Plenary Group

As Plenary Group marks 20 years of delivering public infrastructure for communities around the world, we reflect on our past, celebrate our present and look forward to our future. 

Plenary Group thanks NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure Secretary Kiersten Fishburn for her keynote address at the recent IPFA event ‘Private Capital for Community-Scale Projects – Responding to Government’s Evolving Priorities’, which Plenary co-hosted with Corrs Chambers Westgarth. Kiersten highlighted the need for a diverse array of stakeholders to work together to unlock housing supply in an integrated way, that recognises the value of community spaces and precincts. Plenary Managing Director Sergio Calcarao joined Kiersten, Corrs Chambers Westgarth’s James Abbott, Commonwealth Bank’s Nick Campbell and Housing Australia’s Michael Camerlengo on a panel to discuss how private capital can support government in delivering smaller-scale infrastructure and precinct projects, and the evolution from bilateral partnerships with state and federal governments to multilateral partnerships involving industry, local government and not-for-profits. 

Meet Company Secretary and Manager, Governance and Compliance Sofie Remmery.   Since joining Plenary Group seven years ago, Sofie has played a key role in promoting and maintaining good corporate governance across the business through her work on Plenary’s Whistleblower Program, Australian Financial Services Licence compliance framework, Modern Slavery reporting, corporate governance and global insurance program.   She is Company Secretary on the majority of the special purpose vehicle (SPV) boards in Plenary’s operational portfolio, such as the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre and Queensland Schools projects.   “It’s great to work for an industry leader that is committed to delivering quality public infrastructure. I look forward to continuing to drive good governance as Plenary actively pursues growth in Australia and abroad.” Sofie holds a current Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner Practising Certificate, and is a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia and Chartered Secretary.

Happy National Ride2Work Day. Plenary Group has delivered improved and safer cycling infrastructure across its projects, including the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and South Wharf precinct, and 60 kilometres of shared-use cycling paths across Melbourne’s west as part of the Plenary-led Netflow consortium’s delivery of the Western Roads Upgrade project.   #NationalRide2WorkDay   Bicycle Network 

Deputy Prime Minister and Federal Member for Corio Richard Marles recently dropped by to view construction progress of the Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre and meet the team delivering the $449 million precinct development. “It’s exciting to see works at the Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre precinct at full steam ahead. As well as providing fantastic employment and learning opportunities for young, local workers during its construction, once complete this project will also support hundreds of ongoing jobs in the Geelong community.” Deputy Prime Minister and Federal Member for Corio, Richard Marles. The Plenary Group-led Plenary Conventions consortium is contracted to finance, design, construct and maintain the project for 25 years in partnership with the Victorian Government and its funding partners under the Geelong City Deal, the Australian Government and City of Greater Geelong. The convention centre and hotel precinct is expected to be complete in 2026. Victorian Government | Development Victoria | Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions | Australian Government | City of Greater Geelong | Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre | Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre | Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation | Give Where You Live Foundation | GROW - G21 Regional Opportunities For Work | gforce employment + recruitment | The Gordon Plenary Group | Built. | BGIS | Woods Bagot | IHG Hotels & Resorts | Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts

The Women+ for Western Health annual pitch night, sponsored by Plenary Health, brought together Western Health executives, staff, philanthropists, corporate partners, and community members. Five inspiring projects were pitched, vying for a $50,000 grant. Plenary Health is a proud supporter of Women+ for Western Health as part of its five-year partnership with Western Health Foundation aligning with the delivery of the New Footscray Hospital Project. Plenary Group Executive Director of Portfolio Delivery Clare Shiell spoke about the importance of nights like these. “We believe in the power of ideas and bringing those ideas to life. We want to support innovation and inclusivity in healthcare, and Women+ is the perfect platform for this." Congratulations to all finalists on their inspiring presentations and to Marcelle Ghaly’s ECLIPS (Elderly Complex Long Stay Inpatient Prediction System) project which was voted as the winner on the night. Her ECLIPS initiative aims to leverage artificial intelligence to predict and prevent long hospital stays for elderly patients. The Women+ for Western Health Giving Circle provides a unique opportunity for its members to shape the future of healthcare in Melbourne’s west. For information on becoming a member and how you can make a difference visit https://lnkd.in/e8xyjM4N The Plenary Group-led Plenary Health consortium, currently delivering the $1.5 billion new Footscray Hospital, is committed to helping its community partners transform the health and wellbeing of the people of western Melbourne.

Plenary Group thanks Victorian Government Treasurer Tim Pallas for his update on the state’s infrastructure program and initiatives to boost the supply of affordable and social housing at the IPFA Victorian Government Update event.   Plenary Managing Director Damien Augustinus joined a panel of public and private sector leaders featuring Department of Treasury and Finance, Victoria’s Kate O'Sullivan, Invest Victoria’s Daniel Bisignano and Assemble’s Kris Daff to explore the conditions for stimulating private sector investment in affordable housing and approaches to developing partnerships with industry to deliver on the Victorian Government’s Housing Statement.   The panel highlighted the contribution that initiatives such as the Ground Lease Model program, Housing Australia Future Fund Facility, and Victorian Affordable Housing Partnership Program are making towards addressing project viability. These programs facilitate partnerships between government, community housing providers and the private sector to address the significant need and provide positive housing outcomes.   Damien spoke of the opportunities and challenges of long-term institutional investors for housing program structures that deliver long-term outcomes, and that encouraging this long-term investment will go some way to alleviate the fiscal burden for governments, while ensuring housing remains affordable and accessible for communities for generations.

Thank you to Infrastructure Partnerships Australia for a successful Partnerships 2024 conference. Plenary Group Chief Investment Officer Paul Crowe joined key public and private sector leaders from the Department of Treasury and Finance, Victoria, Health Infrastructure New South Wales and Lendlease to discuss the delivery of social infrastructure assets in Australia and the significant pipeline across health, social housing, education and stadiums. The panel covered plenty of ground, discussing the challenges and trends in procuring, financing, and delivering social infrastructure assets. Paul highlighted that public-private partnerships are a whole-of-life approach that focuses on the asset’s outcomes, including the ongoing service provision and user experience. He proposed them as an alternative to the more traditional, but limited approach, where the focus is only on delivering the asset itself. “There is an underlying benefit to PPPs that extends beyond simply delivering the asset; it’s about providing high-quality services and ensuring that service delivery is supported by an asset that is built to perform with KPIs that support positive social outcomes. "Governments should always embrace the opportunity to collaborate within partnerships to leverage their investment, creating precincts that offer enhanced amenities and other benefits,” Paul said. 

Congratulations to the Australian Government and the United Arab Emirates Government on the landmark free trade agreement secured between our two countries.   Plenary Group looks forward to the continued strengthening of Australia’s trade and investment ties with the UAE – Australia’s largest trade and investment partner in the Middle East – and working with partners to pursue public and social infrastructure opportunities in the Emirates and the wider GCC region.   Plenary has had an established presence in the UAE for several years. We are proud to have successfully delivered the first ever schools public-private partnership (PPP) in the UAE in the Zayed City Schools Project and to have secured the Khalifa University Student Accommodation Project, the largest student accommodation PPP in the GCC.

Plenary Group Executive Director Kelvyn Lavelle joined the Premier of Victoria Jacinta Allan MP, Victorian Minister for Regional Development Gayle Tierney MP, Federal Member for Corangamite Libby Coker, Geelong Mayor Trent Sullivan and local MPs to see progress on the Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre and mark a significant milestone. The construction of the Plenary Hall and Exhibition Halls – the centrepieces of the precinct – are almost complete and the project has now reached the halfway mark. With 8000 sqm of roofing being installed across the entire centre and 400 tonnes of locally manufactured steel on the two halls, this has generated over 5,200 apprentice hours for Geelong priority job seekers thanks to the Nyaal Banyul Early Engagement Social Procurement program. Co-designed by Development Victoria, the Give Where You Live Foundation's GROW initiative and gforce employment + recruitment, the program is being delivered by head contractor Built. Plenary Conventions is contracted to finance, design, construct and maintain Nyaal Banyul for 25 years in partnership with the Victorian Government and its funding partners under the Geelong City Deal, the Australian Government  and City of Greater Geelong. The precinct development also includes a $250 million private sector investment in associated commercial development. An initial $120 million Plenary Group investment will deliver Geelong’s largest hotel – a 200-room Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts hotel – and quality food and beverage offerings and a further $130 million will deliver future education and commercial spaces within a mixed-use precinct.   The convention centre and hotel precinct is on track to be completed and operational in 2026. Victorian Government | Development Victoria | Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions | Australian Government | City of Greater Geelong | Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre | Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre | Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation | Give Where You Live Foundation | GROW - G21 Regional Opportunities For Work | gforce employment + recruitment | The Gordon Plenary Group | Built. | BGIS | Woods Bagot | IHG Hotels & Resorts | Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts