Join us for Master Builders SA 2023 Top 100 Builders Lunch as we discuss the factors impacting South Australia’s building and construction industry now and in the future.

This is your opportunity to join South Australia’s leading industry experts, commercial and residential builders, specialist contractors and industry suppliers to gain a comprehensive insight into the economic outlook of the industry.

Hear from our guest speakers, Treasurer of South Australia The Hon. Stephen Mullighan MP, leading economist Stephen Koukoulas, and Chief Executive for the Department for Infrastructure and Transport Jon Whelan.

Plus, hear from our Panellists:

• Blair Boyer MP, Minister for Education, Training and Skills
• David Coltman, CEO TAFE SA
• Mark Glazbrook, CEO Migration Solutions
• Debbie Frisby, Program Director of Construction Management Programs at UniSA

About the guest speakers

The Honourable Stephen Mullighan MP, Treasurer of the State of South Australia

Mr Mullighan has been the Treasurer of South Australia since March 2022. He was first elected to the South Australian Parliament in March 2014, and was appointed Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning, and Minister Assisting the Minister for Housing and Urban Development later that month.

In 2016, Mr Mullighan was also appointed the Minister for Housing and Urban Development.

Prior to his appointment as Minister, Mr Mullighan led Deloitte’s economics team in Adelaide between 2010 and 2013, providing economic advice to corporate clients, non-profit sector and State and Federal governments.

Mr Mullighan served as the Deputy Chief of Staff to the then Premier and Treasurer of South Australia, Hon. Jay Weatherill MP, from 2013 to 2014. During this time Mr Mullighan was responsible for several key policy areas including budget development, taxation policy, investment strategy and State-Commonwealth financial relations.

Mr Mullighan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Adelaide.

Stephen Koukoulas, Leading Economist

Few economists have both the global and local experience of Stephen Koukoulas. He is an economic thought leader in his role with his business, Market Economics.

Stephen is often driving the debate on housing, consumer spending, investment strategies, interest rates and budget policy. He does this by drawing on his unique background including his experience heading global research for TD in London, his role as Chief Economist of Citibank and Former Senior Economic Advisor to the Australian Prime Minister.

When it comes to the economy, Stephen continues to cover the big issues. He does so independently, without the constraints of many of the bank economists who are limited by what they can say. Stephen’s views are presented without fear or favour.

Stephen is the go-to economist for many businesses, investors, fund managers and the media. He is a regular contributor to Yahoo Finance and appears on television including the ABC, The Project and Sky and is regularly called upon to contribute to radio interviews across the country.

Jon Whelan, Chief Executive for the Department for Infrastructure and Transport

Jon Whelan is the Chief Executive for the Department for Infrastructure and Transport with over 35 years of extensive experience with the Department. He is passionate and committed to serving South Australians through the provision of valuable social and economic infrastructure, and service delivery.

His diverse responsibilities include setting strategy and policy, implementing programs, projects, initiatives, service delivery, and driving improved performance.  

Jon is Rail Commissioner and Commissioner of Highways, with responsibility for ensuring well-connected and customer focused services are delivered safely, efficiently, and sustainably, and our road network is improved and maintained.

The Department is responsible for the delivery of $7.8 billion investment in transport infrastructure and $5.5 billion for social infrastructure projects, over four years.

Jon is committed to fostering collaborative relationships with industry and key stakeholders and ensuring as many South Australian businesses as possible can be involved in State Government infrastructure projects.

Panellists

Blair Boyer MP
Minister for Education, Training & Skills

Blair grew up on the family farm, where his parents still reside.

His father was a public school teacher for 40 years and his mother worked in the disability sector. Both were active members of their Unions throughout their working lives. Being heavily influenced by his parents’ commitment to social justice, he joined the Australian Labor Party at the age of 16 and became involved in many local community and sporting groups.

Blair completed an Arts/Law Degree at University, where he met his wife Cath in their first year. He practiced briefly as a solicitor before starting work for a country Labor MP.

Blair worked as Chief of Staff to then Minister Jennifer Rankine and Deputy Chief of Staff to Premier Jay Weatherill.

The focus of his work in government has been education, child protection, industrial relations and emergency services; the latter leading to Blair becoming a volunteer with the Salisbury SES Unit.

David Coltman
CEO TAFE SA

David Coltman is the Chief Executive of TAFE SA. Prior to joining TAFE SA in April 2019, David was Deputy Vice Chancellor at Swinburne University of Technology and Chair of the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA).

David is a New Zealander who made Australia his home in 2014.

David holds postgraduate qualifications in Adult Education and Public Administration. His early career work focused on the delivery of programs that sought to increase participation in higher education of underrepresented communities.
More recently David’s work has focused on the use of digital technologies to improve access and participation in post-compulsory education.

Mark Glazbrook
CEO, Migration Solutions

Mark Glazbrook is CEO of Migration Solutions. He has been a trusted voice of the migration profession for over 20 years, commonly quoted in the media as a commentator and strong advocate for immigration reform. He established his professional practice in Adelaide in 2001 and has grown Migration Solutions to become the largest migration agency in South Australia, providing guidance, advice, information or support services to over 35,000 people.

As a passionate advocate for migration reform and the strategic implications migration has on economic and industry growth, Mark consults to individual applicants, families, business, industry, regions and government on pathways to achieve their goals through the Australian migration program. This has included facilitating industry round table discussions between business / industry associations / regional development / state government, on multiple occasions, including during the development of the South Australian (SA) Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA).

Mark is often called upon by media for expert commentary and has appeared in over 200 articles. At industry conferences, across mining, infrastructure and immigration, he has introduced concepts around immigration and population, economic growth, skills shortages, regional growth and future workforce planning.

Debbie Frisby
Program Director, UniSA

Debbie Frisby is the Program Director of the Construction Management Programs at UniSA.

Debbie has a career in building surveying and private certification and teaches in that field as well as fire technology. Her qualifications are in building surveying and digital learning. The construction management program at UniSA has a 30+ year history in South Australia with many of the state’s construction and project managers, quantity surveyors and building surveyors as well as senior managers and CEO’s being alumni of the Program.

Debbie is the chair of the Building Technical Panel of the State Planning Commission which provides guidance over Building relates decisions under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act.