RA Brisbane IWD Industry lunch with Clare Gardiner-Barnes | 12 Mar 2025

'March Forward' with Roads Australia this International Women's Day, as we celebrate public and private sector achievements in creating an inclusive and sustainable workforce.

RA is committed to building a transport sector that attracts, engages and retains women as part of a diverse workforce, while shaping the transport networks of the future.

Over 1,000 RA members identified in RA’s 2024 'Strength in diversity: Empowering women in the transport sector’ report that the challenges facing our industry, in truly representing the broader society in which we operate, are clear. We must challenge one another to do better, to acknowledge the issues and take action to create a sustainable workforce that actively supports women at every level and every part of the transport supply chain.

This year, we take on the challenge to turn promises into progress. What can we learn from those in our industry who are taking the bold steps? How do we take these lessons and implement them to continue the March Forward to gender equality in our industry?

The pathway to a more representative industry is a shared one. Our IWD series are inclusive and open for all genders and careers. Collectively, we can make a difference and we hope to see a diverse audience committing to a culture of inclusion.

#MarchForward

Our speakers:

Clare Gardiner-Barnes, Commissioner, Infrastructure Australia 

The Australian Government appointed Clare Gardiner-Barnes as a Commissioner of Infrastructure Australia for a five-year term, commencing October 2024. Ms Gardiner-Barnes has been involved with Infrastructure Australia since 2022, having been previously appointed to the agency’s Board before being appointed as Interim Commissioner. 

Ms Gardiner-Barnes runs an executive coaching and consulting business, CGB Consulting. Prior to that she worked as Head of Strategy, Planning, and Innovation at Infrastructure NSW and as Deputy Secretary, Freight, Strategy and Planning at Transport for NSW. She has also held senior government roles in Queensland and the Northern Territory, including as the CEO of the Department of Transport and the Department of Children and Families in the NT.

Kylie Smart, HR Manager, Capability & Systems, Seymour Whyte

Kylie is the HR Manager, Capability & Systems at Seymour Whyte Constructions, where she plays a key role in driving people-related strategies.

With a background in Business and Psychology, she is passionate about fostering inclusivity in the construction industry. Over the past decade, Kylie has contributed to significant progress in diversity, equity, and inclusion, particularly focussed on gender equality, workplace flexibility, performance and development processes and improving the representation of underrepresented groups.  

She has been instrumental in developing and delivering resources to raise awareness about domestic and family violence (DFV) in the workplace, Kylie has rolled out policies, support mechanisms, and training to build Seymour Whyte’s capability in this space. Her commitment to creating flexible work environments led to the successful implementation of the “My Time” workshop, improving inclusion, engagement and wellbeing on major projects without compromising productivity. 

In partnership with:

Sponsored by:

Dress code: Business attire

Dietaries: Please inform of any dietary requirements 2 weeks prior to the event

Seating: Please submit all seating requests 2 weeks prior to the event

Please ensure you make your booking using the appropriate rate. Bookings from non-member companies that book at a member rate will be contacted and asked to rebook at the correct price. If you are unsure of your organisation's membership status with RA, please contact events@roads.org.au

The Event Organiser reserves the right to use any recordings whether audio or video and/or any photographs taken at any stage during the event for promotional, advertising or reporting of the meeting and/or its content at their sole discretion. If you have any concerns, please contact the team via events@roads.org.au