The Albanese Government has appointed Tim Reardon, Clare Gardiner-Barnes and Dr Gillian Miles as the Commissioners of Infrastructure Australia for five-year terms.

The appointments follow a merit-based recruitment process. Tim Reardon will start in the role of Chief Commissioner on 1 October 2024 after the completion of his current commitments. He was previously the Secretary of Transport for NSW as well as Secretary for NSW Premier and Cabinet.

Clare Gardiner-Barnes will act as Chief Commissioner in the interim. She was previous board member of Infrastructure Australia, undertook the review of the Infrastructure Investment Program, and has held roles at Infrastructure NSW and Transport for NSW.

Dr Miles, who held roles as the CEO and Commissioner for the National Transport Commission and Head of Transport for Victoria, will commence on 8 October 2024.

Announcing the appointments, Catherine King, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, thanked Gabrielle Trainor AO for supporting the transition to the new governance arrangements and for her work as Acting Chair of the Infrastructure Australia Board before that. “I would also like to thank her for the leadership she has provided on the Culture Standard being developed by the Construction Industry Culture Taskforce.”

Louise McCormick, who previously served as Infrastructure NT Commissioner, will take on the top job as Chief Executive of the Northern Territory Department of Logistics and Infrastructure (DLI). 

Louise is the current and first female Chair of the Austroads Board. Austroads Chief Executive Geoff Allan welcomed the news. “Louise has set a high standard of leadership and excellence,” he says. 

“Louise has been a driving force in the Northern Territory’s transport infrastructure projects, demonstrating her ability to innovate and effectively manage complex challenges. Her receipt of the esteemed John Shaw Medal, awarded for making an outstanding and lasting contribution to Australia’s roads, underscores her dedication and impact.” The NT Minister for Logistics and Infrastructure is Bill Yang. 

Arup has appointed a new Australasian Offshore Wind Program Manager, Domenico Saporito, who will be based in Perth. 

With nearly two decades of global experience in renewable energy, transportation, marine and port infrastructure, Domenico had held leadership roles at industry giants such as RWE, Ørsted, Ramboll, and COWI. 

Andrew Spinks, Australasian Energy Lead at Arup, says: “Domenico’s extensive global experience and technical expertise in offshore wind projects are instrumental in advancing Arup’s commitment to delivering innovative and sustainable energy solutions.”

Colliers Engineering & Design Australia is acquiring Western Australian engineering firm Pritchard Francis.

Founded in 1977, Pritchard Francis has a 125-strong team of professionals serving clients in transportation, property, land development, industrial, mining and resources, and public infrastructure.

Arthur Psaltis, Pritchard Francis CEO, said joining Colliers Engineering was “a logical next step in our evolution”.

John Kenny, CEO of Colliers Asia Pacific, said: “Following our successful expansion into New South Wales last year, this investment accomplishes another strategic objective in our goal to become one of Australia’s premier engineering consulting firms.”

Brent Thomas, Managing Director of Colliers Engineering, said: “The addition of this seasoned group enhances our scale, strengthens our capabilities and expands our geographic reach, allowing us to better meet the requirements of our regional and national clients.”