In April 2013, I was appointed to the High Speed Rail Advisory Group.  Our terms of reference was to provide practical advice to the government and to Minister Albanese in  response to the High Speed Rail consultant report. We considered all the public submissions, considered the views expressed by industry stakeholders, participated in a forum in Canberra run by the Australian Railway Association, and reported to government just prior to the government going into caretaker mode. My colleagues on the Advisory group were: Ms Lyn O'connell (Chair) Department of Infrastructure and Transport; the Hon Tim Fischer AC; Ms Jennifer Westacott, Business Council of Australia; Prof.  Peter Newman, Curtin University and Infrastructure Australia; Bob Nanva, Rail, Tram and Bus Industry Union; Cr Jenny Dowell, Presiedent Northern rivers Regional Organisation of councils; Bryan Nye, Australasian Railway association.

Our report was released on 26th august 2013.

The full report can be accessed on the Department of Infrastructure and Transport Website: http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/rail/trains/high_speed/index.aspx

The media release of the Advisory group report is here: files/130826_-_DRAFT_-_ELECTION_2013_-_High_speed_rail.docx

The report of the Advisory Group is here: files/HSR_Advisory_Group_report_290713.pdf

April 2012: Sue Holliday reappointed to National Housing Supply council

http://www.brendanoconnor.fahcsia.gov.au/mediareleases/2012/Pages/housing_supply_24april2012.aspx
Media Releases
National Housing Supply Council Reappointments
Date:
24/04/2012
Four members of the National Housing Supply Council have been reappointed for a further two years, Minister for Housing and Minister for Homelessness Brendan O’Connor announced today.
Mr O’Connor said he was pleased that Council Chair Dr Owen Donald and members Saul Eslake, Dr Judy Yates and Professor Sue Holliday would continue to contribute to the Council’s work.
The Council was established in 2008 to provide forecasts, analysis and advice on the adequacy of land supply and construction activity to meet housing demand and improve affordability.
The Council‘s immediate priority is the next annual State of Supply Report, which aggregates and assesses information on land supply and demand for housing from all levels of government and the private sector.
“All Australians are entitled to a secure and affordable home, which is why the Gillard Government has made housing affordability a national priority,” Mr O’Connor said.
“We’ve made an unprecedented investment of more than $20 billion to address housing supply and affordability issues.
“We have to get housing supply right to improve economic productivity and make Australia an even better place in which to live and do business.
“I am very pleased to announce the reappointment of Dr Donald, a former Victorian Director of Housing, to lead the work of the Council and bring to bear his extensive expertise in Australia’s housing sector.
“I am also happy that Mr Eslake, Dr Yates and Prof Holliday will continue to contribute to the Council’s important work informing the community, the private sector and the Government on how we can work together to improve housing supply and affordability around the nation.”

January 2012: Sue Holliday one of the five most influential planners in Australia ….
http://planningissue.com/2012/01/30/top-5-most-influential-planners-of-2011-the-draft-list/
Top 5 Most Influential Planners of 2011 – the ‘Draft List’
Posted on 30/01/2012 by urbanideasexchange
Before you get too embroiled in 2012, pause and take a moment to think of those you consider most influential in planning for 2011. Which Australian “planners” do you consider to have exerted a broad influence on urban planning thought, action and ideas. Ideally they are leaders who have not just been influential within a particular organisation or region, but are recognisable nationally as influencing the direction of urban planning in Australia.

April 2012: Peter Walsh launches the Living Victoria Implementation report….
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/water-revolution-would-turn-rooftops-into-catchments-20120422-1xf73.html
Water revolution would turn rooftops into catchments
Jason Dowling
April 23, 2012

The report calls for new planning and building rules to maximise the use of stormwater and recycled water. Photo: James Davies
MELBURNIANS face the biggest overhaul in the supply of household water in decades with a new plan to change the cost of water and where it comes from.

A ministerial advisory council report released today recommends dramatically altering the city's approach to water including expanding competition among government-owned water businesses and creating a water trading market, licensing private providers to offer not-for-drinking recycled and stormwater to the home and the possibility of paying a premium on water bills to avoid restrictions.

Instead of planning for massive new supply projects such as the Thomson Dam, north-south pipeline or the desalination plant, the new plan maximises existing water sources through a "metropolitan integrated water cycle strategy" to make new communities more water self-sufficient, leading to billions of dollars in infrastructure savings.