. He is the lead author of major reports but also undertakes briefings and workshops for senior management, board members and industry associations, and facilitates and chairs roundtables between government and industry.

2023 Engineer of the Year Address

Sean Rice
Proterra Group & IPWEA-QNT President

Ricey is the Business Development Manager and an Owner of Proterra Group.

He has spent most of his career in Regional Australia either directly employed by Local Government or providing consulting and construction services to Council clients across NSW and QLD.

He is a highly experienced Chartered RPEQ Civil Engineer, has held positions on several boards (including President, Vice President and Secretary), and is currently the IPWEAQ-NT President.

Ricey has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) Course and has held full-time and seconded roles with several Councils in the positions of Director of Engineering Services, Works Engineer and Chief Executive Officer.

He is also a member of the Mentoring for Growth Panel (M4G) and over the past 8 years has worked with over 25 regional businesses.

Day 3 - Keynote Speaker

Dr Chadden Hunter
Director, Biologist

As a wildlife filmmaker Dr. Hunter has worked alongside Sir David Attenborough for over 20 years, documenting everything from snow leopards in Pakistan to anaconda in the Amazon. On the BBC series Planet Earth he became known as 'the guy covered in bat poop', and whilst filming arctic wolves for Frozen Planet learnt that minus 40C was cold enough to freeze his eyes shut. As a Divemaster he has worked alongside underwater crews around the world, exploring the issue of plastics in the ocean and how the 'Blue Planet 2 Effect' encouraged changes in corporate behaviour and global politics.

Chadden has produced and directed some of the world's most seminal nature documentaries. Planet Earth 1 and 2, LIFE, Wild Arabia, Frozen Planet and Seven Worlds One Planet have won over 20 Bafta and Emmy awards. No back 'home' in Queensland, Chadden continues to make documentaries to inspire audiences around the world.

Day 3 - Asset Design As Constructed (ADAC) Version 6 Launch

Mark Lamont
Director, IPWEA-QNT

Mark is Director of Information Services at IPWEA-QNT and oversees a number of portfolios, including management of the iMPACT portal, developed to assist local government with matters of native title and cultural heritage.