7.45am
Morning Coffee and Registration – Trade Exhibition area (Grand Ballroom)

8.15am
Opening, National Anthem and Acknowledgements
Welcome to Country - Matthew Walters
LG Professionals WA President’s Address – Annie Riordan MLGP, State President

8.45am
Meet the exhibitors
The 2023 State Conference commences with a collegiate start. Connect with colleagues, explore exhibitor offerings, and shake hands with sponsors in this interactive opportunity to network and connect.

9.15am
Bridging the gaps
Roanna Edwards
In October 2023, Australians will have their say in a referendum on whether to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia in the Constitution through an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, creating an independent, representative body for First Nations peoples.

Regardless of the outcome of the referendum, the decision will impact communities and, undoubtedly, the local governments who serve them. Hear from Roanna Edwards, for a non-political analysis of the potential impacts of this important decision.

10.00am
Morning Tea – Trade Exhibition area

Mid West Branch Meeting - PCO Secretariat Suite

10.30am
Opening Keynote LIVE STREAM
Jonathan Pain
Balances of world power are shifting, with influences from Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea impacting markets and minds.

Relationships between democracy and autocracy will shape the geopolitical landscape over the next decade. What does this mean for the global economy, Western Australia, and how should we best prepare for this new geopolitical reality?

Brace yourselves for a whirlwind tour around the world, as renowned futurist, and global economist Jonathan Pain attempts to answer these questions.

11.40am
Concurrent Sessions

Session 1: Service planning
Sue Potter MLGP, Manager Strategic & Business Planning, City of Wanneroo; Brad Vitale MLGP, Coordinator Corporate Planning and Performance, Shire of Harvey; Kourtney Williams MLGP, Manager Governance and Strategy, Shire of Harvey; Ethan Redshaw, Director Regulatory - Local Government, DLGSC

Integrated Planning and Reporting framework is a cornerstone of local government. Developing effective and sustainable local plans and reporting their progress requires unique contributions from council, community, and administration.

Hear insights from two local governments that have strongly demonstrated their commitment to consult and engage with their communities, and discover the robust planning and reporting structure assisting their local governments in prioritising services for their communities.

The Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industires will also provide an overview of the simplifying changes to IPR as part of the Reform package.

Session 2: Psychologically safe organisational culture
Dr Lynda Folan
In today's fast-paced and demanding work environment, it's more important than ever for organisations to prioritise the mental health and well-being of their employees. It is critical that leaders understand the importance of a workplace that is psychologically safe and have the capability and capacity to implement the necessary strategies.

The benefits of psychological safety in the workplace are numerous. Research has shown that when employees feel safe, they are more likely to be engaged, creative, productive, and experience lower levels of stress and burnout. This in turn leads to increased job satisfaction and a stronger sense of loyalty to the organisation.

In this session we will explore the critical aspects necessary for a psychologically safe workplace. We will also discuss how to measure, build and maintain a healthy culture.

Session 3: Cyber Awareness 'Gamification' for Executives
Dr Ian Martinus

Through the interactivity of a cyber security boardgame, you will be tasked to better understand cyber security applications in a real-world scenario and challenged in stimulating discussions on cyber security interpretation and decision making. This session aims to build awareness and instil a deeper understanding of the technical, operational, and strategic implications of cyber security-related decision making on an executive level.

12.45pm
Lunch - Trade Exhibition area

1.15pm - Pilbara-Kimberley Branch Meeting - PCO Secretariat Suite

1.45pm
LGIS

2.15pm
Flexible workplaces - panel session LIVE STREAM
James Pearson MLGP, CEO City of Joondalup; Dr Lynda Folan, Stephanie Addison-Brown MLGP, CEO Shire of Augusta-Margaret River, Ashley McGrath Executive Officer CEOs for Gender Equity
The pandemic necessitated new and different models of working, and post-pandemic, many organisations are examining how to balance employee expectations for workplace flexibility with operational needs. Many consider a fairer future of work must centre accessibility and flexibility at the heart of hiring and employee experience, and to help local government remain an attractive sector in the competition for talent. Just as vital to consider are potential impacts on organisational culture, trust, perceptions of Elected Members, and maintaining productivity. What is certain, is the demand and debate for flexible working is here to stay. A plenary presentation will be followed by a panel session discussing the benefits, risks, and opportunities for your organisation.

3.15pm
Afternoon Tea - Trade Exhibition area

Avon Branch Meeting - PCO Secretariat Suite

3.45pm
Closing Keynote: LIVE STREAM
Damien Mander
Damien Mander is an Australian born, Zimbabwean based environmentalist. In 2009 while travelling through Africa post military, he was inspired by the plight of wildlife. Liquidating his life savings, the non-profit IAPF was established, protecting nature through their key program Akashinga.

Akashinga is a leader in innovative, scalable, sustainable and impactful people-centric conservation in Africa; revitalising ecosystems in partnership with empowered communities. Akashinga connects, protects and restores at-threat landscapes and coastal regions as a key mitigation towards climate crisis. Akashinga has a permanent operational presence in 5 countries with 9.1M acres of wilderness under management, overseen by ~600s staff.

In 2021, Akashinga co-founded the African Ecosystems Alliance, a US$300M initiative to engage local and indigenous communities as custodians of threatened wilderness areas, prospering 184M acres of at-threat African landscapes by 2030.

Damien is the winner of the 2019 Winsome Constance Kindness Gold Medal for services to animals and humanity. Past recipients include David Attenborough and Jane Goodall. He was featured in James Cameron's documentaries Game Changers and Akashinga - The Brave One's, about his work with the women of Akashinga.

Damien is a resident speaker on National Geographic's Live Bureau and recognised by the Dutch Government as a Gender Champion.