SA State Conference 2023
The theme for the Conference is Water – The Foundation for Sustainable Development
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are an internationally agreed urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing – to a sustainable future. They recognise that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.
But what are they really?
Did you know that water is an essential foundation across many of the Goals? How relevant are the Goals to a developed nation like Australia? What about South Australia?
The 2023 Australian Water Association State Conference will explore the SDGs relevance to Australia across a range of lenses, providing an opportunity for the water sector to engage with related industries on how the goals relate to the current national and state context and debate their basis for our shared future.
Relevant themes include;
- Remote community water supplies and First Nations access to safe and secure drinking water;
- Water and the future of energy, including hydrogen;
- Community engagement, empowerment and participation in and through water;
- Water and productive and healthy urban communities.
Keynote Speakers
Sarah Ransom, General Manager, Australian Water Partnership Sarah is a former Australian diplomat with a background in international development with DFAT, AusAID, the Asian Development Bank and in the UN system. As General Manger of the Australian Water Partnership, Sarah leads a multidisciplinary team managing two DFAT grants focussed on supporting climate resilient sustainable water resource management across the Indo-Pacific region. She engages with AWP’s network of partners across Australia, the region and the globe to support Australia’s role in the critical issues of water for development. |
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Sarah has a deep connection with Asia, having had postings in Laos and Vietnam and lived in China and Taiwan as a Mandarin-language student. Her technical background is in managing programs on governance, gender and community and civil society engagement, and she has advised government on peacebuilding, human rights and development policy. Sarah is a lawyer by training but a partnership and collaboration specialist by vocation. Sarah balances her role with AWP with raising her two young sons, and loves bushwalking near her home on beautiful Ngunnawal Country in Canberra, Australia. |
Richard Beasley, South Australian Murray River Commissioner |
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Following his experiences at the Royal Commission, in 2021 Richard wrote “Dead in the Water”, about the environmental catastrophe occurring in the Murray Darling (Allen & Unwin). In August 2022 he was appointed Commissioner for Murray River (SA) by the South Australian Government. |
Sam Crafter, Chief Executive, Office of Hydrogen Power SA |
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During his previous state government appointment, as Executive Director, Energy Implementation, Sam led a high performing team that managed the design and implementation of key South Australian Government energy initiatives, including the world’s largest battery (Hornsdale Power Reserve), the $100m Home Battery Scheme, the $50m Grid Scale Storage Fund and South Australia’s Virtual Power Plant using public housing stock. Sam also spent seven years with Santos Ltd in various senior roles in public affairs, policy, community and government relations in Adelaide, Brisbane and Gunnedah, NSW (New South Wales). Prior to this Sam spent eight years working in State and Federal Government. |
Jeremy Conway, CEO, Infrastructure SA As Chief Executive of Infrastructure SA, Jeremy has led development of the State’s first 20-year infrastructure strategy and is responsible for providing independent advice to the South Australian Government on infrastructure projects and prioritisation. His team has a strong focus on evidence-based decision-making and seeks to improve the maturity of infrastructure planning and investment across government. Infrastructure SA also aims to identify projects that deliver benefits for all South Australians by adopting a state-wide cross-sectoral lens. This is aided by Jeremy’s deep experience in both the public and private sectors. He has held senior roles at the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure and Department for the Premier and Cabinet; meanwhile his vast commercial and business experience comes from having worked in property development at Places Victoria for three years and in private equity CVC Capital Partners in London for nine years. |
Event Details
Date | Thursday 21 September 2023 |
Time | 8:30am - 6:00pm |
Venue | Adelaide Convention Centre |
Address | North Terrace, Adelaide SA |
Registration
If you are not yet a member of the Association, why not take advantage of the saving by selecting the registration which includes 1 year AWA Professional Membership.
Registration Type | Registration Fee |
Members | $345 |
Non-members | $480 |
Students/Concession Member | $240 |
Concession Non-Member | $480 |
Register and become an AWA Member | $595 |
If you wish to find out more about AWA's membership benefits, contact membership@awa.asn.au
Registrations are now closed
Sponsorship Opportunities:
We have a number of sponsorship opportunities available per the table below for the conference. You can see the inclusions for our packages in the prospectus here.
For more information please contact:
Conference | Sponsorship |
Bridget Masters | Troy Waite |
bmasters@awa.asn.au | twaite@awa.asn.au |
(02) 9467 8427 | (02) 9467 8426 |
Membership | Exhibition |
Mark Jones | Michael Silber |
mjones@awa.asn.au | msilber@awa.asn.au |
(02) 9467 8428 |
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