Speakers

Partner, Buddle Findlay

David specialises in all aspects of resource management, environmental and natural resources law.  

Partner, MartinJenkins

Sarah is a Partner at MartinJenkins and leads the firm's Auckland practice. 

Head of Local Government and Partnerships, Agite Consulting

Campbell Barry is Agite Consulting’s Head of Local Government and Partnerships. 

Lord Mayor, City of Wollongong

Councillor Tania Brown was elected Lord Mayor of the City of Wollongong in October 2024. 

General Manager, System Enablement and Oversight, Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions & Transport

Sara Clarke leads MCERT's System Enablement and Oversight function, with a strong focus on supporting the implementation of government reforms.

Chief Financial Officer, Hamilton City Council 

Gary Connolly is Chief Financial Officer at Hamilton City Council and an experienced executive leader with a background spanning local government, the not-for-profit sector, and commercial organisations. 
 

Associate Director, Datacom

Tracey is an Associate Director at Datacom where she works with leaders to turn macro trends, emerging technology and shifting expectations into clear strategic choices. 

MP

Simon Court MP is the Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister for Infrastructure and the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform. 

Chief Curiosity Officer and Critical Thinking Champion, The Curiosity Company  

Carl Davidson is an insight professional with a social scientist’s heart.

MP Green Party

Mike Davidson has extensive political experience in Local Government, having served previously as a City Councillor in Ōtautahi Christchurch and currently as the Innes Ward representative on the Waipapa Papanui-Innes-Central community board.

Mayor, Tauranga City Council

Mahé was elected Mayor of Tauranga City Council in July of 2024. 

Partner, Meredith Connell

Jessica Easton is a partner at Meredith Connell and a trusted advisor to the regional and unitary council network across Aotearoa. 

Director, Silvereye

Originally a farm boy hailing from Dipton in Southland, Conor has spent the last 30 years not too far from the Beehive in Wellington.  

Executive Leader Policy,  MCERT 

Ruth Fairhall is Executive Leader Policy at MCERT, leading policy advice on local government, housing, climate change and waste management, and aspects of transport policy. 

List MP

Andy is a New Zealand First List MP based in Wellington. 

Mayor, Tararua District Council 

Scott Gilmore is Mayor of the Tararua District and a strong advocate for local government reform.

Founder, Rautaki Consulting

Scott Hamilton is founder of Rautaki Consulting.  Rautaki specialises in helping iwi groups, corporates and local authorities structure themselves for investment and growth.

Studio Principal, Warren and Mahoney

Simon Hardy is Studio Principal for Warren and Mahoney's Wellington studio and leads the firm's Infrastructure Sector across New Zealand. 

Chief Executive, Fulton Hogan New Zealand

Ben Hayward is Chief Executive of Fulton Hogan New Zealand, leading a team of more than 6,500 people delivering infrastructure that helps communities connect, grow and thrive.  

Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party
 

Rt Hon Chris Hipkins is Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party. First elected to Parliament in 2008, he has spent his career working for a New Zealand where everyone can get ahead, wherever they live.

Chair, Te Arawa Group Holdings

Traci Houpapa is a globally recognised business leader, award-winning company director and trusted advisor to Indigenous Peoples, government and industry. 

Delivery Lead Regional Spatial Planning, Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions & Transport

Jennifer is the Delivery Lead for Spatial Planning for New Zealand's planning system reform. 

Strategic Consulting Leader, Asia-Pacific, Arup

Noel Leung leads Arup's APAC Strategy Consulting practice and is a strategy, growth and transformation leader with over 20 years' experience advising major organisations on strategic planning, operating model design and enterprise-wide change. 

Opportunity Party 

Sarah Lucas is the Opportunity Party's spokesperson for local government, and its candidate for New Plymouth.   

Mayor, Hamilton City Council
 

Hon Tim Macindoe is the Mayor of Hamilton, bringing extensive experience in public service, governance, and community leadership. 

Deputy Chairperson, Otago Regional Council

Serving in his third term as an Otago Regional Councillor representing the Moeraki Ward (Waitaki District), Kevin holds the role of Deputy Chair of the Otago Regional Council. 

General Manager, Te Arawa Lakes Trust

Tame Malcolm (Te Arawa) is General Manager of Te Arawa Lakes Trust and a recognised advocate of conservation, environmental management and pest control. 

CEO, Creative Waikato

Dr. Jeremy Mayall is the CEO of Creative Waikato, a regional arts organisation based in Kirikiriroa-Hamilton. 

Principal Consultant, MartinJenkins

Tessa is a Principal Consultant specialising in infrastructure and local government. 

Partner, Simpson Grierson 

Paddy is a partner in Simpson Grierson's planning and environment group, based in Auckland.

Councillor, New Plymouth District Council

Dinnie's diverse life experiences, including the completion of a Master's degree in Māori and Indigenous Leadership and pursuit of a PhD in Māori & Indigenous studies and Political Science shape his work in local government.

Senior Investment Consultant, Russell Investments 

Brett Moffat is a Senior Investment Consultant at Russell Investments, where he advises local governments, superannuation funds and iwi clients. 

Chief Executive, LGNZ

Scott joined LGNZ in 2013 and became Chief Executive in March 2026. 

Chief Economist, GHD 

David Norman is GHD's Chief Economist for Australia and New Zealand, working with councils and communities on the economic challenges shaping the future of infrastructure, growth and investment. 

Principal Economist, Infometrics 

Brad Olsen is the Principal Economist at Infometrics, and widely recognised as one of New Zealand’s most respected and engaging economic commentators. 

Councillor, Hawke's Bay Regional Council

Hinewai Ormsby (Ngāti Kahungunu – Ngāti Paarau, Ngāti Hinepare, Ngāti Mahu, Ngāi Tawhao; Kāi Tahu – Kāti Irakehu, Kāti Mako) is in her third term as a Hawke's Bay Regional Councillor for Ahuriri/Napier.

Architect, Principal and Communities & Civic Sector Lead, Warren and Mahoney

Vajini Pannila is a Principal and Co-lead of the Civic and Communities Sector of Warren and Mahoney. 

Chief Executive, Museums Aotearoa

Jaenine Parkinson is Chief Executive of Museums Aotearoa, bringing a career shaped by a deep commitment to the role museums and galleries play in helping people understand themselves, their worlds, and their histories.

Deputy Mayor, Gisborne District Council 

Ko Te Tairāwhiti tēnei e ngunguru nei. 
Aubrey Ria is a mother of four with a background in Māori media, primary education across both mainstream and Kura Kaupapa Māori, and environmental project management. 

Public Sector Practice Lead, AON

Dr David Robson is a senior risk specialist with more than 12 years’ experience leading strategic projects, complex data analysis, policy and legislative reviews and high-impact reporting. 

Public Service Commissioner

Sir Brian became New Zealand’s Public Service Commissioner in November 2024, bringing to the role extensive experience in governance and leadership roles in the public and private sectors across a broad range of sectors.

MC

Mark Sainsbury is a well-known New Zealand journalist and broadcaster, recognised for his extensive career in radio and television.

Head of Data & Product, WSP Harmonic

Dr Jamie Short is Head of Data & Product at WSP Harmonic, where he leads the development and scaling of data, analytics and AI-driven solutions that deliver measurable business value. 

Mayor, Nelson City Council

Second-term Mayor of Nelson, Hon Dr Nick Smith, is well known in the Nelson-Tasman region after more than three decades as an MP, firstly in the former Tasman electorate and then as the MP for Nelson. 

Partner, Meredith Connell

Nathan Speir is co-leader of Meredith Connell's Local Government team.

LGNZ President 

Born and raised in South Africa, an OE brought Rehette to Gisborne in 2001, and she immediately fell in love with Tairāwhiti and its lovely people - she has called Gisborne home for the past 25 years. 

Mayor, Rotorua Lakes Council

Tania Tapsell, of Te Arawa iwi, is the first Māori woman to be elected as Mayor of Rotorua. 

Mayor, Marlborough District Council

Nadine Taylor is serving her second term as Mayor of Marlborough. She entered local government in 2016, quickly rising to the position of Deputy Mayor, before being elected Mayor in 2022 and re-elected in 2025.  

Mayor, Far North District Council

Moko Tepania is serving his second term as mayor of the Far North. 

Architect and Associate, Warren and Mahoney

Daniel is a Wellington-based architect with international experience across diverse project scales. 

Architect, Principal and Group Chairman, Warren and Mahoney

Andrew is Chairman of the Warren and Mahoney group and, as an architect of Pacific Island heritage, he is a passionate advocate of regional and cultural expression in architecture. 

MP

Tangi’s professional background combines Local Government and Education.  Prior to his election as the Member of Parliament for the Palmerston North Electorate in 2020, Tangi served 10 years on the City Council, and was the city’s first elected member of Pasifika heritage. 

National Affairs Editor, The Post and Sunday Star-Times

Multi-award winning journalist Andrea Vance is national affairs editor for The Post and Sunday Star-Times, covering politics, the environment and national investigations. 

Andrea will be speaking at the Women in Local Government breakfast.

MP Co-Leader of Te Pāti Māori 

Rawiri Waititi MP for Waiariki and Co-Leader of Te Pāti Māori is an uri of Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Ngāti Awa, Tūhoe, Te Whakatōhea, Ngāi Tai, Te Arawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāi Te Rangi and Ngāti Ranginui, and proudly calls Waiariki home.

Partner, Simpson Grierson 

Mike is a partner in Simpson Grierson’s planning and environment group, based in Wellington.

Associate Partner, Agite Consulting

Emma Ward is a strategic communications specialist at Agite Consulting. 

Minister of Local Government

Hon Simon Watts is the Minister for Building and Construction, Minister of Climate Change, Minister of Local Government, Minister of Revenue and Minister for Auckland. 

Mayor, South Wairarapa District Council
 

Dame Fran Wilde is the Mayor of South Wairarapa. Her distinguished political career includes serving as a Minister in the Fourth Labour Government and as MP for Wellington Central from 1981 to 1992. 

Partner, Buddle Findlay

Natasha is a partner in Buddle Findlay’s public, regulatory and competition law team.

Broadcaster

Rebecca Wright is one of New Zealand’s most experienced political and investigative journalists, known for her incisive interviewing and deep coverage of both domestic and international politics.