PANEL DISCUSSION: Infrastructure Budget Blowouts

Why do infrastructure projects blow their budgets and what are the implication for project evaluation and delivery?

ESA and Young Economists Queensland are delighted to host a panel discussion featuring economists, policy and business case experts as they discuss cost overruns of infrastructure projects and explore the economic, social and factors, political influences, and delivery pitfalls that contribute to these challenges.

The panel will be moderated by Briana Shea, Economist at WSP, member of Young Economists and Executive Director of Women in Economics (Queensland)

Keynote speakers 

	Lars Rognlien, Managing Director at FTI Consulting, is a transport and urban economist with more than 20 years international experience in economic appraisal of major projects. He has developed tools and techniques for modelling impacts and benefits of transport on productivity, land use, housing and city shaping benefits and has developed Cost Benefits Analysis guidelines in the UK, NZ, US and Australia. During his career he has worked on London’s Crossrail, UK High Speed 2, Auckland Additional Harbour Crossing, Sydney Metro, Western Sydney Airport, Brisbane Metro, Cross River Rail, Sydney Western Harbour Tunnel, Melbourne Metro, Canberra Light Rail, Brisbane to Sunshine Coast Fast Rail, Adelaide Light Rail and Perth Metronet.
	Rhyl Jones McCoy is the Senior Principal for Social Value and Equity at Jacobs for the Australia New Zealand region. Rhyl’s work focuses on bringing social value into the infrastructure conversations, to create generational legacies for people and places. Rhyl is active in delivering industry thought leadership for social value across the region. Rhyl has been fortunate to work on many of Queensland’s biggest city shaping in transport, water and cities and places, including for social impact assessments, business cases and strategic plans. Some examples include Cross River Rail and recently some of the precincts for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic sites, working with Games delivery partners: State departments TMR and EDQ, and Councils - Brisbane City, Sunshine Coast Region and Redland City. Rhyl is focussed on the potential legacies the Olympic and Paralympic Games and sporting events can generate for communities. Prior to 15 years in consulting, Rhyl was a manager for the Queensland Government leading a program and policy team to deliver statewide homelessness services funding and strategic responses.
	Lynzee Witten is a Partner in Deloitte Brisbane’s Infrastructure & Real Estate team. She is an experienced commercial and financial advisor to governments and the private sector for major infrastructure projects particularly in the transport and utilities sectors. She leads business case processes and transactions and understands the integration of various analyses to develop a compelling investment narrative and commercial delivery strategy. Lynzee is a trusted project leader and engages stakeholders in a meaningful way to help clients achieve outcomes. She has led or been involved in a range of high-profile projects including: the Gabba Stadium, Logan and Gold Coast Faster Rail, Brisbane Metro, Toowoomba Second Range Crossing PPP and Fitzroy Gladstone Pipeline.