Setting the regional agenda…
Big picture and key trends for regional Australia
Liz Ritchie, CEO of the Regional Australia Institute (RAI) provides the big-picture, evidence-based view of the social, economic and policy trends transforming regional Australia. Liz will discuss how leaders across government, business, and community can be positioned to respond; she shares insights from RAI’s research, including opportunities to lead in a changing landscape.
The “Future Made in Australia” session will explore how Australia’s manufacturing, energy and regional industries are evolving in response to the energy transition and new government priorities for sovereign capability. The session aims to highlight how regional cities are already leading this change — through innovation, investment and collaboration across sectors.
A Future Made In Australia
Circular economies driving regional innovation
Innovations in circular economy are reshaping Australia’s regions. Hear from national and local leaders on rethinking the way we produce, reuse, and revalue materials, and how these new industries can drive economic opportunity and sustainability.
Supply chain & logistics: Reimagining the future as the nation’s eastern logistics hub
This session will explore the critical role regional freight and logistics play in driving economic growth and connecting regional producers to national and international markets. It will examine infrastructure, intermodal connectivity, port access, and emerging supply chain challenges and opportunities.
Designed for logistics providers, exporters, policymakers, and community, the discussion will highlight how efficient and resilient regional freight networks underpin competitiveness, trade diversification, and long-term regional prosperity.
Ben Finkle from the Australian Regional Artificial Intelligence Network (ARAIN) will demystify how modern AI fits into everyday work and help participants spot high-value opportunities in their own workflows. Using regionally relevant case studies, including agriculture and forestry, the session will assume a baseline familiarity and move beyond the basics into real tasks like analysis, scenario thinking, spreadsheets, presentations, and clearer internal communication.
Smarter regions, Practical AI
Cathy McGowan AO, former independent Federal Member for Indi (2013–2019) and one of Australia’s most respected advocates for community-led leadership, will present the evening keynote.
Cathy will explore why strong regional leadership will determine whether communities simply host investment, or genuinely secure long-term economic and social benefit. It is about taking control of our future and ensuring change happens with our regions, not to them.
The power of regional leadership
The opportunity for regional advanced manufacturing
Advanced manufacturing is becoming a major driver of regional growth, productivity, and competitiveness. Across regional Australia, manufacturers are embracing new technologies, strengthening workforce capability, and building more resilient supply chains to adapt to changing markets.
This session brings together regional leaders and industry operators to examine what is genuinely working on the ground, highlighting practical examples of innovation, investment, and operational improvement. The discussion will focus on the opportunities available to regional manufacturers, the actions businesses can take now to build capability, and the partnerships between industry, education, and government that can accelerate growth, skills development, and long-term regional advantage.
Why the future of Australian productivity depends on the regions
Bernard Salt AM is an Australian demographer, author, columnist and social commentator widely regarded for his insights into how demographic and social trends shape society, business and the economy. He has written multiple best-selling books and been a regular columnist for The Weekend Australian for more than 20 years, where he interprets long-term population, lifestyle and consumer shifts for a broad audience.
In this session Bernard will unpack ABS projections showing Australia’s working-age population tilting toward regional and peri-urban areas as capital cities age. He’ll translate what this means for the Riverina Murray region: family housing and services demand, skills and hybrid work, and how to convert this shift into productivity gains across manufacturing, agriculture and renewables.
The future will be determined by water
The Murray–Darling Basin is in the midst of a significant water conflict — north versus south, irrigators versus environment, governments versus communities. It is a complex social, economic and environmental challenge that demands collaborative solutions to secure the future of our inland rivers.
This session will explore how innovation in water use, technology and governance can help bridge these divides and deliver more sustainable outcomes for both communities and ecosystems.
The discussion will focus on practical solutions that support productive agriculture while restoring river health. It will highlight where cooperation is already delivering results and examine how regions can lead in building trust, resilience and long-term water security amid climate variability and growing demand.
Powering the future: Our energy security depends on it
This session will explore one of the most significant economic opportunities of our time: securing the energy foundations that enable Australian businesses and industries to grow. With demand rising every year—fuelled by AI, advanced manufacturing and our ever-increasing need for digital connectivity—energy has become the number one constraint on future investment, no matter the size of the business.
This session steps away from politics and debate to focus on what truly matters for regional prosperity: how we build resilient, reliable energy systems that unlock long-term economic potential.
Securing the skills to power regional growth
Australia’s regions are being asked to deliver more than ever — from energy and advanced manufacturing to defence capability, logistics and digital transformation. None of this is possible without a workforce that is skilled, adaptable and available where growth is occurring.
This session will explore how regions can move beyond short-term labour shortages to build sustainable workforce systems that support long-term economic development. It will examine how education and training providers, industry, government and communities can better align skills pipelines with real demand, including place-based education, migration pathways and stronger transitions from learning to employment.
Focusing on opportunity rather than constraint, the discussion will highlight how getting workforce right can unlock investment, lift productivity and build resilient regional economies — positioning people as the critical infrastructure behind future growth.
Building Australia’s sovereign capability
Australia’s sovereign capability is increasingly critical to our national security, economic resilience and long-term prosperity. This session will explore how Australia’s defence needs are evolving, why strong domestic supply chains matter more than ever, and the essential role regional Australia plays in building and sustaining this capability. From advanced manufacturing and critical minerals to logistics, engineering and workforce development, regions are central to ensuring Australia can design, produce and maintain key defence assets at home.
The discussion will also examine how defence and government can better engage with regional industry to unlock local expertise, diversify suppliers and strengthen sovereign capability across the country. Drawing on strategic policy perspectives and real-world industry experience, the session will highlight practical pathways for regional businesses to participate in defence supply chains and contribute to a more secure, self-reliant Australia.