If you've been putting off your association's AI conversation, this is your sign to stop waiting.

In AuSAE's most recent Open Access Webinar, Brenda Mainland from Survey Matters unpacked what the latest Australian research really tells us about AI's impact on the workforce, and made a compelling case for why associations, not training providers, are best placed to guide members through this transition.

Here's what every association professional needs to know.

Toni Brearley, CEO at AuSAE said " AI, Professional Change and the Role of Associations isn't just the title of a webinar, it's the conversation every association needs to be having right now. Our members are already using AI at work, often without any guidance from the organisations they trust most. The associations that step up now, with real evidence, profession-specific guidance and updated standards, are the ones that will still matter to their members in five years' time.”

AI Is a Workforce Issue Before It's a Technology Issue

The headline message of the session was simple but important: AI is not a technology issue. It's a workforce issue. It's becoming a professional standards issue, and ultimately an association issue.

That reframe matters. Too many associations are still treating AI as an IT project or a one-off webinar topic, when the real disruption is happening in how members do their jobs, how competence is defined, and how professional standards need to evolve.

What the National Research Actually Shows

Brenda walked through several major Australian studies, and the findings challenge some common assumptions:

AI augments more than it replaces. Drawing on Jobs and Skills Australia research, only around 4% of Australian workers sit in occupations with high automation exposure. About half the workforce sits in low-automation, medium-augmentation roles, meaning the story for most professions is changing tasks, not disappearing jobs.

A two-track labour market is emerging. PwC's 2026 Global AI Jobs Barometer, which analysed more than a billion job ads across six continents, found "professionalised" roles combining AI with human judgement are growing twice as fast, with 42% faster wage growth, than roles simplified by AI. AI-skilled workers now command an average wage premium of 62%, up from 57% the year before, and importantly, this premium isn't going to "tech experts”, it’s going to professionals who use AI to do their existing job better

Firms that adopt AI hire more, not less. CSIRO research found Australian organisations that adopted AI posted 36% more non-AI job advertisements than comparable firms that didn't. Demand for AI-exposed roles held steady in AI-adopting organisations but declined in organisation that weren't adopting AI, meaning members at non-adopting organisations and small businesses may be quietly falling behind.

There's a critical judgment gap. Perhaps the most striking finding: workers are twice as likely to have advanced technical AI skills than advanced judgment and evaluation skills. In other words, people can prompt AI, but many can't reliably assess whether the output is any good. For professions built on judgment, ethics and quality assurance, this is precisely where associations should be focused.

Shadow AI is everywhere. The same Deloitte/RMIT research found nearly half of Australian workers (49%) are self-teaching AI through trial and error, with no guidance, standards or risk awareness. Only 48% receive any AI training from their employer, and 54% remain at beginner skill level despite 84% of workers using AI daily.

Why Associations Are Uniquely Positioned to Respond

This is where the session shifted from "here's the problem" to "here's the opportunity." Brenda was clear that no one else occupies the position associations do:

• A mandate to protect the interests of the profession and its members
• An industry-wide view across all career stages
• Existing relationships with government, regulators and education bodies
• Established trust as a source of industry-specific education
• Members who already look to the association to interpret change on their behalf

No government body is producing profession-specific AI guidance. No generic training provider understands the nuance of your profession's ethical obligations or quality standards. That gap is exactly where associations can, and should, step in.

From Generic Webinars to Structured Strategy

One of the more practical parts of the session contrasted how most associations are currently approaching AI with where the real opportunity lies:

Typical approaches today tend to involve ad-hoc webinars on trending topics, generic AI training that isn't profession-specific, little or no measurement of member capability, and professional development built on assumptions rather than evidence.

The opportunity is to develop profession-specific AI capability, update competency frameworks and professional standards, use member data to target learning and support, strengthen advocacy with real workforce evidence, and position the association as the trusted guide through the AI transition.

The through-line: generic "intro to AI" content is now commoditised and easy to find elsewhere. The value associations can uniquely offer is profession-specific application, guidance and standards.

What Our Webinar Audience Told Us

The live polls gave a useful snapshot of where the sector sits right now:

Has your association undertaken a risk assessment on the impact of AI on your members' work? Only 4% had already completed one, and 22% had one underway. A combined 36% said no, and a further 26% said it's an active conversation with the Executive or Board but nothing formal yet. Notably, 12% simply didn't know.

What's your association's biggest challenge in building or assessing AI capability across your membership? "Understanding how AI is affecting the profession" topped the list at 27%, followed by "finding the time, budget and resources" (23%), "knowing where to start" (20%), "identifying capability and skills gaps" (19%), and "developing profession-specific education" (12%). Tellingly, 0% said AI wasn't relevant to their organisation.

The takeaway from the polls is clear: most associations know this matters, but very few have moved from conversation to structured action, and the biggest barrier isn't motivation, it's not knowing where to start.

Introducing a Practical Starting Point: The AI Skills Readiness Index

To help associations move from "we should probably look at this" to a concrete plan, Survey Matters introduced its AI Skills Readiness Index (ASRI), an assessment tool built specifically for professional and industry associations, measured across four dimensions:

1. Current AI Exposure - engagement, usage, barriers, and profession-specific task effectiveness
2. Skills Competency - profession-specific skills readiness, gaps and needs
3. Employer Support - leadership support, learning infrastructure, and regulatory/ethical frameworks
4. Future Requirements - the future role of associations, emerging needs, and learning preferences
   

The output isn't just a score, it includes member skills data, strategic intelligence for board reporting and government advocacy, strategic planning reports for professional development, and custom analytics tailored to the association's own questions.

In a real-world case study shared during the session, the Australian Compliance Institute ran the ASRI in 2026 and recorded an overall score of 35.6 out of 100, with 69% of members sitting below "Proficient" and just 6% rated advanced. The results delivered as both a board briefing and a member report, gave the association a concrete evidence base to prioritise its professional development and AI guidance, rather than guessing at what members needed.

The Bottom Line for Associations

AI is reshaping how competence is defined, how career pathways develop, and what members need from their professional body. The associations that treat this as a passing CPD topic risk falling behind; those that use it as an opportunity to demonstrate leadership, protect professional standards, and guide members through disruption will strengthen retention, relevance and trust.

As Brenda put it during the session: associations don't need to become AI experts. They need to become experts in what AI means for the profession they represent.

The question every association board should be asking right now isn't whether AI will affect their profession, it's whether their members will be ready when it does.

If you'd like to revisit the session or share it with a colleague, you can now watch the full recording here. We hope you find it valuable and that it provides practical insights to support your association.

Want to explore an AI Skills Readiness Assessment for your association? Contact Rebecca Sullivan at Survey Matters: rsullivan@surveymatters.com.au or 03 9452 0101.

There's a reason CANEGROWERS has lasted a century: it was built on an idea that just makes sense. One farmer negotiating alone with a mill doesn't have a lot of leverage. Over 3,000 farming families speaking with one voice? That's a different story entirely.

That's the principle the organisation was founded on back in 1926 — growers needed to stand together if they were going to get a fair voice in an industry that shaped their livelihoods and their communities. A hundred years on, the mission hasn't really changed: lead a strong, profitable and innovative sugarcane industry, and back growers and their communities with passion, professionalism, and a unifying voice.

A Grassroots Model That Actually Works

What makes CANEGROWERS different isn't just that it advocates for growers, it's how it does it. The structure starts on the ground, in local districts, where growers are dealing with the day-to-day realities of running a farm. Whatever's affecting them there gets carried up through a grower-led representative system to state, national, and where it's needed, international forums. It's a model that connects real farming experience with commercial negotiation, public policy and market advocacy, all in one chain.

Over the past 100 years, that chain has carried growers through enormous change. From the shift away from hand-cut cane to mechanised farming, to the rollout of major infrastructure like bulk sugar terminals, to cycles of regulation and deregulation, to shifting milling and marketing arrangements, and now to a world where sustainability, traceability and market access matter more than ever, CANEGROWERS has been in the room for all of it, making sure growers weren't just along for the ride but actually shaping where the industry went next.

The wins span every level, from local cane supply negotiations with individual mills right up to state and national reform. Grower choice in sugar marketing. The Sugar Industry Code of Conduct. Contributions to free trade and market access advocacy. The Smartcane BMP program, which has helped build the industry's sustainability credentials from the ground up. And the organisation isn't done, it's already pushing for what comes next, with an eye on biofuels, renewable energy, sustainable products and trusted supply chains.

It isn't one campaign or one headline moment that defines CANEGROWERS. It's 100 years of practical, grower-led representation that's helped Queensland cane growers adapt, compete, and keep a meaningful voice in the decisions that shape their future.

Why This Actually Matters for Growers and Their Communities

Here's the thing about sugarcane that makes representation so important: it's not a flexible commodity. Cane has to be processed fast after harvest, which means growers are tied to their local mill, there's no driving the crop somewhere else if the deal isn't fair. That structural imbalance is exactly what CANEGROWERS was built to address, giving growers a genuine collective voice in mill negotiations, marketing arrangements, and the policy decisions that shape the whole supply chain.

That work has translated into fairer cane supply agreements, stronger recognition of grower rights, and real protections like marketing choice. It's also meant that when governments are weighing up laws, regulations, trade settings, disaster recovery measures, environmental policy or regional development priorities, the people who grow the cane have had a seat at the table.

On the ground, the impact shows up just as clearly. Through services, advocacy and programs like Smartcane BMP, growers have had support adapting to changing production systems, improving their practices, meeting shifting customer expectations, and demonstrating the sustainability credentials of Queensland sugarcane.

And it doesn't stop at the farm gate. A profitable cane industry supports harvesting groups, transport operators, contractors, local businesses, port and terminal infrastructure, regional jobs and community life right across Queensland's cane-growing districts. Strengthen the growers, and you strengthen everything built around them.

After a hundred years, you can see that impact in something simple but significant: the continued presence of family farming businesses, the resilience of cane-growing regions, and an industry that remains a major contributor to Queensland agriculture and Australia's export economy.

In Their Own Words

CANEGROWERS Chairman Owen Menkens put it simply:

"CANEGROWERS was built on a simple but powerful idea – that growers are stronger when they stand together. A century later, that principle continues to guide everything we do, from negotiating fair outcomes at the local mill level to advocating for the future of our industry in national and international markets."

What's Next

A hundred years is worth celebrating, and CANEGROWERS is using its centenary year to do exactly that, sharing grower stories, recognising the leaders and emerging contributors who've shaped the industry, holding regional celebrations, and using the milestone to strengthen connections between members, districts, industry partners, government and the wider community.

But the focus isn't just on looking back. Beyond the centenary program, the priority is building the conditions growers need to succeed for the next hundred years. That means protecting fair market arrangements, advocating through the current Sugar Industry Code of Conduct review, supporting trade and market access opportunities, strengthening Smartcane BMP and sustainability recognition, improving disaster and biosecurity resilience, and pursuing new ground in biofuels, renewable energy, sustainable products and traceable supply chains.

The next century will bring different pressures and different opportunities. What won't change is CANEGROWERS' role, representing growers, supporting strong regional communities, and helping secure a profitable, resilient and innovative sugarcane industry.

The Bigger Lesson Here

You don't have to grow sugarcane to learn something from this story. Whatever sector your association serves, the playbook is the same one CANEGROWERS has run for 100 years: listen to what's happening on the ground, carry it through to the people who can act on it, and keep showing up for members long after the founding meeting is over. Longevity isn't an accident, it’s what happens when an association keeps proving, year after year, that members are better off together than they'd ever be alone. That's a milestone worth aiming for, no matter what industry you represent.

Read the full story www.canegrowers.com.au/cane-to-coast/100

Bringing real-time event intelligence to ACE 2026 and AuSAE's wider events program

[Brisbane, 25 June] — AuSAE, the peak professional body for association and not-for-profit leaders across Australia and New Zealand, today announced a new partnership with Snapsight, the event content intelligence platform trusted by global events to turn live sessions into instant, actionable insight. Snapsight will be deployed across AuSAE's ACE 2026 conference and broader events program.

The partnership builds on a successful collaboration at ACE 2025, where AuSAE engaged Snapsight to deliver real-time session takeaways to delegates throughout the conference, giving attendees instant summaries of key insights as sessions wrapped, without waiting on manual notes or post-event recaps. Following that success, AuSAE will again deploy Snapsight at ACE 2026, and will extend the platform across its broader calendar of in-person and online events going forward. This will create greater member value by turning every event, large or small, in the room or online, into a lasting resource, giving members and association professionals across Australia and New Zealand more ways to learn, revisit key insights, and apply them long after an event ends.

Snapsight's platform combines real-time transcription, live translation, and cross-session event intelligence in a single system built for the pace and scale of global events. For AuSAE members and delegates, that means takeaways that land while a session is still fresh, searchable insights across an event's full program, and a clearer picture of how individual sessions connect to broader themes, whether they're in the room at ACE or joining an online event from anywhere in Australia or New Zealand.

"Our members come to ACE to learn from each other and walk away with ideas they can put into action straight away," said Toni Brearley CAE, CEO of AuSAE. "Snapsight has changed how quickly we can get that value into delegates' hands. At ACE 2025, the ability to deliver real-time takeaways meant people could fully immerse themselves in the sessions know they would be leaving with the key insights captured. We're excited to build on that for ACE 2026, and to bring this same capability across our in-person and online events more broadly. It means every event becomes a resource our members can come back to, giving association professionals throughout Australia and New Zealand more value and more ways to keep learning, well beyond the day itself."

"Associations run some of the sharpest, densest event programs in the world, and they care deeply about what members walk away with," said Vamshi Velmajala, CEO and Co-Founder of Snapsight. "AuSAE showed at ACE 2025 that real-time intelligence is how you make a packed agenda actually stick. We built Snapsight to turn every session into something people can use, and we are proud to be setting that standard for associations across Australia and New Zealand."

The partnership reflects a broader shift in the events industry toward real-time, AI-powered content delivery, helping AuSAE turn its full calendar of in-person and online events into a growing library of resources, and giving members and association professionals across Australia and New Zealand more ways to get value out of the time they invest in attending.

About AuSAE

AuSAE is the driving force of Australia and New Zealand’s dynamic and impactful association sector. As the one true association for associations – by members, for members – AuSAE represents over 500 for-purpose organisations across 5 major industry segments. It exists to strengthen the people, organisations, and collective voice that underpin industries, professions, and communities.

Through its flagship ACE Conference and Exhibition, along with year-round education, networking, and professional development programs, AuSAE equips association professionals with the tools, knowledge, and networks they need to drive their organisations forward.

About Snapsight

Snapsight is the event content intelligence platform that turns live sessions into instant, usable insight. Used at many of the world's largest conferences and trusted by global brands including Reuters Events, IBM, Siemens, and AICPA & CIMA, Snapsight captures, translates, and makes sense of what is said on stage in real time, across more than 75 languages. The platform gives organisers and attendees instant session takeaways, live translation, and searchable intelligence across an entire event, so the value of a session never ends when the session does. Snapsight works with leading associations, media companies, and event organisers worldwide, and is expanding across Australia and New Zealand through partnerships such as AuSAE. SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certified. Learn more at snapsight.com.

The ACCC has released its 2026–27 Compliance and Enforcement Priorities, and while much of the attention has focused on supermarkets, telecommunications and digital platforms, there is a broader message that association leaders should not overlook.

Reading the report as a whole, the ACCC appears to be moving beyond a traditional focus on large corporations and market dominance and placing greater emphasis on fairness, transparency and power imbalances in commercial relationships. For associations, that shift is significant.

Most associations are not dealing with cartel conduct or competition investigations. However, they do enter into contracts, market products and services, communicate with members, manage events and work closely with sponsors and suppliers. These are precisely the areas where expectations around transparency, accountability and fair dealing continue to evolve.

Here are five areas association CEOs should be paying attention to.

1. Unfair Contract Terms

One of the ACCC’s key priorities continues to be unfair contract terms, particularly those involving automatic renewals, cancellation restrictions and termination fees.

For associations, this should prompt a review of membership agreements, event registrations, sponsorship contracts, exhibition agreements and professional development programs. While many of these arrangements have existed for years, the regulatory environment has changed. Terms that appear routine may now warrant a closer look to ensure they remain balanced, transparent and easy to understand.

A useful question to ask is: would a reasonable member, sponsor or supplier consider these terms fair?

2. Environmental and Sustainability Claims

Greenwashing remains firmly on the ACCC’s agenda.

Associations are increasingly promoting sustainability initiatives, carbon-conscious events, ESG programs and environmental commitments. These can be valuable and important activities, but any public claims should be supported by evidence and clearly communicated.

As expectations around sustainability continue to grow, so too does the importance of ensuring that organisational claims are accurate, measurable and credible.

3. Pricing Transparency

Misleading pricing practices continue to attract regulatory attention.

For associations, this may apply to early-bird pricing, member discounts, bundled sponsorship packages, training programs and conference registrations.

Members and customers should be able to clearly understand what they are paying, what savings are being offered and how those savings have been calculated. Transparent pricing not only supports good governance but also strengthens trust and confidence.

4. Small Business Relationships

The ACCC continues to place strong emphasis on protecting small businesses.

This is particularly relevant because many association stakeholders fall into that category. Consultants, trainers, exhibitors, event suppliers and small organisational members often have different resources and bargaining power than larger organisations.

Association leaders should consider whether their policies, contracts and commercial practices support productive, fair and sustainable relationships across their stakeholder community.

5. Governance and Organisational Influence

Perhaps the most important takeaway is that associations are influential institutions within their sectors.

The ACCC has made clear that it prioritises matters that have broad market impact, affect large numbers of people or help clarify expectations across an industry. Associations often play a leadership role by setting standards, shaping behaviour and influencing professional practice.

As a result, compliance should be viewed as a core governance responsibility. Clear contracts, transparent pricing, evidence-based claims and fair dealing practices all contribute to stronger organisations and greater trust among members, partners and stakeholders.

The Bigger Picture

The ACCC’s latest priorities are about more than enforcement. They reflect broader expectations around how organisations engage with their customers, members, suppliers and communities.

For association leaders, the report is a timely reminder that governance, transparency and trust are increasingly interconnected. Organisations that embed these principles into their operations will be better positioned to strengthen member confidence, build stronger partnerships and maintain their credibility in an increasingly scrutinised environment.

For more information, visit www.accc.gov.au

Three years on from opening on 31 May 2023, Tākina Convention & Exhibition Centre has welcomed more than 300,000 visitors to its eight exhibitions and hosted 119,758 event delegates across 306 business events—generating over $120 million in economic impact to Wellington’s economy.

The venue stands as a vibrant hub of connection, creativity and economic growth, bringing together communities, industries and ideas from across Aotearoa and beyond.

“Tākina was created as a place to bring people together, and three years on, that vision is alive in every event, every exhibition and every connection made here,” says Mark Oldershaw, CE at WellingtonNZ.

“The venue has quickly proved its value, generating more than $120 million in economic benefit to Wellington in just three years.”

Mayor Andrew Little adds: “Tākina is an important asset for Wellington, drawing high-value visitors to the capital and driving further spending in our hospitality, accommodation and tourism sectors.”

Purpose-built to host larger conferences than previously possible in the capital, Tākina has strengthened Wellington’s position as a premier destination for business events. Over the past three years, Tākina has been the backdrop for globally significant conferences and conversations, highlighting its role in creating meaningful and long-term impact.

The 21st WONCA World Rural Health Conference brought leaders together to develop the Aotearoa New Zealand Declaration on Rural Health 2026, now endorsed by the Ministry of Health and helping strengthen rural health systems nationwide.

Similarly, the 30th ICDE World Conference led to the Tākina Accord and an ongoing Education Policy Forum, influencing national dialogue around equitable access to tertiary education.

Beyond conferences, Tākina’s varied exhibition programme has drawn hundreds of thousands through its doors. Visitors have explored immersive experiences including Jurassic World by Brickman, Marvel: Earth’s Mightiest Exhibition, Doctor Who: Worlds of Wonder and Disney: The Magic of Animation, alongside thought-provoking exhibitions such as The Art of Banksy and The World Press Photo Exhibition 2025.

More recent highlights, including Michelangelo: A Different View and the recently-announced upcoming LEGO® Star Wars™: The Exhibition, position Tākina as a must-visit destination for both locals and out-of-region visitors.

At street level, the venue has become a destination in its own right, with Zephyr Café building a reputation for its welcoming atmosphere and exceptional food. It is also home to the i-SITE visitor information centre, a key tourism asset that encourages exploration of the region and connects visitors with local tourism operators.

Tākina Events’ commitment to exceptional visitor experience—rooted in manaakitanga (hospitality, kindness & respect)—is reflected in its performance, with its Net Promoter Score rising from +56 to +83 in the past year. Tākina’s performance continues to improve across both the conference and exhibition areas and is on track to be $600k - $700k favourable to budget by year end.

Andrew Dorrington, General Manager Venues, Tākina Events, says: "Three years ago we opened the doors with high ambitions for what Tākina could be. What we've built since then, a team deeply committed to manaakitanga, exceptional hospitality, and genuine care for every client, continues to define the Tākina experience."

Sustainability and design excellence remain central to Tākina’s success. The venue is a 5-star Green Star rated building and Qualmark Gold certified, with initiatives such as rainwater harvesting and food rescue reducing its environmental footprint. Architecturally, it has also gained international recognition, finishing runner-up in the World-Architects Building of the Year. Strong relationships with mana whenua, including Te Āti Awa, have also shaped the identity of the venue.

“As we celebrate this milestone, we’re proud of what Tākina has become and excited about the role it will continue to play in Wellington’s future,” says Mark.

“Every event held here creates ripple effects across the city, driving spend, supporting jobs and strengthening our communities.”

Tākina by the numbers – the first three years:

• 119,758 business event delegates
• 300,000+ exhibition attendees
• 1,000,000 pastries devoured
• 5,400kg of beef fillet cooked to perfection
• 7,800 portions of food donated through our partnership with Kaibosh Food Rescue
• 3,000,000 litres of water supplemented through on-site rainwater harvesting

ENDS

For more information, contact:
Charlotte Wilson
WellingtonNZ Communications and Media Manager
charlotte.wilson@wellingtonnz.com +642904559867

About WellingtonNZ
WellingtonNZ’s purpose is to make the Wellington region thrive as a place to live, visit, study, work, do business, and invest.

The organisation’s mission is to create a thriving region for all; with more businesses succeeding and employing more people, more people participating in and attending events and experiences, and supporting more collaboration and engagement across the region.

Through Wellington storytelling, WellingtonNZ brings Wellington to the world and in turn, brings the world to Wellington. WellingtonNZ supports businesses to build capability, attracting, hosting and investing in events, running civic venues, marketing and storytelling, and destination development.

The organisation receives funding from Wellington City Council, the Greater Wellington Regional Council, Central Government, and a range of private sector partners. www.wellingtonnz.com

About Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre
Located in the heart of Wellington’s cultural precinct, Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre spans three floors and 18,000 square metres. The venue delivers more than 10,000 square metres of flexible conference and exhibition space, including 13 versatile meeting spaces, a main plenary hall accommodating up to 1,600 people, and exhibition space spanning up to 2,500 square metres. Tākina is the first convention centre in New Zealand to achieve a 5-Star Green Star certification and holds Gold Qualmark accreditation. Owned by Wellington City Council, Tākina is managed by Te Papa through Tākina Events.

About Tākina Events
Tākina Events manages two of Wellington’s most iconic waterfront venues: Te Papa Tongarewa and Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre. The business provides end-to-end events management support across 29 spaces at both locations. Tākina Events was established following a Management Agreement between the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and Wellington City Council, under which Te Papa became the manager of venue spaces and event services.

Communication takes more effort.
Projects require more follow-up.
Leadership carries increasing operational detail.
Teams become more reactive than intentional.

Interestingly, this pressure rarely arrives all at once.

It builds quietly.

A delayed response here.
A missed update there.
A project timeline that slowly loses visibility.
Small operational gaps that individually seem manageable, but collectively begin creating friction across teams and stakeholders.

And over time, that friction changes the experience of the organisation itself.

Not necessarily because people are incapable.
Not necessarily because strategy is lacking.
But because operational complexity has outgrown the systems and coordination structures supporting it.

This is something we’re seeing more frequently across organisations, associations and project environments.

Modern operational environments are becoming increasingly layered:

• more stakeholders

• more communication channels

• more reporting expectations

• more moving parts across projects and teams

Complexity itself is not the issue.

But complexity without coordination becomes exhausting very quickly.

One of the most important operational conversations organisations can have is not:
“How do we push harder?”

But:
“How do we create clearer operational flow as complexity increases?”

Because sustainable delivery relies on more than effort.

It relies on:

• communication clarity

• coordination visibility

• structured workflows

• operational consistency

• leadership capacity being protected

This is where strong operational support becomes increasingly valuable.

Not simply as task management.
But as part of creating smoother organisational movement behind the scenes.

Projects move more effectively when communication is clear.
Stakeholders remain engaged when follow-through is structured.
Leadership gains greater strategic space when operational coordination is supported properly.

Operational structure may not always be the most visible part of organisational success.

But increasingly, it is becoming one of the most important.

As we move further into the year, many organisations are beginning to feel the weight of growing operational complexity. Sometimes the biggest shift doesn’t come from working harder, but from creating clearer systems, stronger communication flow and more supported leadership capacity.

If your organisation could benefit from additional operational support behind the scenes, we’d love to have a conversation.

You can also explore more operational insights and business resources on our blog.

— The Administration Agency

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On behalf of the AuSAE Board, we extend our sincere thanks to everyone who attended this year's Annual General Meeting. We take this opportunity to acknowledge those departing and welcome new Directors.

Outgoing board members

We would particularly like to acknowledge the significant contribution and influence of John Winter CAE during his time as President, together with the dedication and service of our outgoing Board members Debra Cerasa, Craig Young CAE, Kirsty Kelly and Robin Shepherd CAE. Their collective leadership has placed AuSAE in a strong position for the future, and we are grateful for everything they have contributed.

We would also like to warmly welcome our new Directors:

• Andrew Hiebl CAE, Head of Partnerships & Growth, Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Dr Kate More, CEO, Australian Dental Association
• Michelle Rose CAE, CEO, Association of Rotational Moulders Australasia
• Caroline Wilkie, CEO, Australasian Railway Association
• Rebecca Clarke, New Zealand Manager & Member Experience Manager at RCSA Australia and New Zealand
  

• David Jenkins, CEO, IPWEA Australasia (President)
• Matt Connor CAE, Head of Communications & Corporate Services
• Vicki Mayo, CEO, Local Government Professionals NSW
• Nick Pilavidis CAE, CEO Australian Institute of Credit Management (Vice President)

New executive leadership

At the Directors' meeting following the AGM, David Jenkins was elected as AuSAE President, and Nick Pilavidis CAE was appointed Vice President. Together with the full Board, they look forward to leading AuSAE through its next chapter and continuing to build on the organisation's momentum and strategic direction.

We sincerely thank all members for their ongoing support of AuSAE and the important work the organisation undertakes across Australia and New Zealand.

We look forward to seeing many of you at the upcoming ACE Conference in Brisbane, 26–28 August. Register for ACE Conference

David Jenkins
President, AuSAE
CEO, IPWEA Australasia

Marking Sixty Years and Building the Next Chapter

There's a particular kind of night in association life where something shifts. The agenda gets set, the dinner gets eaten, the awards get handed out — and then, somewhere between the entrée and the speeches, you realise the room is doing something you didn't quite plan for. People are just... talking. Really talking. Not networking. Talking.

That's what happened when the Caravan Parks Association of Queensland (CPAQ) celebrated sixty years at their annual Awards Dinner held as part of the CPAQ Conference — representing generations of hard-working people who built something that now plays a real role in the state's tourism and housing solutions, regional economies and communities.

But the goal wasn't just to celebrate a number. It was to bring the industry together, recognise the people who shaped it, and help members, long-standing and new alike, feel genuinely proud to be part of it. For association professionals, that distinction matters. Milestone events can easily become self-congratulatory. This one was designed to do something more useful.

Bringing the history to life

Before the night got going properly, people were just standing around reading. History panels around the room charted sixty years of Queensland's caravan and residential parks — the moments, the people, the turning points. Nothing fancy. Just the story.

What caught people wasn't the big milestones. It was the small details. What a powered site cost in the 1960s compared to today. The names behind decisions most members had never heard of. The fact that this industry, which now plays a real role in Queensland's tourism and regional economies, started with a handful of people in a room not unlike this one, trying to work out how to support each other.

Members who'd been in the industry for decades found themselves explaining things to people who'd joined in the last few years. Newer members asked questions the older ones hadn't thought about in years. That kind of conversation doesn't happen by accident. The panels created it, and it's a useful reminder that well-designed content at events can do more work than a speaker ever could.

Every attendee received a commemorative lapel pin, a small but tangible symbol of pride and connection to take home.

Recognising the people who made it possible

Life members, past board members and long-serving contributors were formally recognised on the night. But one of the most meaningful moments came from a recognition that doesn't usually make it onto a program.

The "Unsung Contributors" acknowledgement recognised the wives, and in one case, the husband, of past board members who kept businesses running at home while their partners gave their time to advancing the industry. It was one of the most powerful moments of the evening, because it extended recognition beyond formal office holders to the people behind the scenes who made everything possible. For associations thinking about how to make recognition land, this is worth noting, specificity and unexpectedness matter far more than ceremony.

A 60th anniversary video celebrated where CPAQ has come from and looked ahead to the future at the beginning of the night. A closing "rolling credits" video recognised every life member, President and Chair, Vice President, Treasurer, State Management Committee member and board member across the Association's entire history.

Looking ahead together — time capsules and postcards

Two things happened during the night that are easy to underestimate.

A time capsule was unveiled, to be sealed on the anniversary of CPAQ's first board meeting in September. And a "Postcards to the Future" display gave attendees writing prompts: what do you hope the industry is known for in 15 years? What lessons would you share? What advice do you have for the industry?

People wrote things. Real things. The kind of things that don't usually make it into an AGM or a policy submission. And they read what others had written, which turned into more conversation.

There's something about being asked to contribute to the future, rather than just celebrate the past, that changes the feeling in a room. It stops being a retrospective and starts being something else. For associations, that shift is worth designing for deliberately.

What the night delivered

The impact was felt across the room, but in different ways depending on who you asked.

For long-standing members, life members and past leaders, it was an opportunity to feel genuinely recognised and valued for their contribution to the Association and the wider industry. For newer members and first-time attendees, it provided a clear sense of belonging, a real picture of the community they had joined, the history behind it, and the values that have always driven it.

The pride in the room was clear, not only among life members and long-term parkies, but also among younger members and first-time attendees. The event generated strong goodwill, with newer members leaving having experienced CPAQ not just as a membership body, but as a community where their contribution matters. That's the retention outcome most associations are chasing, and it came from getting the experience right, not from a discount or a benefit.

As Lee Mikiken from Hygiene Systems, an award sponsor on the night, said: "Thank you for having me, it truly was an outstanding evening. The energy in the room, the pride across your industry, and the way CPAQ brought everyone together made it a memorable celebration of your 60-year milestone."

Guests Lynne and Barry Neck added: "Thank you Michelle for organising an excellent night. It was awesome to catch up with our caravan industry old friends. The night was perfectly organised, and you should be very proud of the amazing night."

A lesson learned and taken in good humour

Not everything went perfectly, and CPAQ has been straightforward about that. In the history panels, one life member was accidentally featured twice, earning him the unofficial title of "super life member" on the night. It was taken in good humour, but a genuine reminder: when history is on display and the people in the room lived it, accuracy matters. Members know the details well and will quickly pick up errors. Check the historical content twice. Then check it again.

One of the biggest surprises of the night was how strongly members engaged with the history elements, including newer and younger members, who showed genuine interest in understanding the story they are now part of. The most important insight overall was the amount of goodwill generated with newer members. Based on their feedback, the event strengthened their relationship with the Association and reinforced the value of belonging to a strong industry community.

What comes next

The 60th anniversary celebration has become a launchpad for new initiatives focused on connection, recognition and knowledge sharing, turning a milestone moment into an ongoing program rather than a one-off event. That's the real measure of a successful milestone: not how good the night was, but what it made possible.

A new Pioneers of Industry Award will celebrate the stalwarts of Queensland's caravan and residential parks industry, profiling experienced contributors so newer members can learn from their knowledge, stories and practical experience.

An Association MVP: Most Valued Parkie program will recognise members who generously share their knowledge, support their peers and contribute to the wider park community. CPAQ hopes to identify 12 MVPs this year, using their stories to encourage a stronger culture of peer support and practical knowledge sharing across the membership.

CPAQ is also exploring an annual dinner to be held the night before conference each year, a relaxed setting to bring together current members, past members and industry contributors in a way that reflects the "parkie family" culture. Past members would be encouraged to attend and offered discounted conference tickets to support informal mentoring and knowledge sharing with newer members.

The content created for the celebration, the history panels, videos, stories and reflections, will continue to be used throughout the year as the basis for an ongoing communications series, sharing key historical moments, profiling important people and capturing the stories that have shaped the Association and the industry.

Sixty years in, and the room still had something to prove. It turns out, when done well, association milestones are not just about looking back. They build pride, deepen member connection, strengthen retention and create a genuine platform for what comes next.

Choosing an AMS or CRM is one of those decisions that quietly shapes almost everything an association does, from member engagement to internal efficiency, and even how teams feel about their day-to-day work.

AuSAE’s Demo Day brought that reality into focus, showcasing seven platforms alongside practical, grounded insights into what actually matters when making this kind of decision.

The day was built around structure and clarity - short, focused education followed by live vendor demonstrations that showed how systems work in real environments.

The day opened with Toni Brearley from AuSAE, before Nicki Hauser set the tone with her session, How to choose an AMS (or CRM) for your Association. Instead of focusing on features or trends, she went straight to the heart of the challenge: what really determines success or failure - implementation, adoption, and whether the system genuinely fits how an association works day to day.

The point where most associations start

Nicki made a simple but accurate observation: most organisations don’t begin with “we need new software.”

They start with friction. Systems that don’t talk to each other. Manual workarounds that have quietly become part of daily operations. Reporting that takes too long. Member experiences that feel disconnected.

And from there, the decision-making journey usually follows a familiar path:

Frustration → exploration → shortlisting → decision → implementation → adoption.

The important reminder wasn’t the framework itself; it was the honesty behind it. Most organisations spend their energy on choosing a system, while the real challenge sits firmly in what comes after.

AMS vs CRM — and why the distinction still matters

One of the clearest parts of the session was simply unpacking language that often gets blurred.

An AMS (Association Management System) is typically the operational backbone for many organisations; membership management, events, CPD tracking, finance integration, communications, and communities.

A CRM (Customer Relationship Management system), on the other hand, is more focused on relationship tracking, workflow automation, segmentation, and reporting depth.

Nicki pointed out that most modern platforms sit somewhere in between. The question isn’t “which category is better,” but “what does your organisation actually need to run well, and what will your team actually use?”

Size changes everything

A strong theme throughout was that there is no universal “best system.” It’s about organisational maturity and complexity.

• Smaller associations often benefit from simpler, integrated, all-in-one systems that reduce complexity and keep teams moving.
• Mid-sized associations start needing more flexibility and integration capability, systems that can connect without becoming overly fragmented.
• Larger associations tend to require highly configurable platforms that can support complex workflows, multiple member segments, and deeper reporting structures.

The message was straightforward: context matters more than features.

Implementation is where projects are won or lost

If there was a moment where the room seemed to collectively nod, it was implementation readiness.

Nicki was clear. Successful implementation doesn’t start with the vendor. It starts internally.

Before anything goes live, organisations need to be honest about:

• Whether their data is clean
• Whether their processes are documented or still sitting in people’s heads
• Whether the internal team has capacity (not just enthusiasm)
• Whether change management is planned or assumed

And then there’s budget.

A reminder to allow at least 20% contingency. Not as a “nice to have,” but because implementation rarely follows a straight line.

It’s never just the license fee

Another practical point that resonated was total cost of ownership.

The real cost of a system stretches well beyond licensing and implementation. It includes:

• Internal staff time
• Data cleansing (almost always underestimated)
• Training and adoption effort
• Ongoing enhancements after go-live

And that last one matters. The first implementation is never the finished version. It’s the starting point.

Evaluating platforms properly (not just ticking boxes)

The evaluation framework brought structure to what can otherwise become an overwhelming process. Nicki encouraged organisations to look across six dimensions, not just price and features:

• Business fit
• Technical fit
• User experience
• Total cost of ownership
• Future-proofing
• Partnership quality

One of the more honest observations was that user experience and vendor partnership are often underweighted, even though they tend to have the biggest impact once the system is in daily use.

Demos from the day

The real value of Demo Day came through in seeing platforms side by side, responding to similar challenges in different ways.

If you missed it or would like to rewatch, here are the sessions from the day:

• Opening presentation – Nicki Hauser - Watch here
• iMIS - Watch demo
• Causeis Launchpad - Watch demo
• Membes - Watch demo
• Glue Up - Watch demo
• Wave CRM -  Watch demo
• Higher Logic -  Watch demo
• Zentso - Watch demo

More useful resources and information, can be found here: ausae.org.au/demo-day

What stays with you after a day like this

The most consistent message across the day wasn’t about any single platform. It was this: no system solves arrives fully formed. Not on day one, and not even close.

The associations that get the most value are the ones that treat their AMS or CRM as something that evolves. They involve their teams early. They prioritise usability over feature lists. They accept that improvement doesn’t stop at go-live.

And they stay realistic about the fact that the “perfect system” doesn’t exist.

What does exist is a system people use, staff can rely on, and your organisation is willing to keep improving over time. That’s where the real value shows up.

For more resources from Demo Day, visit ausae.org.au/demo-day

With thanks to our vendors

A big thank you to all the vendors who took part in AuSAE’s Demo Day and shared their platforms openly with the community:

iMIS, Causeis Launchpad, Membes, Glue Up, Wave CRM, Higher Logic, and Zentso.

Your openness and willingness to demonstrate your systems in a real-world setting is what makes this kind of day so valuable for associations.

We’ve been holding onto this announcement for a little while — Julius Solaris is coming to Brisbane to open ACE 2026 – AuSAE’s Conference & Exhibition.

If you work in events, marketing, associations, or member engagement, chances are you’ve come across his work already. Julius has been one of the most influential voices shaping the global events industry for years — recognised by BizBash as the most influential person in events over the past 25 years, and inducted into the Event Industry Council Hall of Leaders in 2024. He’s known for challenging assumptions, cutting through trends, and pushing the sector to think differently about what events are really for.

This will be his first appearance in Australia.

He’ll open ACE 2026 on Wednesday 26 August with a standalone keynote, before joining delegates at the ACE 2026 Welcome Reception that evening. It sets the tone for what ACE is really about — not just a program of sessions, but a shared starting point for the conversations, ideas, and collaborations that follow.

ACE 2026 is on 26–28 August at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, and this year's theme - Driving Impact - sits at the heart of why association professionals do what they do.

Every decision you make, every program you deliver, every member you support all contributes to something bigger. And this year, we're putting that front and centre: what it means to lead with purpose, focus on what matters, and create genuine, measurable impact for the industries and communities your association serves.

In a sector that rarely slows down, ACE is designed to create something different; space to step back, reflect, and reconnect with the bigger picture. Not just what’s happening now, but what needs to change next.

Registrations are now open.

You can register for the full ACE 2026 conference experience, or choose to attend the Special Event: Industry Conversation with Julius Solaris as a standalone session. Register and explore more here: ausae.org.au/ace

We hope to see you there.