2026 Conference Program
Day 1 Dinner Reception | Thursday October 23, 2025
18:30 - 19:00
Pre-dinner reception DIAMOND FOYER
19:00 - 19:10
Opening address: Nicholas Moore AO BALLROOM 3
Welcome address: Michael Stutchbury, Executive Director, Centre for Independent Studies
19:10 - 21:30
Opening dinner and onstage discussion: The future of mainstream media
Dave Rubin, Creator and Host, The Rubin Report
Andrew Neil, journalist and commentator — former Sunday Times editor and BBC chief political presenter, and currently a commentator on Channel 4 UK and Times Radio
Claire Kimball, Founder, Squiz Media
Michael Stutchbury, Executive Director, Centre for Independent Studies (moderator)
21:30
Post dinner drinks Lobby Bar
Day 2 Morning Sessions | Friday October 24, 2025
08:00 - 08:45
Morning session A: Abundance and prosperity FACET ROOM
Chris Bradley, Senior Partner, McKinsey
Robert Skeffington, Senior Managing Director, FTI Consulting (moderator)
08:00 - 08:45
Morning session B: What about the patient, when living longer is neither possible nor desirable? CULLINAN ROOM
Camilla Rowland, CEO, Palliative Care Australia
Andrew Denton, Go Gentle Australia
Peter Kurti, Director – Culture Program, The Centre for Independent Studies (moderator)
08:00 - 08:45
Morning session B: What to do about net zero a Coaltion conversation
Senator James Paterson
Senator Matt Canavan
Aidan Morrison, Director Energy and Defence Program, The Centre for Independent Studies
09:00 - 09:10
Welcome by conference chair + housekeeping BALLROOM 1 and 2
April Palmerlee, CEO, American Chamber of Commerce
09:40 - 10:40
Plenary 1: Productivity isn’t everything, but in the long run, it’s almost everything
Hon Peter Costello AC
Gene Tunny, Director, Adept Economics
Emma Dawson, Executive Director, Chifley Research Institute
Michael Stutchbury, Executive Director, Centre for Independent Studies (moderator)
10:40 - 11:10
Morning tea
11:10 - 12:10
Conversation 1: Are we still sure about net zero?
Hon Chris Bowen MP, Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Member for McMahon
Zoe Hilton, Senior Policy Analyst, CIS (moderator)
12:15 - 13:15
Conversation 2: Liberty in the age of populism: Is there room on the right?
Dave Rubin, Creator and Host, The Rubin Report
Parnell Palme McGuinness, Senior Fellow, The Centre for Independent Studies (moderator)
13:15 - 14:15
Lunch
14:20 - 14:50
Keynote 2: Australia's defence capabilities in the face of a more threatening China
Sam Roggeveen, Director, International Security Program, Lowy Institute
14:50 - 15:50
Plenary 2: Has the US alliance distorted Australia's defence plans?
Sam Roggeveen, Director, International Security Program, Lowy Institute
Jennifer Parker, Expert Associate, ANU National Security College
Simon Cowan, Research Director, CIS (moderator)
15:50 - 18:00
Afternoon tea & free time
18:00 - 18:30
22:00
Post dinner drinks Lobby Bar
Day 3 Morning Sessions | Saturday October 25, 2025
08:00 - 08:45
Morning session A: What to do about net zero a Coalition conversation FACET ROOM
Senator James Paterson
Senator Matt Canavan
Aidan Morrison, Director Energy and Defence Program, The Centre for Independent Studies (moderator)
08:00 - 08:45
Morning session A: Heritage vs. housing
Katie Roberts-Hull, Heritage Policy Commentor
Peter Tulip, Chief Economist, Centre for Independent Studies
08:00 - 08:45
Morning session B: Heritage vs. housing CULLINAN ROOM
Katie Roberts-Hull, Heritage Policy Commentor
Peter Tulip, Chief Economist, Centre for Independent Studies
09:00 - 09:05
Welcome day 3 + housekeeping BALLROOM 1 & 2
April Palmerlee, CEO, American Chamber of Commerce
09:05 - 10:05
Conversation 3: The mess-in potamia: what the decline of the Shia crescent means for the broader Middle East
Joshua Landis, Director Farzaneh Family Centre for Iranian and Persian Gulf Studies & Co-Director, Centre of Middle East Studies, University of Oklahoma
Hon Alexander Downer, AC
Simon Cowan, Research Director, CIS (moderator)
10:10 - 11:10
Conversation 4: The trade wars are back!
Warwick McKibbin AO, Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Economics and Public Policy and Director of the Centre for Applied Macroeconomic Analysis, The Australian National University; CEO of McKibbin Software Group Pty Ltd and non-resident Senior Fellow, The Peterson Institute for International Economics, Washington DC
Michael Stutchbury, Executive Director, Centre for Independent Studies (moderator)
11:10 - 11:40
Morning tea
11:40 - 12:10
Keynote 3: Why knowledge matters for lifting education outcomes
Natalie Wexler, Author, The Knowledge Gap
12:10 - 13:10
Plenary 3: Do we still need knowledge in the 21st century?
Natalie Wexler, Author, The Knowledge Gap
Dr Jennifer Buckingham, Executive Director, the Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation (CESE), NSW Department of Education
Rt Hon Sir Nick Gibb
Glenn Fahey, Director – Education Program, Centre for Independent Studies (moderator)
13:10 - 14:10
Lunch Akoya Restaurant
14:15 - 15:15
Conversation 5: Can nanotechnology bridge the divide between the human brain and the computer/AI interface – and is humanity ready?
Ian Hickie, Co-Director of Health and Policy, University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre
Matt Trau, Professor of Chemistry, University of Queensland
15:15 - 16:00
Innovation pitch: Young scientist innovation pitches
Students
Elizabeth Zoneff, Joyce Tsai, Fiach Antaw
Judging panel
Matt Trau, Professor of Chemistry, University of Queensland
John M. Green, Chair PwC, Company Director and thriller writer
16:00 - 18:00
Afternoon tea and free time
18:00 - 18:30
Independence Society reception CORAL MOON
18:30 - 19:00
Pre-dinner reception
19:00 - 22:00
Gala Dinner, The McGregor Fellowship and Neville Kennard Address: The
global travails of centre-right politics BALLROOM 1, 2 and 3
Andrew Neil, journalist and commentator — former Sunday Times editor and BBC chief political presenter, and currently a commentator on Channel 4 UK and Times Radio
Michael Stutchbury, Executive Director, Centre for Independent Studies (moderator)
22:00 - 24:00
Post dinner drinks Lobby Bar
Consilium 2025 end
Day 1 Dinner Reception | Thursday October 23, 2025
18:30 - 19:00
Pre-dinner reception DIAMOND FOYER
19:00 - 19:10
Opening address: Nicholas Moore AO BALLROOM 3
Welcome address: Michael Stutchbury, Executive Director, Centre for Independent Studies
19:10 - 21:30
Opening dinner and onstage discussion: The future of mainstream media
Dave Rubin, Creator and Host, The Rubin Report
Andrew Neil, journalist and commentator — former Sunday Times editor and BBC chief political presenter, and currently a commentator on Channel 4 UK and Times Radio
Claire Kimball, Founder, Squiz Media
Michael Stutchbury, Executive Director, Centre for Independent Studies (moderator)
21:30
Post dinner drinks Lobby Bar
Day 1 Dinner Reception | Thursday October 23, 2025
18:30 - 19:00
Pre-dinner reception DIAMOND FOYER
19:00 - 19:10
Opening address: Nicholas Moore AO BALLROOM 3
Welcome address: Michael Stutchbury, Executive Director, Centre for Independent Studies
19:10 - 21:30
Opening dinner and onstage discussion: The future of mainstream media
Dave Rubin, Creator and Host, The Rubin Report
Andrew Neil, journalist and commentator — former Sunday Times editor and BBC chief political presenter, and currently a commentator on Channel 4 UK and Times Radio
Claire Kimball, Founder, Squiz Media
Michael Stutchbury, Executive Director, Centre for Independent Studies (moderator)
21:30
Post dinner drinks Lobby Bar
Day 3 Morning Sessions | Saturday October 25, 2025
08:00 - 08:45
Morning session A: What to do about net zero a Coalition conversation FACET ROOM
Senator James Paterson
Senator Matt Canavan
Aidan Morrison, Director Energy and Defence Program, The Centre for Independent Studies (moderator)
08:00 - 08:45
Morning session A: Heritage vs. housing
Katie Roberts-Hull, Heritage Policy Commentor
Peter Tulip, Chief Economist, Centre for Independent Studies
08:00 - 08:45
Morning session B: Heritage vs. housing CULLINAN ROOM
Katie Roberts-Hull, Heritage Policy Commentor
Peter Tulip, Chief Economist, Centre for Independent Studies
09:00 - 09:05
Welcome day 3 + housekeeping BALLROOM 1 & 2
09:05 - 10:05
Conversation 3: The mess-in potamia: what the decline of the Shia crescent means for the broader Middle East
Joshua Landis, Director Farzaneh Family Centre for Iranian and Persian Gulf Studies & Co-Director, Centre of Middle East Studies, University of Oklahoma
Hon Alexander Downer, AC
Simon Cowan, Research Director, CIS (moderator)
10:10 - 11:10
Conversation 4: The trade wars are back!
Warwick McKibbin AO, Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Economics and Public Policy and Director of the Centre for Applied Macroeconomic Analysis, The Australian National University; CEO of McKibbin Software Group Pty Ltd and non-resident Senior Fellow, The Peterson Institute for International Economics, Washington DC
Michael Stutchbury, Executive Director, Centre for Independent Studies (moderator)
11:10 - 11:40
Morning tea
11:40 - 12:10
Keynote 3: Why knowledge matters for lifting education outcomes
Natalie Wexler, Author, The Knowledge Gap
12:10 - 13:10
Plenary 3: Do we still need knowledge in the 21st century?
Natalie Wexler, Author, The Knowledge Gap
Dr Jennifer Buckingham, Executive Director, the Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation (CESE), NSW Department of Education
Rt Hon Sir Nick Gibb
Glenn Fahey, Director – Education Program, Centre for Independent Studies (moderator)
13:10 - 14:10
Lunch Akoya Restaurant
14:15 - 15:15
Conversation 5: Can nanotechnology bridge the divide between the human brain and the computer/AI interface – and is humanity ready?
Ian Hickie, Co-Director of Health and Policy, University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre
Matt Trau, Professor of Chemistry, University of Queensland
15:15 - 16:00
Innovation pitch: Young scientist innovation pitches
Students
Elizabeth Zoneff, Joyce Tsai, Fiach Antaw
Judging panel
Matt Trau, Professor of Chemistry, University of Queensland
John M. Green, Chair PwC, Company Director and thriller writer
16:00 - 18:00
Afternoon tea and free time
18:00 - 18:30
Independence Society reception CORAL MOON
18:30 - 19:00
Pre-dinner reception
19:00 - 22:00
Gala Dinner, The McGregor Fellowship and Neville Kennard Address: The
global travails of centre-right politics BALLROOM 1, 2 and 3
Andrew Neil, journalist and commentator — former Sunday Times editor and BBC chief political presenter, and currently a commentator on Channel 4 UK and Times Radio
Michael Stutchbury, Executive Director, Centre for Independent Studies (moderator)
