National Regulators Community of Practice 2023 conference open for registration

The ANZSOG-auspiced National Regulators Community of Practice has opened registrations for its 2023 conference in Melbourne on 21-22 September – it’s first face-to-face conference since 2019. 

The conference theme is Regulatory hindsight, foresight and insight and it will feature a keynote address from Harvard Professor Malcolm Sparrow, who will use his experience to look ahead and examine how regulators can prepare themselves for the challenges facing regulators in the next 5-10 years.  

The last few years saw huge and rapid changes to regulators’ roles and working methods as they responded to COVID-19. This was on top of technological changes that were already expanding the possibilities and challenges of modern regulation. 

The Conference will be held in Melbourne from 21 -22 September 2023 at the Sofitel Hotel, on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. It will be delivered in person, with a virtual option giving access to morning plenary sessions. Details of the conference, including program, pricing, FAQs and how to register, are available here. 

Confirmed speakers include former Victorian Police Commissioner Christine Nixon, investigative journalist Adele Ferguson, former ACCC head Graeme Samuel AC, Registrar of the Office of the Registrar of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporations, Tricia Stroud, ASIC Commissioner Sarah Court, NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Natasha Mann, Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People Victoria, Meena Singh,  Dr Grant Pink, Professor Veronica Taylor, Professor Valerie Braithwaite and Professor John Braithwaite. For the full program visit the conference webpage. 

Conference sessions will cover a wide range of issues relevant to modern regulators from all jurisdictions and include: 

• Regulatory failure and remediation  
• The role of investigative journalism in shaping regulatory reform   
• Frank and fearless advice for regulators wishing to work with Indigenous communities  
• Putting the ‘public’ and the ‘value’ back into public value regulation  
• Exploring ‘near misses’: reflecting on past behaviours as a way of improving regulatory practice  
• Regulating behind closed doors: making the invisible visible  
• Regulatory levers and tools  

ANZSOG Director, Regulatory Practice, Dr Marion Frere said that coming together as a community had always been an important part of the NRCoP and the conference would be a welcome return to face-to-face interaction. 

“The 2023 program will provide a heady mix of inspirational speakers and interactive activities, providing regulators with a range of opportunities to hear new ideas, contribute their views to discussions and network with your peers,” Dr Frere said. 

“Regulation is becoming increasingly challenging, and it’s tempting for regulators to just focus on the job at hand. 

“But in this environment it becomes even more important to take some time to reflect on the work, get ideas from experts, and to hear success stories from your peers – who are often facing challenges very similar to your own.” 

Full details of the conference including how to register are available here. Registration numbers are strictly limited so we encourage you to register as early as possible.