PROGRAM

IN CONVERSATION
ONLINE AND HYBRID • INTERNATIONAL SPEAKER

FROM SCROLLING TO THE STREET: INSIDE MAMDANI’S BREAKOUT ORGANIC SOCIAL STRATEGY

Gabriella Zutrau (MoveOn / Zohran for NYC)
Larah Kennedy (Quiip)

  • How do you turn likes, comments, and DMs into real-world momentum? In this deep dive, we will go behind the scenes of one of the most exciting organic social strategies in recent campaigns. Hear from the architect behind Zohran's social media chatbot infrastructure.

    Gabriella Zutrau — digital strategy advisor to organisations like MoveOn and Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign — will unpack how online communities can grow fast and turn online energy into offline action. From cracking organic social reach to building chatbot infrastructure that actually works, Gabbi will share the tactics, lessons, and surprises from the field.

    Expect practical ideas, honest reflections, and plenty of inspiration to level up your digital engagement. Gabbi will join us online in conversation with Larah Kennedy from Quiip, for a candid, curiosity-driven discussion you won’t want to miss.

SKILL WORKSHOP
IN-PERSON AND ONLINE

VIDEO MASTERCLASS FOR COMMS TEAMS (WHO DIDN’T GO TO FILM SCHOOL)

Tom Maclachlan (Chop Chop)

  • Got a campaign video you need to make, but it keeps stalling? You’re not alone. This session is for comms teams who use video to get their message out there. Leave with a brief, a script, and a simple plan to get one stuck video moving again.

PANEL
IN-PERSON AND HYBRID

DEFENDING DEMOCRACY: WHAT WORKS AGAINST DISINFORMATION

Paul Costello (GMF Cities)
Jordy Nijenhuis (Dare to be Grey)
Ika Trijsburg (Aus. National University)
Elena Yi-Chung Ho (Research and Action)
Saffron Zomer (Aus. Democracy Network)

  • Disinformation doesn’t stop at borders — and neither do the solutions. In this dynamic panel, we’ll zoom out to examine how mis- and disinformation are shaping democratic life both here and overseas, and then zoom back in on what’s actually working to counter it.

    Bringing together organisers, researchers, and democracy practitioners from across the globe, this session will explore real-world strategies, hard-won lessons, and emerging ideas for protecting trust, participation, and democratic resilience. Expect sharp insights, practical takeaways, and an honest conversation about what it takes to meet today’s challenges — from local communities to global movements.

SKILL WORKSHOP
IN-PERSON

LEARN, ADAPT, WIN: LESSONS FROM AOTEAROA

Kassie Hartendorp (ActionStation Aotearoa)

  • Hear how Maori activists developed the critical path to defend attacks on the Te Tiriti campaign and how First Nations advocates and activists are sharing lessons to win big!

PANEL
IN-PERSON

RE-IMAGINING HEALTH: BUILDING A FAIRER SYSTEM FOR AUSTRALIA

Dr Jill Gallagher (VACCHO)
Dr Alexandra Jones (FRED)
Selina Lo (Aus. Global Health Alliance)
Arnagretta Hunter (Human Futures Fellow)
Jessica Birch (Lived Experience Advocate)
Caterina Giorgi (For Purpose)

  • Across Australia, health outcomes are moving in the wrong direction, and the people already pushed to the margins are paying the highest price. Climate change, corporate power, and widening income inequality are making it harder for communities to stay well, while our health system remains stuck reacting to crisis instead of preventing harm.

    This session brings together health leaders, organisers and lived experience advocates to re-imagine what a fairer health system could look like. From First Nations community-controlled health to global health justice, prevention, and people-centred care, the panel will explore how we shift power upstream, tackle the social and commercial drivers of poor health, and build a system that keeps people well rather than waiting for them to get sick.

    Expect a bold, grounded conversation about what it will take to win healthier futures for everyone, and how movements, policy-makers and communities can work together to make it real.

PANEL
IN-PERSON

WHAT PEOPLE REALLY THINK ABOUT THE HOUSING CRISIS

A/Prof Ben Spies-Butcher (MQ Housing & Urban Research Centre)
Dr Alistair Sisson (Macquarie University)
Maiy Azize (Anglicare)
Leo Patterson Ross (Tenants’ Union of NSW)
Fiona York (Housing for the Aged Action Group)

  • What do voters actually think about the housing crisis—and how can that insight drive real reform? This session dives into fresh voter research conducted during the 2025 federal election campaign to reveal how people across generations, tenures, and political identities understand the housing crisis, its causes, and the solutions on offer. We’ll unpack where public frustration is landing, which narratives are cutting through, and where government credibility is holding—or failing. If you’re working to win stronger housing policy—on the streets, online, or inside the system—this session will give you the insights you need to do it smarter and faster.

SKILL WORKSHOP
IN-PERSON

MOVING FROM DIVERSITY BUZZWORDS TO ACTIONABLE ANTI-RACISM

Noura Mansour (Democracy in Colour)
Jordy Silverstein

  • Building racial justice into our work takes more than values statements or good intentions. It requires practical skills that shape how we organise, make decisions, and show up in moments of conflict and change.

    This hands-on workshop, led by facilitators of colour, will equip participants with core anti-racist skills they can use day to day. Together, we’ll build a shared understanding of how systemic racism operates, then focus on practical tools for challenging it, from identifying harm in workplace and campaign practices to responding constructively when racism shows up.

    Participants will leave with concrete actions they can apply in their organisations, campaigns and communities, and greater confidence to practise racial justice in real-world settings.


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[FORMAT] • INTERNATIONAL SPEAKER

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