Future Frontlines Conference: Policy into Practice

FUTURE FRONTLINES 2026 — POLICY INTO PRACTICE National Conference & Awards for Excellence National Wine Centre of Australia, Adelaide | 26–27 August 2026 Welcome Event: 25 August 2026

About the Conference

The Future Frontlines Conference is Australia's national working forum for the veterans, emergency services and police sectors. Now in its second year, the 2026 program expands to two full days — bringing approximately 200 delegates from government, defence, emergency services, police, academia and community organisations together at the National Wine Centre of Australia in Adelaide.

The theme is Policy into Practice. Every session is built around closing the gap between what the evidence tells us and what actually happens in the system — ending with a structured Policy Lab that produces the Future Frontlines Paper, used directly in VESPIIA's national advocacy work for the following 12 months.

The Program

The conference runs across three days:

Tuesday 25 August — Welcome Event (Evening) An informal hosted gathering for all registered delegates, speakers and partners. Designed to build the connections that make the two conference days more productive.

Wednesday 26 August — Day 1

• Session 1: State of Play: Veterans — ministerial addresses and geopolitical briefing
• Session 2: What is Strategic Policy? — policy mechanics, practical application and case study
• Session 3: Workshop — Communication in Collaboration (Lego Serious Play)
• Session 4: The Changing Landscape — workforce, technology and research briefings
• Evening: Awards for Excellence — the sector's national peer recognition night, now in its third year

Thursday 27 August — Day 2

• Session 5: State of Play: Public Safety — ministerial addresses and briefings
• Session 6: Interactive Policy Lab — co-producing the Future Frontlines Paper
• Session 7: What Good Looks Like — real case studies of policy change leading to community impact
• Session 8: Closing — Member Spotlights and Final Keynote

The Awards for Excellence

Held on the evening of Day 1, the VESPIIA Awards for Excellence recognises outstanding individuals, teams, organisations and programs across 17 categories spanning the veterans, emergency services and police sectors. Peer-judged and genuinely contested — this is the sector's night to acknowledge what good actually looks like.

Award submissions close 30 June 2026. Submit at vespiia.org/conference.

Who Attends

The Future Frontlines Conference brings together the people who set the agenda, fund the programs, deliver the services and generate the evidence across this sector. In 2025 the inaugural event drew 120 delegates including 38 speakers across government, ADF, ESOs, emergency services, researchers and advocates.

In 2026 the delegate mix includes government and agency representatives, defence personnel, ESO leaders, emergency services practitioners, police and corrections professionals, academics and researchers, and industry and community organisations.

Registration Pricing

All registrations include access to the Welcome Event, both conference days, and the Awards for Excellence Evening.

Not yet a VESPIIA member? Join at vespiia.org/membership and access member pricing plus 12 months of national network access, research publications, advocacy representation and professional development.

Submit an Abstract

We are seeking submissions for policy briefings, research briefings, case studies, member spotlights and poster presentations across four sessions. Submissions close 30 June 2026.

Submit at vespiia.org/events/conference.

Become a Sponsor

Sponsorship opportunities are available from $3,000, including 12 months of VESPIIA membership. Download the prospectus or contact [email protected].

About VESPIIA

VESPIIA — the Veterans, Emergency Services and Police Industry Institute of Australia — is the national professional body supporting the organisations, staff and volunteers who deliver programs, services and advocacy to veterans, emergency services and police communities. vespiia.org

Questions? Contact Shannon Hennessy, CEO — [email protected]

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