BRISBANE |  AUGUST 21, 2025

For the first time, The Mandarin’s flagship event is heading to Queensland, bringing with it the speakers, insights and connections that matter to public servants across the state.

WHY BRISBANE — WHY NOW?

Queensland’s enviable lifestyle depends on a high-performing public sector—one equipped to deliver the infrastructure, services, and reforms that keep pace with the state’s growth and ambition.

This conference will feature presentations and panel sessions that cover all aspects of public sector capability, including leadership, recruitment, skills and training, collaboration, expertise, ethics and future government challenges.

PUBLIC SECTOR ATTENDEES

NOTABLE  SPEAKERS

INVALUABLE  CAREER
BOOSTING SESSIONS

FEDERAL AND STATE PUBLIC SERVANTS

The Mandarin's Frank and Fearless public sector survey 2024

David Crisafulli became premier last October. He is also the minister for veterans and member for Broadwater. He served two terms on Townsville City Council, including the last four as deputy mayor. In 2012, David was elected as the member for Mundingburra and appointed minister for local government. His responsibilities were later expanded to include community recovery and resilience. He was re-elected to the Queensland Parliament in 2017, and became opposition leader in 2020.

Rachel Hunter continues to make a significant contribution to government administration and public sector reform. As well as a former Queensland public service commissioner, she was director-general of Premier and Cabinet, and under treasurer at Queensland Treasury. She previously led the state departments of Justice and Attorney-General; Education, Training and the Arts; and State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning, and is currently on the Commonwealth Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission. Rachel was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia in the recent King’s Birthday Honours after receiving a PSM for outstanding public service in 2020.

Jasmina Joldić  has over 18 years of experience across the Queensland and Australian Governments, including senior roles in justice, health, policy, and strategy. She served as Director-General of Queensland’s Department of Justice and Attorney-General and led major reform initiatives at Queensland Health, including the development of HealthQ32. She has also held leadership roles in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, the Department of State Development, and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

David Mackie PSM has over 35 years’ experience in public policy and administration, including the past decade in chief executive roles. Prior to being appointed commissioner in 2023, David was the Director-General of the Department of Justice and Attorney-General. He has also held senior executive positions with the Department of Justice and Attorney-General, the then Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland, and the then Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian.

Adam Fennessy has over 25 years of public sector experience at state and federal levels. His former roles have included Secretary of the Victorian Department of Environment and Primary Industries, Secretary of the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning, the Victorian Public Sector Commissioner and Dean & CEO of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG). In 2018, he received a Public Service Medal (PSM) for leadership in the Victorian public sector.

Suzi has over a decade of public sector experience after her earlier career spanned private and not-for-profit sectors. As a specialist in leadership and capability development, she is dedicated to supporting public servants and their agencies to grow the skills needed now and into the future to best serve our communities. This has led to a particular commitment to build public sector capability in collaborative practice at both an individual and systemic level to tackle complex problems. 

Emeritus Professor Peter Coaldrake AO has had a distinguished career as a practitioner and author in public administration and higher education, including 15 years as QUT vice-chancellor. In 2022, he conducted the influential review of culture and accountability in the Queensland Public Sector, "Let the Sunshine In". A former chief commissioner of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency, Peter was appointed Queensland Performing Arts Trust chair in 2017.

As the Queensland Government lead for Data and AI, Nathan is dedicated to ensuring government is best placed to leverage the power of these technologies to deliver better services to Queenslanders, and build a more effective and efficient public service.

Liquid is an independent, Australian-owned strategic design and digital consultancy that specialises in human-centred, digitally enabled government reform. Prior to joining Liquid, Fiona held senior executive roles in the UK and Australian governments, and has led whole-of-government reform and digital transformation projects for more than 20 years.

Stefan Hajkowicz is a chief research consultant at CSIRO with over 15 years’ experience leading strategic foresight research to support government decision-making. His work spans scenario planning, megatrends analysis, and risk-based decision support to help public sector leaders navigate future challenges. He has advised global bodies including the World Economic Forum and OECD, and is the author of the bestselling book Global Megatrends.

Jake Ellwood has been CEO of the Queensland Reconstruction Authority since March 2023 and is responsible for ensuring QRA delivers for Queenslanders as the state’s lead agency for disaster recovery and resilience. QRA was first established in 2011 and has since helped impacted Queensland communities recover from more than 130 disaster events.

Ingrid Burkett is a leading voice in place-based systems change, social innovation, and inclusive economic development. She has led major initiatives across Australia — from social procurement and impact investment to award-winning local employment programs like GROW — and brings deep experience in co-design, policy, and community-led change. As co-director of The Good Shift and a former director at Griffith’s Centre for Systems Innovation, she continues to shape how governments and communities work together for fairer, more regenerative futures.

Associate Professor Leslie Cannold is the resident ethicist at Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership. She has been recognised for her contributions to national discussions of ethics and diversity through ministerial appointments, such as chair of the Department of Health’s Human Research Ethics Committee. In her research fellow role at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics, Leslie pioneered the role of “public ethicist”, and continues to engage audiences with real-world ethical dilemmas as a columnist and TV and radio guest.

Graham Fraine brings nearly 30 years of public sector experience across policy, program delivery and strategic leadership at both state and local levels. He has held senior roles across Treasury, Infrastructure, Transport and the Premier’s Department, and was awarded a Public Service Medal in 2018 for outstanding contribution to research and policy. Now he works in the Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing and Regional and Rural Development, bringing a whole-of-government lens to delivering prosperity for all Queenslanders.

Andrew Wills has led IPAA Queensland since January 2022. He has two decades of leadership experience in public sector and public purpose organisations, ranging from statewide capability development to regionalised commissioning. He is passionate about supporting public value creation and developing integrity and innovation in public service. He holds qualifications in psychology and public policy, and is undertaking a PhD in public leadership.

Ian Mackie is a seasoned education leader and Queensland public servant with a lifelong dedication to improving educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. He has served in roles ranging from principal of Aurukun State School to deputy director-general, culture and economic participation, at the Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and deputy director-general of Thriving Regional Communities -- an enterprise-focused role promoting job growth in regional and remote areas. Ian is currently working with the Silver Lining Foundation and the Stronger Smarter Institute on models to re-engage adolescents in positive learning pathways.

A national leader in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander housing, health, economic development and public administration, Neil is a leading thinker in strategy, policy development and implementation. Prior to becoming chief executive of ATSI Housing Queensland in 2021, he was CEO of the Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council, and an executive director at the state's Department of Housing and Public Works.

PUBLIC SERVICE LEADERS

Government decision-makers - secretaries, CEOs, commissioners, CIOs etc - from federal, state and local jurisdictions

SUBJECT-MATTER EXPERTS

Public service managers and practitioners across various disciplines: technology, recruitment, training and more

THOSE WORKING WITH GOVERNMENT

Consultants and contractors who need to understand issues facing the public service

Walk away with practical, real-world insights from the people shaping Australia’s public sector, from premiers to department heads to future-focused thinkers.

Don’t just sit in the audience. Ask questions, join the discussion, and get perspective from those leading the change.

Meet like-minded public servants, policy specialists, and leaders — the kinds of connections that move careers and ideas forward.

At its core, capability covers everything from recruitment to employee retention, and skills training to continuous professional development, and using data for better decision-making. It also includes elements of ethics, craft, stewardship, values and leadership across many government disciplines, including technology, finance, national security and social services.

QUEENSLAND'S BIGGEST PUBLIC SECTOR LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES

An examination of the risks and demands facing all governments and what citizens require of public sector employees and their leaders.

ATTITUDES TO AI IN QUEENSLAND'S PUBLIC SECTOR 

What challenges do public servants face in using technology to enhance their productivity and provide better user experiences?

GOVERNMENTS SERVING BOTH STATE AND PLACE

Exploring when place-based approaches are most effective and developing expertise to address specific challenges in communities.

THE COLLABORATIVE PUBLIC SERVANT: WORKING WITH INDUSTRY, DEALING WITH COMPLEXITY 

How public servants can work alongside stakeholders, including communities and private industry, particularly during times of crisis.

GOLD SPONSOR

COFFEE CART PARTNER

EXHIBITION SPONSOR

EXHIBITION SPONSOR

"[The Mandarin’s conferences are] a timely intervention into the conversation about the future of the Australian public service”

– BARNEY GLOVER

JOBS AND SKILLS AUSTRALIA COMMISSIONER

1. EVENT DETAILS

Thursday, August 21, W Brisbane

8.30am -  6.00pm

2. HOW MUCH ARE TICKETS?

Ticket price is dependent on release and if you are working in the public sector. Please visit the checkout page for full pricing information. For group ticket purchases, please contact our team directly at events@themandarin.com.au.

3. CAN THIS CONFERENCE BE USED AS PART OF MY TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT?

Yes. If you need further information to provide for internal sign-off, please contact our team by emailing events@themandarin.com.au.

4. ARE THERE OTHER PERKS OF ATTENDING?

Yes. You will receive a 50% discount on an annual subscription to The Mandarin and exclusive access to Pia Andrews and Marcus Wigan's new book, The Expertise Deficit.

5. HOW CAN I FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SPONSORING?

For our media kit and more information, please contact raustin@themandarin.com.au.

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