Australia needs more homes — and fast. In Bradfield, we feel this acutely: this is the electorate with the most unaffordable housing in Australia.
But building quickly isn’t the only goal. How do we make sure houses are safe, sustainable, and accessible while also addressing the housing supply crisis?
The National Construction Code (NCC) sets minimum standards for everything from fire safety to energy efficiency, and recent reforms aim to pause updates to streamline building. But what trade-offs does this create between speed, cost, and quality?
Join us for an open conversation unpacking how the NCC shapes our homes, what reforms mean for builders and residents, and how we can balance rapid construction with lasting quality. This is your chance to explore the complexities of housing policy and connect national debates to everyday life.
Dr Gillian Armstrong
Buildings Project Impact Manager, Climateworks
Dr Armstrong works in Climateworks’ Cities team, leading research and policy projects to decarbonise Australia’s buildings sector, including residential and non-residential buildings, and both new and existing builds.
Her background spans over 20 years of experience as a registered architect (UK) and Chartered Architectural Technologist, specialising in the adaptive reuse of residential and healthcare buildings. Gill is also research-trained, earning her PhD in building regulation and the built environment, with a focus on the adaptive reuse of vacant buildings in Australia. She is also co-editor & contributor to the research publication, ‘Resilient Building Retrofits’ (2022). She 'lives and breathes' buildings and her passion is for performance-led design.
Katy Dean
Senior Policy Adviser, Green Building Council of Australia
Katy is an advocacy and policy specialist with 15 years of experience in the sustainability and property industries. She has also worked in Australia’s public sector developing and implementing policies in several departments. Katy is Senior Policy Adviser at Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), an industry association focused on leading the sustainable transformation of the built environment. Supporting the advocacy efforts of GBCA is a deeply rewarding role which allows Katy to work with passionate leaders and champions of sustainability across industry and all levels of government.
Mark Newman
Managing Director, Newmark Constructions
Mark Newman is Newmark Constructions’ Construction Manager, and Managing Director. The original base of his experience in the nineties came from his carpentry apprenticeship, working in Sydney’s eastern suburbs on high end residential projects up to $10M. While his love of residential craftsmanship and place making drew him back to residential building, he did spend time on commercial projects, including working with Australian icons Kell & Rigby, while coupling his trade experience with university training in construction management. He started Newmark in 2009. He has been recognised for his excellence in building, leadership and contribution to the evolution of the building industry, including being awarded MBA's Young Builder of the Year, and as runner up at Master Builder of the Year in 2024. He has delivered approximately $19.4M worth of work in the last three years. He has lived in Naremburn since 2014, with his wife Rebecca, and their three young girls.
Rebecca Newman
Senior Construction Industry Leader, Newmark Construction
Rebecca Newman has been in the construction industry in a number of roles over the past 20 years. Following her foundational studies in organisation performance, business strategy, and communications at uni, and a tenure working in the sports industry on the Sydney Olympics and with the Australia Sports Commission and AIS in Canberra, upon settling into life in Sydney, Bec found herself leading senior teams to win major infrastructure construction projects, initially in a consulting company and later in-house at Laing O'Rourke. She worked on projects such as the Sydney Desalination Plant, and the first iteration of the Sydney Metro, introducing her to the behind the scenes impact of infrastructure on culture and society. Her insights and love of human performance have flowed into her evolving roles at Newmark, including recently taking Newmark through a businesses' transformation, as it completes its teen years. Since 2022, Rebecca believes strongly in holistically looking at systems and environments which enable healthy cultures and societies, to solve meaningful and impactful challenges.
Nicolette Boele MP
Member for Bradfield
Before being elected as Bradfield’s independent MP in 2025, Nicolette worked across clean energy, finance, and sustainable investment, helping businesses and governments make practical, evidence-based decisions that strengthen the economy. She’s held senior roles with the Responsible Investment Association Australasia, the Investor Group on Climate Change, and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, and advised start-ups bringing affordable electric vehicles to Australians.
A lifelong local, Nicolette grew up and now raises her family in Bradfield. She brings her economic and policy expertise into community conversations, connecting national debates on productivity and reform to everyday life.