2026 Speakers

Tony Wood

Grattan Institute

Tony has been Director of the Energy Program since 2011 after 14 years working at Origin Energy in senior executive roles. From 2009 to 2014 he was also Program Director of Clean Energy Projects at the Clinton Foundation, advising governments in the Asia-Pacific region on effective deployment of large-scale, low-emission energy technologies. In 2008, he was seconded to provide an industry perspective to the first Garnaut climate change review. In January 2018, Tony was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia in recognition of his significant service to conservation and the environment, particularly in the areas of energy policy, climate change and sustainability. In October 2019, Tony was elected as a Fellow to the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering.

Senator Peter Whish-Wilson

Lutruwita/Tasmania

Peter made the transition from being a community leader in the campaign to stop the Tamar Valley pulp mill to Greens Senator for Tasmania in 2012 when he replaced Bob Brown in the Senate. He was re-elected at the 2013 election.
Peter's portfolios for the Greens are Agriculture, Healthy Oceans, Science, Industry & Innovation, Trade & Tourism, and Waste & Recycling.

He has campaigned to stop seismic testing and new oil and gas projects in the ocean as well as shark conservation and protection of the Great Southern Reef. As Agriculture spokesperson he has championed the hemp, medicinal cannabis and organic industries. He has also spent the past 20 years working towards building a circular economy, including recently seeking to legislate national producer responsibility schemes.

Peter chaired the Senate Select Committee on Information Integrity on Climate Change and Energy from September 2025 until March 2026. The Committee received 243 submissions and held 11 public hearings. The final report provides a detailed picture of the challenges presented by mis- and disinformation as we transition to renewable energy.

James Purtill

Office of the Queensland Mine Rehabilitation Commissioner

James Purtill is the Queensland Mine Rehabilitation Commissioner. Prior to this James held numerous senior leadership roles in government including as Director-General of the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy and Queensland’s Environmental Protection Agency. His private sector experience includes roles as General Manager Sustainability for the Santos GLNG project and as Managing Director for an environmental rehabilitation company. James’ academic qualifications include a Bachelor of Science with Honours from the University of New South Wales, an MBA from the University of Queensland and is currently a PhD candidate at UQ. He is also a Fellow of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government and a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia.

Alex Hooper

Oxford Economics Australia

Alex Hooper is a macroeconomist with over 10 years of experience, Alex currently leads Oxford Economics' climate & energy economics practice in Australia. Her recent research has focused on balancing the investment and productivity opportunities of the data centre build out with the social risk of the commensurate energy and water demand.

Simon Currie

Energy Estate

Simon is a leader in the energy transition, with over 30 years of experience developing energy projects in more than 75 countries. As Co-Founder and Chief Projects Officer at Energy Estate, he leads large-scale renewable and decarbonisation initiatives encompassing onshore and offshore wind, solar, hydrogen, ammonia, and sustainable fuels across Australia, New Zealand, and other international markets .
A fervent advocate for sustainable energy solutions, Simon champions the cause of delivering enduring and sustainable outcomes for all stakeholders. Simon’s approach as a systems thinker involves designing clean energy ecosystems that accelerate decarbonisation and support the growth of new industries.

Karin Stark

Farm Renewables Consulting

Karin Stark is the Director of Farm Renewables Consulting and founder and convener of the annual National Renewables in Agriculture Conference and Exhibition. Co-managing a wheat and cotton farm in Narromine NSW has given Karin a first-hand perspective of the energy challenges farmers face both on-farm and in their communities. They live on the edge of the country's first Renewable Energy Zone and she is a member of the NSW Farmer's Energy Transition Taskforce. She has published two reports: 'Pursuing an Agrivoltaic Future in Australia' and 'Farm Powered' and has been recognised in the 2023 and 2024, Top 100 Green Energy Players List, in The Australian.

Lance Mc Callum MP

Queensland

Lance is the Queensland Shadow Minister for Energy.
He is a committed advocate for clean energy and secure jobs in the renewables industry.
He holds a Master of Sustainability and Climate Policy and is a McKinnon Scholar.

Ali Davenport

Coexistence Queensland

Ali is an experienced executive with more than 20 years of leadership experience
across regional Queensland, specialising in strategic partnerships, stakeholder
engagement and organisational leadership. She is passionate about supporting
sustainable growth in regional and rural communities and building strong
relationships across industry, government and community sectors.
Throughout her career, Ali has led organisations across manufacturing, economic
development, and regional media. Prior to joining Coexistence Queensland, she
served as Chief Executive Officer of the Queensland Manufacturing Institute (QMI),
where she helped develop a new strategic vision for the organisation and strengthen
industry and stakeholder engagement.
Before this, Ali spent five years as CEO of Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise
(TSBE), leading partnerships across energy, agriculture, manufacturing,
infrastructure, education, and health to support regional economic growth and
opportunity.
Ali also held senior leadership roles managing radio, television, and newspaper
operations across regional Queensland, including Toowoomba, Dalby, Cairns and
Mackay, giving her a strong understanding of regional communities and the issues
that matter most to them.
At Coexistence Queensland, Ali oversees operations and strategic initiatives that
support Queenslanders impacted by energy projects, helping landholders and
communities navigate change while fostering productive and sustainable
coexistence outcomes.

Katrina Grange

Ochre Social Performance

Katrina Grange is a unique player in the renewable energy space combining global leading social performance management with intrinsic local knowledge and lived experience in one of Australia’s most unique local contexts. Her hometown is Biloela, based in the Banana Shire in Central Queensland, and it is bracing itself for a $40B renewable energy project pipeline while also supporting traditional industries including agriculture, power generation, and coal mining. After more than 20 years working across journalism, public relations, stakeholder engagement and social performance, Katrina is committed to using this expertise to empower regional communities through the post-carbon transition by building local capability and shaping and delivering processes that promote collective knowledge sharing, problem solving and legacy community benefits.

To do this Katrina has pioneered a collaborative social performance framework aligned with global ESG standards and co-designed and endorsed by local communities to achieve shared value and positive sustainable outcomes. One of few consultants in Australia with end-to-end experience delivering global best practice social performance across the resource, energy and infrastructure sectors, Katrina saw an opportunity to improve outcomes for impacted communities and First Nations peoples by partnering with industry and all levels of Government to deliver the collaborative framework.

Bella Zanesco

​

Bella is a sustainability, growth, and AI advisor with deep expertise in helping clients harness technology to meet climate, decarbonisation, and nature based goals. Formerly Head of Sustainability at AWS ANZ, she brings both strategic and technical credibility to the energy transition. Outside the boardroom, she is a World Champion sailor, proud Queenslander, and recent Australian Women in Business Awards finalist for creating change and sustainability.

Jarrod Irving

LMS Energy

Jarrod Irving is the General Manager of Renewable Gas and Fuels at LMS Energy, where he leads strategic initiatives in biogas-to-biomethane and biofuels project development.

Dr Oliver Hartley

Bright Dimension

Oliver has over 25 years’ experience in the renewable energy industry and is the managing director of Bright Dimension, a consultancy company supporting the transition to the clean energy future. In 2021, his company Epho Pty Ltd, one of Australia’s largest commercial and industrial solar companies, was acquired by AGL. Prior to Epho, Oliver worked in management roles across solar cell research and manufacturing, as well as M&A in the solar industry. Recently Oliver was the lead author of the Silicon to Solar Study and is currently managing the feasibility study for a polycrystalline silicon plant at the Hunter Energy Hub.

Tim Buckley

Climate Energy Finance

As Director of Climate Energy Finance Australasia Tim has 35 years financial markets experience, including providing public interest related financial analysis on the energy transition since 2013, studying China, India and Australia. Tim founded Climate Energy Finance Australasia in 2022, having co-founded and worked with the global energy finance think tank IEEFA over 2013-2021. For 17 years Tim was a Managing Director at Citigroup, Head of Australasian Equity Research. Tim has published over 100 reports on the global energy transition.

Jessica Shaw

The Superpower Institute

Jessica Shaw is a nationally recognised leader in energy policy and industrial transformation, with over 20 years’ experience across government, Parliament, industry and academia. She is WA Program Director for the Superpower Institute, Partner at Tactica Advisory, Adjunct Professor in Energy Transition at Curtin University and has just completed an appointment as Chair of Commissioners for Port Hedland.
Jessica brings deep expertise at the intersection of policy, markets and project delivery. She works with governments, investors and industry to unlock opportunities in green commodities, renewable energy and decarbonisation, with a focus on translating ambition into investable, real-world outcomes.
A former Member of the Western Australian Parliament, Jessica served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier and Minister for State and Industry Development, Jobs and Trade and chaired the Economics and Industry Standing Committee, leading major inquiries into energy transition and economic diversification. She has also held senior commercial roles across Australia’s energy sector, including in electricity, gas and infrastructure markets.
Jessica is a respected public communicator and thought leader on Australia’s clean energy future. A Cambridge, ANU and Harvard graduate, in 2024, she was awarded Honorary Life Membership of the Australian Institute of Energy in recognition of her contribution to the sector.

Emeritus Prof Roy Green AM MAICD

University of Technology Sydney

Roy is Special Innovation Advisor at the University of Technology Sydney and former Dean of the UTS Business School. He graduated from the University of Adelaide with first class honours and went on to complete a PhD in Economics at the University of Cambridge. Since then he has pursued a career in universities, government and industry and has published widely on innovation and industrial policy, including with the OECD and European Commission. He has chaired the Australian Government’s Innovative Regions Centre, CSIRO Manufacturing Sector Advisory Council, Queensland Competition Authority, NSW Manufacturing Council and most recently the Port of Newcastle. Currently, Roy chairs the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Hub and is a board director of CSIRO, Industry Capability Network (ICNL) and SmartSat CRC.

Steve Davies

Australian Pipeline and Gas Association

Steve Davies is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Pipelines and Gas Association (APGA), a position he has held since 2017. With over 20 years of experience in policy development, stakeholder engagement, and leadership, Steve plays a pivotal role in advocating for Australia's energy infrastructure sector. His leadership focuses on delivering practical, evidence-based solutions to complex policy challenges, particularly in the context of Australia’s energy transition.
Steve is deeply committed to sourcing insights directly from industry professionals to drive informed, effective policy outcomes for Australia's evolving energy landscape.

Scott Muller

Townsville City Council

Scott is a highly respected civil engineer and project manager, having worked in the Queensland public and private sectors. He has extensive experience delivering projects across various industry sectors, including roads, bridges, precast concrete, railways and aviation. Working on complex and challenging projects, Scott enjoys building strong partnerships between government and the private sector, with a focus on delivering strong regional development to support and grow the community. Since May 2023, Scott has been engaged by Townsville City Council as the Program Manager for the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct, working with State agencies and private proponents to attract investment into the precinct.

Matt McKee

Beyond Zero Emissions

Matt McKee is Chief Researcher for Beyond Zero Emissions. He brings over two decades of experience in energy, technology, and manufacturing, with a track record of turning bold ideas into impactful outcomes. He has led national and global teams across startups, scale-ups, and major corporations - driving innovation in cleantech and operational strategy. Matt was the COO and Chief Digital Officer for RedEarth Energy Storage and supported many early-stage companies in the energy sector. He holds an MBA from IMD and a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University.

Deborah Tull

​

Deborah Tull is a proud Gangulu Traditional Owner and passionate advocate for her people and community. For many years, she has worked to support better outcomes for her people in the justice system and supporting community wellbeing and culturally respectful engagement. Deborah is a strong communicator who believes in the importance of two-way truth telling and respectful engagement- ensuring everyone has the opportunity to share, listen and build trust from this place. Just like her Ancestor’s before her, Deb leads engagement with a Message Stick crafted by her kin, used as a symbol to promote respect, shared understanding, shared stories, and shared commitment to respect when yarning. As a mother and grandmother and great grandmother, Deb is passionate about ensuring Gangulu leave things in a better way for the next generation while honouring the ways of her Ancestors and ensuring connection to Country.

Tim Kelly

Manufacturing Excellence Forum

Tim Kelly is an aeronautical engineer with over 20 years of international experience, having worked on major programs including the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and Airbus A350.

He has worked across the USA, Germany, the Netherlands, and Australia, with expertise in systems engineering, digital transformation, and advanced manufacturing.

Tim is also an Adjunct Fellow at the University of the Sunshine Coast and is passionate about strengthening Australia’s sovereign capabilities through innovation.

Dr Tom Dixon

RE-Alliance

Tom has spent his career at the intersection of human rights, climate and the environment, working to empower – and enhance the rights of – communities both within Australia and across the globe. He is an experienced campaigner, communicator and community engagement specialist, having spent more than 15 years in the Australian and international advocacy and not-for-profit sectors. Prior to this, Tom completed a PhD in the UK, working for almost a decade as a research scientist with CSIRO. Tom lives on Kabi Kabi country in rural South East Queensland with his young family.

Lyn Blucher

​

Lyn Blucher is a proud Gangulu Traditional Owner who has spent more than 30 years leading Native Title and Cultural Heritage outcomes for her people. With deep knowledge of Country and strong community leadership, Lyn has worked with global resource, energy, manufacturing and agricultural industries operating on Gangulu lands that supply energy, resources and products to the nation and for export. Throughout her journey, she has been a passionate advocate for protecting cultural heritage, upholding the rights of her people, and ensuring Traditional Owner voices are heard in decisions that impact Country, community and future generations. In her lifetime, she has a goal to establish a cultural hub on Country that acknowledges and celebrates her people’s culture, is a safe place for them to connect, heal and learn on Country, and a place for all people living on Gangulu Country or passing through to learn about the Gangulu Way and have a museum-like experience viewing thousands of artefacts that have been protected during the last 30 years. A matriarch for her people, Lyn is leading an innovative project in collaboration with industry and community on her Traditional Lands to support better outcomes for future generations.

Lynnard Cuskey

Advanced Materials and Battery Council

Lynnard Cucksey is the Chief Executive Officer of the Advanced Materials and Battery Council (AMBC), Australia's peak industry body for the full battery value chain, from critical minerals processing through advanced materials and cell manufacturing, system assembly and deployment, to second life and end-of-life recovery. AMBC is the only Australian organisation that speaks across this entire chain, and is chaired by the former Premier of Queensland, the Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk AC.

Under Lynnard's leadership, AMBC has become one of the most influential voices on industrial policy in the energy transition, working with government, industry and capital to translate the Future Made in Australia agenda into projects, factories and jobs on the ground. AMBC is the leading institutional voice on the manufacturing and midstream segments of the battery value chain.

Lynnard also serves on the Steering Committee of the TAFE Queensland Battery Centre of Excellence, where he supports the development of the workforce that will build and operate Australia's battery industries, and is the founder of Vector Lane, a boutique strategic advisory practice working at the intersection of advanced technology, industrial scale-up, and public-private capital.

Before AMBC, Lynnard spent fifteen years in manufacturing and industrial policy, including a formative period at Holden during the last era of coordinated manufacturing industry policy in Australia. That experience shapes his conviction that this country has built world class manufacturing ecosystems before, and can do it again, this time around the advanced materials and battery industries that will define national competitiveness for the next thirty years.