To make room for innovation, we need to get the innovators in the same room. 

That thought struck me a few times in recent weeks, as we gathered Australia’s leading defence infrastructure specialists together for Collab X, and as we cheered on the pioneers and pacesetters at the annual Consult Australia Awards.

Collab X is a unique opportunity for Consult Australia members and the Department of Defence’s Infrastructure Division to cooperate. Discussions were held as a $43.7 billion pipeline of defence facilities and infrastructure is delivered. Just this week, the much-awaited Defence Strategic Review was released, with the federal government revealing a plan to deliver billions of dollars in new investment for northern bases, building factories for the long-term local production of missiles, and lifting the capacity to translate disruptive technologies into new defence capabilities.

The challenges for Australia’s ambitious public infrastructure pipeline – capacity constraints, skills shortages, cost escalation, net zero and more – also confront the defence infrastructure sector. But other overlays add complexity, from shifting geopolitics to strategic deployment, defence force posture to force structure and capabilities.

Then there’s the Australian Government’s agendas around electrification and the circular economy, resilience and waste, constitutional recognition of Indigenous people and the need to deliver value for taxpayer dollars. 

The message from Collab X was crystal clear: the only way to solve these multi-faceted challenges is to innovate – and that requires everyone in the room.

Innovation thrives in environments where collaboration and competition co-exist – and we saw this as we congregated for the Consult Australia Awards on 23 March.

We awarded 13 categories, including client service, project excellence, innovative design and superior sustainability. (If you missed the awards or the flurry of social media following, you can read our low-down in this issue of Consulting Matters.)

The awards applaud the best of Australia’s 58,600-plus design, advisory and engineering consulting businesses – and the record number of submissions speaks to the strength of the industry as a global centre of excellence. 

Our challenge is to harness the energy, leadership and collaboration that was palpable at Collab X and the Consult Australia Awards to capture the multitude of opportunities heading our way.

From nuclear submarines to green hydrogen, electrification to the expansion of a local space industry – all these emerging opportunities will drive demand for our members’ skills. 

The pace of change in the market is mind-blowing – and the need for strong relationships, deep intelligence and fresh ideas has never been more important. 

So, join us in the room where it happens.