Michele Kennedy

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, I lead a team of four property professionals overseeing a large and diverse portfolio of complex, interdependent infrastructure projects across regional NSW. Operating with a high degree of autonomy, I provide strategic leadership, governance and expert advice across all stages of the property lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead a high performing team managing over 150 active projects, ensuring legislative compliance, consistency, and timely decision making across all phases of delivery.
• Provide authoritative advice on complex property matters including Aboriginal Land Claims, Native Title interests and acquisition strategy.
• Oversee acquisition, valuation, divestment, and governance activities in line with Transport’s legislative and financial objectives.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary project teams, local councils and government agencies to facilitate approvals, land access, and stakeholder alignment.
• Review and authorise key documentation, including management plans, ministerial briefings, and risk assessments.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives, developing data management frameworks, tracking tools, and performance dashboards to enhance governance and reporting.
• Ensure adherence to relevant legislation including the Roads Act 1993, Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991, Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983, and Native Title Act 1993.

Delivered end to end property advice and services for major infrastructure programs across the Northern Region, providing strategic direction, acquisition expertise and governance support through all project phases.

Key Responsibilities:

• Acted as the primary property contact for regional projects, coordinating all acquisition, lease, and divestment activities.
• Provided expert property risk and impact analysis to inform project planning, feasibility, and design decisions.
• Embedded staff into project teams to ensure capability alignment and efficient property outcomes.
• Developed and implemented key project documentation including property management plans, ministerial briefings and risk assessments.
• Maintained pipeline data, resource plans and milestone tracking to improve visibility and program control.
• Supported organisational initiatives to enhance reporting transparency, digital systems and process standardisation.
• Promoted a proactive safety and compliance culture across all project activities.

Managed valuations and negotiations for the acquisition of land, including hardship cases, to enable delivery of high priority road and transport infrastructure projects.

Key Responsibilities:

• Negotiated acquisitions and compensation agreements in accordance with the Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991.
• Developed acquisition strategies and managed consultant engagements to support project delivery.
• Provided expert advice on acquisition risk, valuation and property governance to project managers and senior executives.
• Interpreted Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) approval conditions to secure right of way and ensure statutory compliance.
• Prepared cost estimates, progress reports and ministerial submissions, ensuring probity and accountability.
• Supported collaborative relationships with internal teams, landowners and key stakeholders to maintain project momentum.

Delivered end to end property acquisition and disposal services for major transport projects, securing land for road, rail and busway infrastructure across Queensland.

Key Responsibilities:

• Negotiated property acquisitions, easements, leases, and disposals under the Acquisition of Land Act 1967 (QLD).
• Review compensation claims in accordance with relevant and court precedence to achieve timely outcomes.
• Provided strategic property estimates and valuation assessments for project budgeting and feasibility.
• Conducted landowner engagement and negotiated access for survey, environmental, and construction purposes.
• Managed surplus land disposals, offer backs and lease agreements in accordance with statutory obligations
• Apply knowledge the Transport Planning & Coordination Act 1994 (TPCA), Transport Infrastructure Act 1994, Land Act 1994 and the Native Title Act 1993.

Managed day to day maintenance of more than 5500 government owned assets statewide, leading a team of property inspectors, administrative staff and contractors.

Key Responsibilities:

• Oversaw property maintenance, refurbishment, and demolition programs in compliance with safety and procurement standards.
• Provided expert advice to senior management on property asset management, lifecycle planning, and contractor performance.
• Coordinated statewide procurement for demolition works in alignment with legislative and WHS requirements.

Community Recovery is a whole of Government initiative to assist in the recovery of communities impacted by natural disasters across Qld.

Key Responsibilities:

• Simultaneously managed multiple teams on short notice for deployment into natural disaster zones.
• Supervise the recruitment of Hundreds of volunteers for emergency deployment on short notice.
• Supervise the deployment of up to 60 volunteers daily from all over Qld, to be deployed into disaster zones.
• Supervise the data maintenance team to ensure data cleansing / data maintenance was accurate for all ready reserves & training was up to date.
• Ensure all statistical data is correct to provide statistical information for briefings to the Minister/Premier and Specific Regions that were affected by the disaster.