2025 First Nations Public Administration Conference

Since 2017, ANZSOG’s First Nations Public Administration Conferences have brought together public servants, academics and Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander peoples and Māori community representatives, to share what it takes to transform the way governments work with First Nations communities, to deliver better outcomes. 

The conferences are a forum for public servants, First Nations and Māori voices to present their perspectives on what changes needs to happen and for attendees to make connections that will lead to future progress. 

ANZSOG was founded in 2002 by governments across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand to connect jurisdictions and build public sector capability. We are proud of our work in promoting the perspectives and knowledge of First Nations and the importance of building authentic partnerships between governments and communities.  

We aim to ensure that public services have the skills, mindsets and cultural knowledge needed to make transformative change and deliver on the promise of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. We do this through events like this conference, and our education programs, including the Working with First Nations program. 

The 2025 First Nations conference offers an opportunity for your organisation to demonstrate its commitment to transformative practices that aim to Close the Gap. It will provide a unique professional development opportunity for your staff which will expand their horizons and show them the changes they need to make to transform their work with First Nations. 

The 2025 Conference Leave a Legacy – Be a Transformer will feature a mix of 24 dynamic and inspiring speakers, focusing on how public services together with Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori communities build transformational partnerships, to create more effective public administration which leads to better outcomes. 

The Conference is themed around the third Priority Reform in the Australian National Partnership Agreement on Closing the Gap – Transforming Government Organisations – and how the Treaty of Waitangi principles, underpinned in legislation across many sectors, has advanced outcomes for the last fifty years in Aotearoa New Zealand. 

This emphasises the critical need for systemic change within governmental approaches to First Nations peoples and Māori, and the conference will be both a catalyst for transformation and a space to reflect on the changes public services need to make. 

Speakers will focus on the work required to transform government organisations and will explore why, despite goodwill and good intentions, progress has remained challenging. They will direct a frank conversation about what is blocking transformation and ask attendees to reflect on the attitudes, values, norms, and power dynamics that may be working against their best intentions.   

Conference delegates will hear first-hand from agencies, Māori, and First Nations people already on a transformation journey. They will learn why transformation is necessary, what structures are required, what attitudes are essential and how to manage challenges holding them back. Government organisations that have begun their own transformation will share stories of what sparked change and what has kept the flame of transformation burning. 

Public sector leaders need to examine how their organisations operate, their cultural blind spots, their attitudes and values, and how they relate to First Nations people and communities on the ground. This conference will provide an opportunity to seek the perspectives and experience of others, to give delegates the confidence to work differently.   

The conference will include a networking opportunity for all attendees on the evening of 26 November, and participants can also purchase at registration, a ticket to the conference dinner on 27 November, where former journalist Stan Grant will be the guest speaker.

A full list of confirmed speakers and the conference program is available here and will be updated as speakers are locked in. 

For more information read the Conference FAQs.  

‘Earlybird’ in-person general admission (excludes dinner)

• Cost: $1,100 
• Earlybird rate available until 31 July

‘Earlybird’ in-person general admission (includes dinner) 

• Cost: $1,300 
• Earlybird rate available until 31 July

In-person general admission (includes dinner) 

• Cost: $1,500 
• Registrations open: 1 August – 14 November

In-person not-for-profit/community/students (excluding dinner) 

• Cost: $650 
• Registrations open: 1 August – 14 November  

In-person not-for-profit/community/students (including dinner) 

• Cost: $850 
• Registrations open: 1 August – 14 November

Online general admission (for daily plenary sessions only) 

• Cost: $650 
• Registrations open until 14 November 

NB: Due to limited venue capacity, dinner tickets are only available at registration. 

To inspire you to consider registering – check out the 2023 ANZSOG First Nations Conference Summary report. For more information on previous First Nations conferences visit our First Nations engagement page.

Further information regarding payment, group bookings and cancellations can be found in the Conference FAQs.

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