Simon is one of two recipients of the 2025 Municipal Engineering Foundation Victoria Overseas Study Tour Award. In August 2025, Simon visited and learnt from 12 organisations across the United States and Canada including large cities, a State Department and smaller regional councils. Simon also attended the American Public Works Association Public Works Expo in Chicago.
Simon's presentation will focus on his learnings about infrastructure engineering and capital investment planning for disaster adaptation and climate resilience whilst benchmarking Victorian Councils work in this area.
The presentation explores several relevant aspects including planning and policy, disaster preparedness, hazard response, funding and financial planning and implementation case studies. These insights will provide all public sector professionals with a useful perspective and overview of how a range of organisations in North America with different climate change impacts are facing similar challenges.
The presentation will also catalogue the key take-aways and good adaptive infrastructure management strategies for the benefit of the Australian municipal sector.