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MacDonnell Room B & C
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Ellery A
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Ellery B
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Ellery C
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8:00 AM - 8:30 AM |
Day 2 Registration Open - Ghan Foyer
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Keynote Session 3 - MacDonnell Room B & C
Chair: Craig Doyle
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8:30 AM - 8:40 AM |
Welcome to Day 2
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8:40 AM - 8:55 AM |
Northern Australia – Securing the Nation
Senator Susan McDonald | Shadow Minister for Resources and Shadow Minister for Northern Australia
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9:00 AM - 9:20 AM |
Health, Community and Cultural Resilience: Locally Led Research Development and Translation Driving Change Across Northern Australia
Dr Scott Davis | Executive Director, Tropical Australian Academic Health Centre Limited (TAAHC)
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9:25 AM - 9:40 AM |
Marianna O’Gorman
Deputy Chair at Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)
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9:45 AM - 10:30 AM |
Environment, Climate & Natural Resource Transition Panel
Facilitator:
Marianna O’Gorman, Deputy Chair, Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) Panellists:
Andrew Johnson, PSM, Independent NT Controller of Water Resources
Dr Dylan Irvine, Charles Darwin University
Jimmy Cocking, CEO Desert Knowledge Australia
Kirsty Howey, CEO NT Environment Centre
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10:30 AM - 11:00 AM |
Morning Tea - Ghan Foyer & MacDonnell Room A
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MacDonnell Room B & C.
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Ellery A
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Ellery B
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Ellery C
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Session 5: Economic Development
Chair: Katrina Kawaljenko
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Session 6: First Nations Leadership
Chair: Jade Ritchie
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Session 7: Environment & Climate
Chair: Nerida Beard
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Session 8: Innovation & Technology
Chair: Steve Rogers
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11:00 AM - 11:20 AM |
Alice Springs Town Council - Economic Development Projects in Central Australia
Mayor Asta Hill, Alice Springs Town Council
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Improving Food Security for Residents of Remote Aboriginal Communities
Vicki Schultz, NT Health
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New and Improved Food and Energy Crops for Northern Australia
Robert Henry, The University of Queensland
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AI Skills for the Future - Northern Australia to Contribute to the National AI Capability
Tim Burt, Future Skills Organisation
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11:25 AM - 11:45 AM |
Playing the Long Game: How Strategic Partnerships Have Driven Regional Investment
Mayor Greg Williamson, Regional Council
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Empowering Community Prosperity: Djarindjin Aboriginal Corporation's Leadership Pathway in First Nations Economic Development
Nathan McIvor, Djarindjin Aboriginal Corporation
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ARIDGRAZE - $5M Research and Adoption Support for Sustainable Development of Central Australian Grazing Industry
Robyn Cowley & Alison Kain, NT Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
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Stronger Homes, Stronger Communities: Empowering the North to Build Their Future
Peter Woods, Modpacs
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11:50 AM - 12:10 PM |
One Future: What NT, Northern WA and North Queensland Can Learn from Each Other
Kate Haycock, AEC Group
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Igniting Indigenous-Led Investments: From ILUAs to Equity
David Knights, Indigenous Business Australia (IBA)
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Indigenous Led Carbon Projects Delivering Significant Benefits for Climate, Country and Community
Anna Boustead, Indigenous Carbon Industry Network
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Invisible Infrastructure - Right Sized for Northern Australia
Mitchell Hunt, Rapid Platform
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12:15 PM - 12:35 PM |
Who Backs the Risk? Philanthropy as Innovation Capital in Remote NT and Northern Australia
Donna Digby, Alexie Seller & Natalie Egleton, Territory Connect
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Owning the Evidence – Indigenous Data Sovereignty as Strategic Economic Infrastructure
Lindsay Bridge, First Nations Economics
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Waterholes as Natural Infrastructure: Climate Variability and Dry-Season Water Security in the Gilbert River Catchment
Paula Cartwright, James Cook University
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Digital Technology Use and eHealth Literacy in a Remote Aboriginal Community of the Northern Territory
Vishnu Khanal & Kureisha Wilson, Menzies School of Health Research
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12:35 PM - 1:35 PM |
Exhibition Networking Lunch - Ghan Foyer & MacDonnell Room A
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.MacDonnell Room B & C
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Ellery A
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Ellery B
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Ellery C
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Session 9: First Nations Leadership
Chair: Kylie Porter
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Session 10: Health & Community
Chair: Scott Davis
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Session 11: Growing Northern Talent
Chair: Jodie Summers
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Session 12: Infrastructure & Connectivity
Chair: Naomi Evans
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1:35 PM - 1:55 PM |
Indigenous Engagement, Education and Empowerment - Practical Action, Meaningful Impact: ADG's Indigenous Training Academy
Sandra De Kock, Airport Development Group Pty Ltd
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Robust Health Systems for the Future: What Are the Priorities for Northern Australia?
Associate Professor Alexandra Edelman, Menzies School of Health Research
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Unlocking Northern Australia’s Agricultural Future
Amelia Vellar, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
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Resilient Northern Australian Communities: Navigating Disaster Recovery in the East Pilbara
Steven Harding, Shire of East Pilbara
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2:00 PM - 2:20 PM |
Backing First Nations Entrepreneurs: What Works When Support Is Designed with Place, People and Partners
Alexie Seller, Impact North
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Could Rotary-Wing Retrieval Improve Timeliness of Prehospital Critical-Care in Central Australia?
Professor Richard Johnson, Alice Springs Hospital
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The Workforce Conversation Ecosystem: Retention by Design
Barbara Clifford, The Hinwood Institute
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Where Seaweed Grows, Communities Thrive - Enabling Seaweed Economies in North Australia
Alison Duguid, North Australian Seaculture
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2:25 PM - 2:45 PM |
Why So Few Commonwealth Government Contracts Awarded to First Nations Companies in Northern Australia?
Rod Reeve, Samantha Turk, Ninti One Limited
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From Regional Voices to Statewide Strength: Queensland's Transformational Regional Governance Journey
Suzi Woodrow-Read, Queensland Department of Natural Resources, Mines, Manufacturing, Regional and Rural Development
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Working Hard and It's Hardly Working: Novel Solutions to Navigate Under-Resourcing in Regional Mental Healthcare
Kacie Austin, Department of Veterans
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Developing Connectivity Across the North
Gavin Williams, Nbnco
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2:50 PM - 3:10 PM |
Aboriginal Community-Led Project Design and Delivery in the NT - Collective Impact Initiative
Elouise Calma, Aboriginal Investment NT
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Coordinated Pathways Out of Homelessness: The Central Intake Service in the Northern Territory
Kelly Hughes & April Robinson, Lutheran Care
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People, Place and Work: Rethinking Workforce Capability in Remote Contexts
Fionn Griffin, Remote Contexts Centred Solutions
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Building a Resilient Digital Future: Harnessing Technology for Economic and Social Growth in Northern Australia
Kathryn Jones, Telstra InfraCo
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3:10 PM - 3:40 PM |
Afternoon Tea -- Ghan Foyer & MacDonnell Room A
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MacDonnell Room B & C
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Ellery A
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Ellery B
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Ellery C
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Session 13: Economic Development
Chair: Jason Kidd
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Session 14: Environment & Climate
Chair: Anthony Curro
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Session 15: Health & Community
Chair: Alexie Seller
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Session 16: Growing Northern Talent
Chair: Brook Orr
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3:40 PM - 4:00 PM |
Unlocking Scarce Regional Industrial Land to Attract Priority-Sector Investment at Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct
Sean O'Meara, Andrew Leith & Scott Muller, Eco-Industrial BDO
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Applying Circular Economy Principles Through Cross-Sector Collaboration in Remote Communities
Jennifer McHugh, Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council
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Strong Futures Start Here: First Nations Health and Wellbeing
Carissa McAllister & Vicky Meyer, CheckUP
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Building Capability in the Next Generation Workforce for Northern Australia
Margie Atkinson, Atkinson Consulting
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4:05 PM - 4:25 PM |
From Potential to Prosperity: Securing Territory Participation in Major Projects
Hayley Richards, Northern Territory Government’s Department of Trade, Business and Asian Relations
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Evaluating Ecosystem Service Trade-Offs Under Irrigated Agricultural Development in the Gilbert River Catchment
Jack Koci, James Cook University
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Working with Social Workers in General Practice Settings: The Views of GPs
Ines Zuchowski, James Cook University
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What retains the remote health workforce? Quantifying retention priorities in remote Australia using Best-Worst
Dr Nanda Budhathoki & Deb Russell, Menzies School Of Health
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4:30 PM - 4:50 PM |
Community Resilience in the Northern Territory - A Dashboard for Early Detection of Change
Jacki Schirmer & David Gallacher, Northern Hub
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Presentation Coming Soon
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Building Better Water Plans: Cultural Water Values Assessment for the Adelaide River catchment, Northern Territory
Michelle Rodrigo, DLPE - Water Resources
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Finding Assistance for Attraction and Retention of Skilled Workforce
Geoff Barbaro, Skills Insight
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4:50 PM - 6:20 PM |
Welcome Networking Event & DNA Awards Ceremony - The Courtyard
Kick off the conference in style! Join us on Thursday 6 August 2026, from 5.00pm – 6.00pm in the Alice Springs Convention Centre Courtyard for an evening of connection and celebration. Enjoy canapés, beverages, and live entertainment as you meet fellow delegates and soak up the atmosphere of Central Australia.
Cost: Included for 3-day conference registrations.
Includes: Live entertainment, canapes and beverages.
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