I am honoured to have been elected as the new President of Roads Australia earlier today. I am excited by this opportunity to lead the next phase of our modernisation, working closely with Vice Presidents Scott Olsen and Silje Troseth, the Board, the RA team and our members.

I come to the President’s role at an unpredictable but pivotal time in history. Climate change, the pandemic and war are current megatrends creating rapid change in our sector.

As an industry, we need to collectively consider our response to those trends as well as the concurrent challenges of decarbonisation, sustainability, technological and workforce changes.

For me, roads are first and foremost a service. This means that users – whether commuters or commercial entities – must be embedded at the heart of the transport system.

Through our powerful membership, Roads Australia has the opportunity to lead efforts to boost our national productivity and address some of the key challenges of our time.

This includes transitioning to a sector run on clean energy, and becoming modern employers and workplaces of choice that reflect our diverse community.

I want collaboration to be a defining characteristic of Roads Australia, and not just between leadership and members, but among members themselves. I want to build an inclusive strategy-setting approach that draws in new thinking and new voices.

Thank you for your support. I look forward to working with you on this important journey to build a future focused sector and an organisation that is impactful through a clear purpose.

Aneetha de Silva
RA President
25 November 2022