2026 NAWIC QLD Awards for Excellence Finalists

We are incredibly proud to share that two of our own, Halie Simmons and Lauren Chatfield, have been named finalists in the Emerging Leader category at the 2026 NAWIC QLD Awards for Excellence. To top it off, Lauren has also been recognised as a finalist for the QBCC Young Achiever Award, a special honour selected from across all nomination categories.

Our finalists

Halie, Site Administrator for the Snowy 2.0 Longitudinal Drainage Bores project, has built a career across cost control, site engineering, quality and logistics – from Papua New Guinea to the Snowy Mountains. Her innovative Hand Safety toolbox initiative and her Honours research into barriers facing women in PNG’s construction industry show a leader who acts well beyond her role description.

Lauren, Human Resources Advisor, has gone from Junior HR Clerk to trusted advisor in under five years – embracing site life on the Kurri Kurri Lateral Pipeline and now the Snowy 2.0 Longitudinal Drainage Bores project. Whether mobilising entire project teams, guiding complex IR matters, or helping international welders find their feet in a new country, she leads through trust rather than title.

Two very different pathways, one shared quality: leadership earned through initiative, integrity and genuine care for people.

Congratulations to Halie and Lauren, and to every finalist shaping a stronger, more inclusive construction industry.