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Voices from the Bush Conference 2024

10 Sep, 2024 - 11 Sep, 2024 |

8:30am - 5:00pm ACST |

Alice Springs

Nestled in the heart of Australia, Alice Springs is in the prime position to host our second Voices from the Bush Conference. The event will explore the challenges impacting remote and regional communities across the nation and provide a platform for diverse voices to come together; collaborating and contributing towards the creation of lasting change.

This conference has been created as a dedicated space for open dialogue on the pressing matters affecting regional and remote Australian communities. Our focus is on sharing, connecting, and promoting thought leadership, acknowledging the particular significance and challenges relating to water in the lives and livelihoods of our rural and remote communities.

With deliberate and significant representation from the Indigenous community, the conference is set to unite those working on the frontline with decision makers from across the sector; from water utilities, service providers and government agencies to consultants, construction agencies and researchers. Voices from the Bush will bring together the sector to drive change and direct the conversation in shaping a sustainable water future across our nation’s rural and remote regions.

This year we are even more committed to crafting a conference that goes a step further to engage with Indigenous communities in a more effective way. We will actively invite in session ideas, truth telling and story telling that is outside of the regular conference format. So please share your ideas with us via this form. We want to be vulnerable and listen in a collaborative and constructive manner, to ensure the conference has real impact and generates a lasting legacy of change.

Proudly hosted by The Australian Water Association (AWA) and Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA).

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

The Call for Abstracts is now open until Friday 17 May. We encourage you to submit your abstract under the following sub-themes. Submit via the portal - linked below

Truth-telling
Holistic approaches, solutions and partnerships (Land and Governance)
Two-way science and knowledge
Culturally intelligent
Bridging water rights and water infrastructure
First Nations and Indigenous perspectives 
Cultural, social, and environmental value of water 
Improving liveability on Country 
Affordability of water services to First Nations / vulnerable communities (costing)

Economies of scale, mutual benefit, and self-empowerment
Economic participation and opportunities (investment, sustainable and self-determined, land activation)

WSAA Closing the Water Gap – follow-up on recommendations
National Water Initiative and new water agreement
Water policy, regulation, law and economics 
Linkage to broader policy goals (e.g. Closing the Gap, SDGs and WASH)

Funding strategies
Sustainable operational funding models – what do they look like?
Jurisdictional operating models – action plans
“managing” stakeholder expectations – government / funding bodies
Role of the private sector in financing the operation and maintenance of remote water supply systems
Community Infrastructure Partnerships – involving public, private and not-for-profit financing
Delivering community-based solutions that provide better integration of essential services and promote liveability principles

Protecting sources and catchments 
Impacts of climate change on water quality and water security
Risks and opportunities

Impact of regulatory environment on supply of safe water and wastewater treatment 
Water quality and health impacts 
Water safety plans 
Emergency response and extreme events 
Communication and education around water quality 
Livability principles - livability projects as core delivery

Financing innovation and R&D through novel approaches
Establishing collaboration platforms across the sector
Fit for purpose and place technologies and solutions (water and wastewater) 
Monitoring and measuring for water quality and security 
Artificial intelligence, computing and drone technologies
Nature-based solutions
Alternative water supplies (e.g. demand management, stormwater and recycled water) 
Asset management

Water literacy 
Mentoring and professional development 
Lessons learnt – personal or professional 
Capacity Development – staffing and skills development/training 
Cross-cultural training for water quality wins 
Water stories

Technical, logistical and financial support for remote locations 
Partnership and collaboration examples and opportunities 
Liveability principles in remote communities
Skills and training shortages
Skills of the future – what do they look like?
Structuring and establishing project teams – right people, right skills, right intent
When things go wrong - Crisis response

We have included a Wildcard theme for any submissions that don’t quite fit under any of the above topics. It's submissions like these that remind us of the need to think outside the box to solve our water challenges.

To help you prepare your abstract, please review the below Template and Guides.

When your submission is ready, use the link below to Upload:

CALL FOR CONTENT IDEAS

Have a content idea that doesn't conform to our standard abstract template? Fantastic! We'd love to hear it. Please submit your idea, including the target audience and the proposed format for delivery, using this FORM for our committee's review. We welcome all innovative concepts!

Event Details

	Welcome Function	Conference	Conference Dinner
Date	Monday 9 September	Tuesday 10 - Wednesday 11 September	Tuesday 10 September
Time	5:30pm - 7:30pm ACST	8:00am - 5:00pm ACST	6:00pm - 10:00pm ACST
Venue	TBD	Alice Springs Convention Centre, 93 Barrett Drive.	TBD

Please note that the start and end times of the social functions are subject to change.

Registration
Registration will be opening soon.

Not a member?
Join a community of almost 5,000 individual and 500 corporate members driving a sustainable water future through education, engagement, and connection. f you wish to learn more about AWA's membership benefits or join online, visit our website or contact membership@awa.asn.au.

For more information about Voices from the Bush contact:

EVENT:
Laura Gottsfritz, Events Manager | Ph: 02 9467 8427 | E: lgottsfritz@awa.asn.au
Mark Jones, Member Engagement Manager | P: 02 9467 8408 | E: mjones@awa.asn.au

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES:
Troy Waite, Partnerships and Sponsorships Manager | P: 02 9467 8413 | E: twaite@awa.asn.au

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