The Regional Australia Institute

14/09/2026

🔧 𝗔 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱, 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆.

After keynote addresses from Ellie Sweeney (CEO, NBN Australia) on connecting people and powering progress in regional Australia, and Liz Ritchie (CEO, The Regional Australia Institute) on redesigning national systems to support regional growth rather than constrain it - we moved to our first panel for the day, Enablers of Regional Productivity.

Facilitated by Simon Pryor (Director Research and Policy, The Regional Australia Institute), this panel brought together leaders from industry, government and community:

👤 Adrian Dwyer, CEO, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia
👤 Peter van Vliet, CEO, Migration Institute of Australia
👤 Ryan James, Data Solutions Manager, NIEIR
👤 Ben Rimmer Director General, Housing Group, Department of the Treasury
👤 Jo Sheppard, CEO, Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise

Skills, housing, infrastructure, digital connectivity, investment - this panel dug into the practical foundations that remove barriers and strengthen regional competitiveness.

You could feel the energy in the room: a shared belief that regional Australia's moment is now.

Proudly supported by NBN Australia, National Series Partner of the Regions Rising National Event Series.

14/09/2026

🏛️ There's real energy in the room - 𝗣𝗘𝗢𝗣𝗟𝗘 𝗣𝗢𝗪𝗘𝗥 is officially underway!

Leaders from across government, industry and community have filled the Great Hall at Parliament House for the Regions Rising National Summit 2026 - and it's shaping up to be one of the most important conversations on regional Australia's calendar this year.

If you're not in the room with us, here's what's already happened:

🎙️ MC 𝗠𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗶𝘀s opened proceedings, followed by a moving Welcome to Country from Ngunnawal Elder 𝗔𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗩𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗻
🗣️ Hon. 𝗞𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘆 𝗠𝗰𝗕𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗣, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, delivered the ministerial address
💡 Keynotes from 𝗗𝗿. 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗹 (Founder, Vox Meriden) on the digital transformation shaping the regions, and 𝗞𝗲𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗻𝗿𝘆 (economist and former Treasury Secretary) on why Australia's future prosperity depends on the strength of its regions

Regional Australia is home to more than 10 million people with the ambition and capability to grow - and today, in this room, that ambition has a stage.

𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘂𝘀!

Proudly supported by NBN Australia, National Series Partner of the Regions Rising National Event Series.

11/09/2026

👀 All eyes are on the 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁 right now. But the day after, something just as important is happening.

On Tuesday 15 September, regional leaders, industry and government reconvene in Canberra for the second 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆 - a Regional Australia Institute initiative.

🤝 Last year's inaugural Regionalisation Dialogue Day proved that when we put the right people in a room with purpose and evidence, real progress follows. 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 and 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 bring their proven, on-ground projects - ideas already strengthening local economies, not theoretical concepts. Regional Australia Council members bring the strategic investment and policy know-how to help scale them.

Between them they represent more than 1,000 regional towns and cities, and together they test what's working against one question: 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗮 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗻𝗲?

With enabling policy, the right investment and strong partnerships, regional ideas can go national - without losing what made them work in the first place.

🌏 Regionalisation Dialogue Day is an invite-only event. Would you like to be part of a cohort working together to create a more prosperous regional Australia? Find out more about RAI membership: https://regionalaustralia.org.au/Web/Web/Membership/RAI_Membership.aspx

10/09/2026

💡 A reminder of what's possible - RAISEducation, our 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗯𝗻® 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻.

RAISEducation is a not-for-profit providing individualised literacy and numeracy support to geographically isolated families - in some regions, literacy rates run 20-30% behind city counterparts.

𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 NBN Australia 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗦𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗴𝗮𝗽, 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.

🎥 Watch the their story: https://youtu.be/9VOz04PrSGk

RAISEducation shows exactly what's possible when regional innovation meets the right connectivity - and applications for the 2026 Innovate with nbn® Grants Program are now open.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗯𝘀

$125,000 in grants: $15,000 to the winner in each of 7 categories, plus $20,000 for the overall Innovate with nbn® Champion.

𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀

🌱 AgTech and Environment
🎨 Arts, Culture & Tourism
📚 Education
🤝 First Nations Business
🩺 Health and Wellbeing
⚙️ Innovation for Productivity
👩‍💼 Women in Regional Business

𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆

✅ Connected to the nbn network
✅ Located in regional Australia
✅ Holds an ABN
✅ Has an Australian bank account matching that ABN
✅ Applies for one category only

Applications close 12 October 2026.

𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿'𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆? Apply now: https://regionalaustralia.org.au/Web/Web/Projects-Campaigns/Innovate-with-nbn-grants-program.aspx?hkey=7867970b-548c-41c7-bf9e-e9d209dc83cd

Delivered by NBN Australia in partnership with The Regional Australia Institute.

Delivering specialist literacy and numeracy support via online less...

09/09/2026

📢 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲: 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗼𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴

Regional Australia is home to more than 10 million people - 36.3% of the national population - and contributing around $1 trillion a year to the economy. But under current settings, over 80% of Australia's projected additional population to 2065-66 is set to land in capital cities, not the regions already driving growth.

Our new Regional Population Planning report shows why: planning systems simply aren't keeping pace with how regional Australia is changing.

Migration, not natural increase, is now the main driver of regional growth, and housing, infrastructure and workforce gaps are limiting how much of that growth our regions can absorb.

The Regional Australia Institute is calling for a more coordinated national approach, including:

✅ A national regional population settlement strategy and plan
✅ An independent review of regional planning systems
✅ Regularly updated, integrated regional plans linked to housing, infrastructure and services

A more balanced Australia depends on planning systems built for regions with the capacity and aspiration to grow. Better 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮, stronger 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗽𝘂𝘁, and 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 can help regions accommodate growth rather than lose it to the capitals.

Download the report to see what improved regional population planning could look like.

🔗 https://regionalaustralia.org.au/Web/Research-Policy/Research-Paper/Regional%20Population%20Planning.aspx

08/09/2026

🔥 𝟲 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁: 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿

📅 Monday 14 September, The Great Hall, Parliament House, Canberra - and the day's line-up is one of the strongest we've put together yet.

The day’s three panel sessions will bring together leaders from government, industry and community to delve into the issues shaping regional Australia's future:

𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟭: 𝗘𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆
From housing and infrastructure, to investment and digital connectivity, this panel unpacks the practical enablers driving regional performance on the ground.

🎤 Adrian Dwyer, CEO, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia
🎤 Peter van Vliet, CEO, Migration Institute of Australia
🎤 Ryan James, Data Solutions Manager, NIEIR
🎤 Ben Rimmer, Director General, Housing Group, Department of the Treasury
🎤 Jo Sheppard, CEO, Toowoomba Surat Basin Enterprise

𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟮: 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 - 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 + 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 + 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆
Energy, critical minerals, housing, population growth - in this panel we explore how we make sure these transitions leave a lasting, equitable legacy for regional communities.

🎤Christopher O’Keefe, National Spokesperson, Clean Energy Council
🎤 Chris Sounness, CEO, Wimmera Southern Mallee Development
🎤 Megan Lilly, Deputy Commissioner, Jobs and Skills Australia
🎤 Matt Burnett, President, Australian Local Government Association
🎤 Nicole Bennetts, National Head of Policy and Advocacy, Planning Institute of Australia

𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝟯: 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲
This panel investigates how strong, inclusive communities translate into measurable economic outcomes - proof that social capital and liveability are core drivers of investment attraction and talent retention.

🎤 Megan Callinan, CEO, Marathon Health
🎤 Sandy Gillies, CEO, Western Queensland Primary Health Network
🎤 Matt Pfahlert, Co-Founder and CEO, Australian Centre for Rural Entrepreneurship
🎤 Lisa Sampson, CEO, Aboriginal Community Housing Industry Association NSW
🎤 Meaghan Burkett, Managing Director, Centre for Community Capital

𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. 𝗙𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀. 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵. 𝗪𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆.

Proudly supported by NBN Australia, National Series Partner of the Regions Rising National Event Series.

03/09/2026

📣 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: We knew our Regions Rising National Summit ticket giveaway was a fantastic opportunity - and the response from regional not-for-profits and students confirmed it.

To every NFP and student who put their hand up - thank you. The incredible work you're already doing for your communities is exactly what 𝗣𝗘𝗢𝗣𝗟𝗘 𝗣𝗢𝗪𝗘𝗥 is all about.

🎉 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲 - 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 Airbnb, Optus, Telstra, Bendigo Bank, Commonwealth Bank, ViewJobs and Transgrid - we're thrilled to be sending 40 NFPs and regional students to Parliament House on 14 September, coming from:

📍Victoria: Porepunkah, Swan Hill, Beechworth and Wodonga
📍New South Wales: Lightning Ridge, Bellingen, Mudgee, Gunnedah, Shoalhaven, Bega, and the Eurobodalla region
📍Queensland: Goondiwindi, Bollon, Maryborough, Kingaroy and Alpha
📍Western Australia: Albany and the Augusta Margaret River region
📍Tasmania: the Far South
📍Northern Territory: Alice Springs
📍South Australia

⏳ With less than two weeks to go until the Regions Rising National Summit 2026, if you haven't secured your seat in the Great Hall yet, now's the time - take your seat and be part of turning regional opportunity into national momentum.

Register here: 🔗 https://regionalaustralia.org.au/Web/Conference2026/National-Summit.aspx

Proudly supported by NBN Australia, National Series Partner of the Regions Rising National Event Series.

02/09/2026

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 – 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲.

Regional job vacancies increased in July, with most regional areas recording monthly growth even as employment and participation softened slightly elsewhere in the data.

📊 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀?

Regional vacancies increased to 𝟲𝟵,𝟱𝟬𝟴 in July, up 𝟰.𝟬% from June. Most regional areas experienced a monthly increase, with the strongest growth in:

Southern Highlands & Snowy (+10.5%)
Blue Mountains, Bathurst & Central West NSW (+8.5%)
Geelong & Surf Coast (+7.6%)

👷 𝗪𝗵𝗼'𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱?

The top three most in-demand occupations were:

▪ Professionals (29%)
▪ Technicians & Trades Workers (15%)
▪ Clerical & Administrative Workers (12%)

At a more detailed level, demand was strongest for:

▪ Medical Practitioners & Nurses (6,645)
▪ Carers & Aides (4,692)
▪ General-Inquiry Clerks, Call Centre Workers & Receptionists (4,469)

📉 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸

The regional labour force eased to 𝟱.𝟭𝟮 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 in July, while employment fell to 𝟰.𝟵𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻. Participation dipped slightly to 𝟲𝟯.𝟭%, and the unemployment rate rose to 𝟰.𝟮%, though this remained below the metropolitan rate of 4.5%.

📍 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: 𝗖𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗻𝘀, 𝗤𝗟𝗗

Located in Far North Queensland, Cairns continues to show a strong local labour market. The local participation rate was 𝟲𝟳.𝟱%, above regional Queensland's average, while unemployment remained low at 𝟮.𝟵%. Across the wider Far North Queensland region, demand was strongest for General-Inquiry Clerks, Call Centre Workers & Receptionists, Automotive & Engineering Trades Workers, and Medical Practitioners & Nurses.

Explore the full Regional Labour Markets Update – July 2026: 🔗https://regionalaustralia.org.au/Web/Web/Toolkits-Indexes/Regional-Jobs-Update/Updates/2026/Regional...

Powered by Australian Bureau of Statistics and Jobs and Skills Australia data, this monthly update is brought to you by the Regional Australia Institute.

01/09/2026

📢 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀!

Applications are now open for the 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗯𝗻® 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 - and we can't wait to see what regional Australia brings this year.

$𝟭𝟮𝟱,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝘂𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗯𝘀 across seven categories: AgTech and Environment, Arts, Culture and Tourism, Education, First Nations Business, Health and Wellbeing, Innovation for Productivity (new for 2026), and Women in Regional Business.

Category winners each take home $𝟭𝟱,𝟬𝟬𝟬, with one overall Champion collecting an extra $𝟮𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 on top!

This is your moment to be recognised and supported for the work you're doing to drive innovation, boost digital participation and strengthen local economies.

To be eligible, you'll need to:

✅ Be connected to the NBN Australia network
✅ Have an ABN and an Australian bank account
✅ Be located in regional Australia
✅ Apply for one category only

The Regional Australia Institute 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 NBN Australia 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - let's help great ideas grow right where they're needed most.

Applied before but didn't win? 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 🙌

👉 Apply now: https://regionalaustralia.org.au/Web/Web/Projects-Campaigns/Innovate-with-nbn-grants-program.aspx?hk...
📅 Applications close: 12 October 2026
📣 Grant recipients announced: 16 November 2026

31/08/2026

📣 The 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 is now live!

On Monday 14 September at Parliament House in Canberra, PEOPLE POWER will bring together government, industry and community leaders to shape the next decade of regional growth.

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝟰𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝗚𝗗𝗣 - proof the regions are already powering the national economy, and exactly why the people driving that growth are at the centre of this year's Summit.

The day's sessions cover:

🏗️ Enablers of Regional Productivity - skills, housing, infrastructure and digital connectivity
⚡ Regional Transition and Growth: People + Planning + Energy - navigating population growth and the energy transition
🤝 Innovation: Community Capital is a Competitive Advantage - why strong communities drive real economic outcomes

With keynote contributions from:

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝗻. 𝗞𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘆 𝗠𝗰𝗕𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗣, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories
𝗗𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗹, Founder, Vox Meriden
𝗞𝗲𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗻𝗿𝘆, Economist and former Secretary to the Australian Treasury
𝗘𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲 𝗦𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘆, CEO, nbn Co
𝗟𝗶𝘇 𝗥𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲, CEO, Regional Australia Institute
𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗵 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿, Chief Economist and Assistant Governor (Economics), Reserve Bank of Australia
𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗼𝗱, Chair, Productivity Commission - National Summit Dinner keynote

✨ This is the premier national event for those committed to advancing regional Australia - offering insights, inspiration and the opportunity to connect with peers and leaders at the highest level.

🎟️ Places are limited - view the full program and secure your spot today.

📄 Program:
https://regionalaustralia.org.au/common/Uploaded%20files/Conference/WEBSITE%20National%20Summit%20Program%202026%20-%20Public%20270826.pdf

🎫 Register: https://regionalaustralia.org.au/Web/Conference2026/National-Summit.aspx

Proudly supported by NBN Australia, National Series Partner of the Regions Rising National Event Series.