PROGRAM

Conference Program

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23 November
24 November
25 November
Social Events
Optional

23 November

9.00am	✍️ Registration Opens Location: Panthers Penrith Reception
9.15am-11.40am	🛬 Western Sydney International Airport Site Visit Group 1 9.15am: Delegate transfer from Panthers Penrith 11.15am: Delegates arrive Panthers Penrith Group 2 9.55am: Delegate transfer from Panthers Penrith 11.40am: Delegates arrive Panthers Penrith
10.15am-11.00am	🚌 Bus Transfers Delegate Transfers: From selected hotels to Panthers Penrith
11.30am-12.30pm	🔧 Professional Development Workshops Location: Western Sydney Convention Centre Workshop A Affordable Housing Contribution Schemes for councils: A practical forum tailored for councillors, offering a concise introduction to establishing affordable housing contribution schemes. Learn key policy tools, legal frameworks, and implementation strategies to support inclusive community development. Workshop B Emerging Biosecurity Risks and Invasive Species: This workshop equips councillors with essential knowledge on identifying, managing, and mitigating the risks of emerging biosecurity risks and invasive species, including imported red fire ants and polyphagous shot-hole borer. Learn proactive strategies to protect local ecosystems and ensure council readiness.
11.45am-12.30pm	🚌 Bus Transfers Delegate Transfers: From selected hotels to Panthers Penrith
12.30pm	✍️ Registration Opens Panthers Penrith Reception
1.00pm-5.00pm	🧑‍💼 Trade Exhibition Opens Location: Panthers Penrith Event Centre
1.30pm-2.30pm	🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Plenary Sessions Location: Panthers Penrith Evan Theatre Welcome to Country: Julie Jones Webb – Dharug Knowledge Holder President’s Welcome: Cr Phyllis Miller OAM, President LGNSW Host Destination Welcome: Cr Todd Carney, Mayor Penrith City Council Hon Chris Minns MP, Premier of New South Wales
2.30pm-3.00pm	☕ Afternoon Tea Panthers Penrith Event Centre Partner: Landcom
3.00pm-5.00pm	🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Plenary Sessions Location: Panthers Penrith Evan Theatre Introduction: David Reynolds, Chief Executive LGNSW Ministerial Address: Hon Ron Hoenig MP, NSW Minister for Local Government AR Bluett Awards Hon Christopher Rath, MLC Shadow Special Minister of State, and Shadow Minister for Local Government ALGA Update: Mayor Matt Burnett, ALGA President LGNSW and NSW Country Mayors Association – Memorandum of Understanding Signing Cr Phyllis Miller OAM, President LGNSW Cr Rick Firman OAM, Chairman CMA & Mayor, Temora Shire Council Topic: Opportunities and risks for local government with rapid AI development Keynote Address: Nick Abrahams, AI Strategy Adviser
5.15pm-7.15pm	🤝 President’s Welcome Reception Location: Western Sydney Convention Centre Community Partner: Airbnb
7.15pm	🚌 Bus Transfers Delegate Transfers: From Western Sydney Convention Centre to selected hotels

24 November

	🚌 Bus transfers 6.30am-7.15am: ALGWA Breakfast Delegate Transfers: From selected hotels to Western Sydney Convention Centre 8.00am-8.45am: Conference Delegate Transfers: From selected hotels to Panthers Penrith
7.00am	✍️ Registration Opens Location: Panthers Penrith Reception Satellite Location: Western Sydney Convention Centre (Breakfast Delegates Only)
7.30am-8.45am	🥐 ALGWA NSW Breakfast Western Sydney Convention Centre Partner: Maddocks Keynote Session: Resilience, Representation, and the Power of Never Giving Up Keynote Speaker: Ms Karla Grant Ms Karla Grant appears by arrangement with Claxton Speakers International.
8.00am–9.00am	✅ LGNSW Voting Open (during session breaks only) Location: Western Sydney Convention Centre
8.00am	🧑‍💼 Trade Exhibition Opens Location: Panthers Penrith Event Centre ☕ Light refreshments available
9.00am–10.45am	9.00am: Conference Location: Panthers Penrith Evan Theatre Lumi electronic voting devices distributed to delegates upon entering Evan Theatre Conference Welcome and Introduction: David Reynolds, Chief Executive LGNSW Opening Address: Cr Phyllis Miller OAM, President LGNSW Voting on motions procedure and housekeeping: David Reynolds, Chief Executive LGNSW Opening of the Federal and State Conferences adoption of standing orders, business sessions and consideration of motions and conference business. Presentation of financial reports: Cr Julie Griffiths, LGNSW Treasurer From about 10.00am: Commencement of consideration of motions and conference business
10.45am-11.15am	☕ Morning Tea & Trade Exhibition Location: Trade Exhibition, Panthers Penrith Event Centre
10.45am-11.15am	✅ LGNSW Voting Location: Western Sydney Convention Centre
11.15am-12.55pm	📄 Consideration of Conference Business continued Location: Panthers Penrith Evan Theatre Address by Elite Partner, Statewide Mutual Consideration of Conference Business continued
1.00pm-2.15pm	🍴 Lunch and Trade Exhibition Delegates: Trade Exhibition, Panthers Penrith Event Centre GM Lunch: Western Sydney Convention Centre Partner: StateCover Mutual
1.00pm-2.15pm	✅ LGNSW Voting Western Sydney Convention Centre Closes at 2.15pm
2.20pm-3.30pm	📄 Consideration of Conference Business continued Location: Panthers Penrith Evan Theatre
3.30pm-4.00pm	☕ Afternoon Tea and Trade Exhibition Location: Panthers Penrith Event Centre Partner: Vision Super
4.00pm-5.00pm	📄 Consideration of Conference Business continued Location: Panthers Penrith Evan Theatre
5.00pm-6.30pm	🥛 Networking Drinks Trade Exhibition, Panthers Penrith Event Centre
5.15pm sharp	🚌 Bus Transfers Delegate Transfers: Panthers Penrith to selected hotels 6.20pm-6.45pm Delegate Transfers: Selected hotels to Western Sydney Convention Centre
6.30pm-10.30pm	🍽️ LGNSW Conference Dinner Location: Western Sydney Convention Centre Elite partner: Statewide Mutual 🏆 Presentations: LGNSW Service Awards
9.45pm-10.45pm	🚌 Bus Transfers Delegate Transfers: From Western Sydney Convention Centre to selected hotels 9.45pm, 10.15pm and 10.45pm

25 November

8.00am-8.45am	🚌 Bus Transfers Delegate Transfers: From selected hotels to Panthers Penrith
7.30am	✍️ Registration Opens Location: Panthers Penrith Reception 🧥 Cloak Room Opens Location: Panthers Penrith
8.00am	🧑‍💼 Trade Exhibition Opens Panthers Penrith Event Centre ☕ Light refreshments available
9.00am–10.30am	🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Plenary Sessions Location: Panthers Penrith Evan Theatre 👋 Introduction, Housekeeping and Speaker Introduction Session Title: NSW planning reforms two years in: how to optimise outcomes for all communities Speakers: Sue Weatherley MPIA (Fellow) – NSW President, Planning Institute of Australia Hon Stuart Ayers – CEO, Urban Development Institute of Australia (NSW) Kiersten Fishburn – Secretary, Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure Session Title: Positive Community Engagement Panel Speakers: Kylie Legge – Founder and CEO, Place Score Cinnamon Dunsford – Principal Planner, Locale Consulting Stuart Reeve – Executive Director, Micromex Research and Consulting
10.35am-11.05am	☕ Morning Tea and Trade Exhibition Location: Panthers Penrith Event Centre
11.05am-1.00pm	🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Plenary Sessions Location: Panthers Penrith Evan Theatre Session Title: Infrastructure, Investment and Tourism Session Speakers: Karen Jones – CEO, DNSW Ken Morrison – CEO, Bradfield Development Authority Margy Osmond – CEO, Tourism and Transport Forum Session Title: Brain Power Keynote: Todd Sampson 🙌 Annual Conference 2026 Host Council 💬 Final Remarks, Cr Phyllis Miller OAM, President LGNSW
1.00pm-1.45pm	🍴 Lunch and Trade Exhibition Location: Panthers Penrith Event Centre
2.00pm	👏 Conference Concludes

Optional

Conference Dinner

24 November, 6.30pm to 10.30pm.

🍽️ Dinner and entertainment.

🏆 Presentation of Local Government Service Awards will be made during the Conference Dinner.

StateCover General Managers' Lunch

🍴 24 November: Exclusive to GMs and CEOs.

ALGWA Breakfast

🥐 24 November 7.30am-8.45am | Australian Local Government Women’s Association (ALGWA NSW) Breakfast | Western Sydney Convention Centre