DAY ONE

Wednesday 30 August

Time

Session

Constructive 2023 Forum Welcome and Opening
The building and construction sector has been plagued by an endless boom/bust cycle for 50 years. The peaks and troughs of this cycle are much more extreme for construction than other sectors. As a country we must not continue to accept the boom/bust cycle – there are solutions that can help us avoid the extreme volatility. As we head towards a general election, the discussions and solutions put forward at this year’s forum have never been so important. 

Speakers: 

• Jehan Casinader, Constructive MC and facilitator  
  
• David Kelly, CEO Registered Master Builders Association 

Political and Economic Landscape

State of the Building and Construction Sector - Our Annual Stocktake of the Sector
Our annual stocktake of commercial and residential builders and homeowners provides an overview of the issues facing our sector. New Zealand’s housing and construction system continues to be under pressure. Issues such as high inflation, skills shortages and climate resilience create a challenging backdrop for the building community. In this session we hear direct from the sector and then delve into what sector leaders are doing to emerge stronger. 

Watch our State of the Sector video here. 

Speakers: 

• Mike Greer, Executive Director, Mike Greer Homes
• Quin Henderson,  Executive Director, Southbase Construction
• Ceinwen McNeil, President, Association of Consulting Engineers (ACE) 
• Ronnie Tan, Founder and CEO, Creditworks

Morning Tea

Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Building & Construction Keynote Addresses 
Dr Megan Woods, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Building & Construction, provides a keynote address focussing on Government’s goals and policies for housing, infrastructure and construction in the build up to the election. This session includes a significant attendee Q&A session.

Speaker: 

• Hon Megan Woods, Minister for Building and Construction, Housing and Infrastructure
  

Making Sense of the Current Political and Economic Environment
Expert political and economic commentators share their views on the state of the economy and sector and reflect on the policy direction of the Government and opposition parties. This is an interactive session with opportunity for comment and questions from attendees. 

Speakers: 

• Shamubeel Eaqub, Partner, Sense Partners 
• Jon Johannson, Political scientist
• Brigitte Morten, Director, Franks Ogilvie

Lunch

Boom Bust and the Impact of Housing

Boom Bust - Is it a Just a Fact of Life or Can we Break the Cycle?
For our sector to make much needed gains in productivity, innovation, and economic growth we must address the boom-bust cycle that continues to plague our sector. This is a key contributor to our current housing and infrastructure deficit. It also strips our workforce every cycle, which then limits our ability to build as the cycle improves. It does not have to be this way, but we need to do things differently – now. We discuss approaches to solving this critical issue, including learning from the Australian experience.

Speakers: 

• Ross Copland, CEO of New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga
• David Kelly, CEO Registered Master Builders Association
• Denita Wawn, CEO, Master Builders Australia

Access to Finance
Access to finance is key issue facing impacting our ability to deliver the houses the country needs. We need to look at different funding models for infrastructure and housing. How can we do things differently and what is the role of Government? 

Speakers: 

• Cameron Bagrie 

Building Strong and Resilient Teams

The Power of Stories
Mental health is a vital issue for our sector, and one that requires continued focus. This year, we’ll hear from a familiar face – our long-time Constructive MC, Jehan Casinader. As an award-winning journalist, and a survivor of depression and suicidality, Jehan is working with Kiwi businesses to shift the dial on mental health. We are fortunate that Jehan has agreed to share his own story and his insights on how we can improve the wellbeing of employees at all levels of our sector.

Speaker: 

• Jehan Casinader, MC and mental health advocate  

Future Proofing our Workforce
What do we need to do as a sector and as individual businesses to attract and retain the people we need to future proof our industry. We look at practical ways to create strong, diverse, and vibrant workplaces where people feel supported and well rewarded.

Speakers: 

• Nate Alley, Director, Sentinel Homes
• Phillip Aldridge, CEO, Waihanga Ara Rau
• Dan McGuiness, Director, LT McGuinness
• Sarah Walker, Head of Strategy and Advocacy, Registered Master Builders Association

Day One Wrap Up