Overview
The Systems Leaders Dialogue — Melbourne brings senior public sector leaders together for a high trust, invitation-only conversation on how government can act decisively under uncertainty while sustaining public trust, legitimacy and accountability.
Rather than a traditional speaker-led event, this Dialogue is designed as a curated conversation. The value sits in the collective intelligence of the room: leaders from across portfolios and jurisdictions grappling with shared dilemmas and comparing how they navigate risk, scrutiny and cooperation in practice.
Why This Dialogue
Periods of heightened uncertainty often trigger a reflex toward tighter control and increased process. While understandable, this can reduce adaptability and inhibit the cooperation needed to address complex, crosscutting challenges.
This Dialogue provides a space for leaders to step out of day today operational pressures and reflect on:
What good stewardship looks like in conditions of uncertainty
How accountability can enable, rather than constrain, adaptive action
How trust is built and sustained through collaboration across complex systems
What To Expect
A short provocation from a leading practitioner or thinker
A facilitated, peer level discussion under Chatham House Rule
Practical sensemaking focused on live system challenges
Time to build relationships that support collaboration beyond the room
Who Should Attend
This Dialogue is designed for:
Secretaries, Directors-General and agency heads
Deputy-level leaders with enterprise wide or system level responsibilities
Equivalent senior system leaders
Attendance is by invitation. Senior leaders wishing to express interest in attending are invited to complete this expression of interest.
Event Details
Location: Melbourne
Date: Week beginning 4 May 2026, 7:30am-9:30am
Format: Breakfast followed by roundtable discussion
Duration: 2 hours
About This Series
The Systems Leaders Dialogue Series is convened by ANZSOG to support collective alignment on how public governance can respond to complexity and uncertainty. The series focuses on practical leadership disciplines—decision-making, accountability and collaboration.
In 2026, the Systems Leaders Dialogue Series will be delivered across four cities—Melbourne, Perth, Canberra and Wellington—bringing senior leaders together in local settings while drawing on insights from across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.