Future-ready regulation is practical, collaborative and outcome focused.

Regulators across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific are navigating the most consequential period of change in a generation. In Australia, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act is being reformed, and a national Environment Protection Authority is being established. In New Zealand, sweeping reforms to the Resource Management Act are reshaping how environmental regulation is designed and delivered. Across the Pacific, regulatory agencies are grappling with the compounding pressures of climate change, biodiversity loss and limited resources. And everywhere, artificial intelligence is reshaping how compliance is monitored and enforced, while communities are demanding greater transparency, accountability and involvement from regulatory agencies entrusted to protect the public interest.

The AELERT 2026 Conference: Future Ready Regulation is designed for regulators responsible for meeting those demands. Over three focused days in Melbourne, regulatory leaders, practitioners, researchers and specialists will come together to transform challenges into solutions, sharing proven strategies, building capability, and strengthening the systems that underpin effective regulation.

Conference Themes

The AELERT 2026 Conference: Future Ready Regulation is built around five interconnected themes that explore what it means to be a future ready and reflects the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing regulators today. Each theme runs across the full three-day program from big-picture plenaries through to hands-on breakout sessions and workshops.

• Digital innovation and emerging technologies — AI, data, cyber security and digital tools in regulatory practice
• Leading change across industries — navigating transitions, supporting emerging sectors and staying ahead of rapid economic and technological shifts
• Public trust, ethics and accountability — transparency, ethical governance and community confidence in regulatory systems
• Sustainability and long-term resilience — climate readiness, environmental stewardship and ESG in regulatory frameworks
• Collaborative and cross-sector leadership — multi-disciplinary teams, cross-jurisdictional innovation and shared problem-solving

AELERT 2026 Conference Concept Paper

Download a copy of the AELERT 2026 Conference: Future Ready Regulation concept paper for a full overview of the conference, program themes, preliminary agenda and what to expect across three days in Melbourne. 

Download the AELERT 2026 Conference Concept Paper →

Why attend?

The AELERT 2026 Conference: Future Ready Regulation is built for regulators who are looking for deeper insights into the forces shaping contemporary regulation and proven pathways to achieving better outcomes for their agencies. Across three days, delegates will:

► Gain practical tools, tested approaches and real-world case studies you can apply immediately on return to your agency
► Hear directly from high-profile government and industry leaders delivering actionable insights and strategies on the themes shaping regulation right now
► Build peer connections across jurisdictions, sectors and functions — including regulators navigating the exact same challenges
► Explore emerging technologies with providers demonstrating practical applications in licensing, compliance, investigations and public engagement
► Contribute your own knowledge and experience through abstract presentations, breakout sessions and collaborative workshops
► Engage in hands-on breakout sessions and mini-masterclass workshops featuring expert context and real-world examples, followed by structured activities and peer discussions.

Who should attend?

The AELERT 2026 Conference is suitable for regulators at every level, across all sectors not just environmental regulation. Delegates represent central government, state, territory and regional government agencies, EPA bodies, water authorities, biosecurity and primary industries, resources and energy regulators, planning and land agencies, public health and a range of other regulatory functions and sectors across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

If your role covers any of these functions, this conference is built for you:

► Policy design, law making and regulatory reform
► Compliance, enforcement, investigations and intelligence
► Approvals, impact assessment and licensing
► Communications, community engagement and stakeholder  management
► Workforce development, capability building and organisational maturity
► Governance, risk, ethics and regulatory assurance
► Data, technology, science and monitoring

Conference program: from plenary to practice

Day 1 | Embracing Innovation on the Frontier of Regulatory Practice

The big-picture forces reshaping regulation: AI and digital tools, national reform agendas, and the climate and nature positive transition. Delegates leave with a shared, current picture of the landscape and the context to capitalise on everything that follows.

Day 2  |  Fostering Regulatory Excellence

From context to practice — real-world application across compliance, enforcement, approvals, capability and industry-specific regulation, featuring speakers, case studies, breakout streams and focused workshops.

Day 3 | Collaboration and Co-Design for Better Outcomes

Strengthening regulatory systems, leadership and people through First Peoples co-governance, regulatory stewardship, ethics, accountability and cross-sector collaboration.

Program highlights include:

► Technology & Innovation Showcase: Technology vendors and service providers demonstrate real-world applications of AI and emerging technologies across licensing, compliance, investigations and public engagement

► Regulatory Knowledge Exchange: a collaborative workshop where delegates and speakers unpack conference themes, problem-solve with peers and build practical solutions in real time

A proven platform for regulators across Australasia

The AELERT community is built on trust, shared experience and a genuine commitment to regulatory excellence. Every conference, delegates arrive as peers and leave as collaborators, ready to tackle new challenges in an evolving landscape. This is what delegates had to say after the AELERT-INECE 2024 Global Summit:

► 400 delegates in 2024
► 97% rated the program good or excellent
► 82% found sessions relevant to their agency
► 97% would recommend to a colleague

"I now look at some things differently and made many new connections, it was very active and actions-focused, not just passive downloads of information." — Jason Nelson, Training and Development Coordinator, DWER Western Australia

Submit an abstract | Speaking opportunities

The AELERT 2026 Conference: Future Ready Regulation will feature high-profile speakers from across government, industry, academia and your peer regulators. Spanning the five conference themes, speakers will deliver actionable insights and proven strategies drawn from the frontline of regulatory practice from national reform leaders and agency executives to researchers, practitioners and technology specialists.
We invite practitioners, researchers, industry experts and policy leaders to submit abstracts across all five conference themes.

► Accepted abstracts will be featured within a plenary or breakout session, support a masterclass workshop, or a poster presentation
► Poster presenters also feature in a dedicated lightning round plenary, plus display time across breaks, the welcome reception and the Day 3 Regulatory Knowledge Exchange session
► Accepted presenters receive a discounted registration rate
► All delegates receive a certificate of attendance documenting structured professional development hours
► Presenters receive an additional addendum confirming their contribution — suitable for CPD logs and professional development records.

Abstract submissions are open now until Tuesday 30 June 2026.

Registration

The AELERT 2026 Conference: Future Ready Regulation is a hybrid event. All delegates, in-person and virtual have access to the full plenary program. Virtual delegates can view breakout sessions and workshops and contribute via live polling and Q&A. However, breakouts and workshops are built for active participation, and in-person attendance puts you in the room for the hands-on work that's at the heart of the program.
Virtual registrations will open in August 2026.

Full conference registration includes

Your registration covers three days of technical content including keynote speakers, plenary and panel sessions, and abstract presentations, plus:

• Welcome reception | Tuesday 6 October 2026 at the Sofitel Melbourne
• Conference gala | Wednesday 7 October 2026 at the Plaza Ballroom

Early bird registration rates*

All prices quotes are ex-GST and charged in AUD. Registrations are via credit card. If you are unable to register and pay via credit card please contact us at aelert_conference@eianz.org to request a tax invoice.
(*) Student rate does not include attendance at the conference gala networking event. Tickets to this event can be purchased seperately during the registration process. 

Sponsorship and Exhibition

The AELERT 2026 Conference: Future Ready Regulation offers a range of sponsorship and exhibition packages for organisations whose work supports modern regulatory practice. Position your organisation alongside the regulators shaping the future of the sector in person in Melbourne and through the hybrid event platform. A sponsorship prospectus will be available from May 2026. Please contact us at aelert@sa.gov.au for further enquiries.

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