The NECWG Members Conference will be held in Darwin, Australia, from 4 to 6 November 2026. The conference provides an opportunity for NECWG member agencies to come together, share experiences, discuss emerging issues, and collaborate on key priorities for the future of emergency communications and dispatch across Australia and New Zealand.
This event is separate from the annual NECWG Industry Engagement Forum, which is planned for May 2027 in Sydney and will focus on engagement with industry partners and stakeholders.
Further details on the Darwin conference, including the venue, theme, agenda and registration information, will be released in due course. Please save the date and check back for updates.
In May, industry partners, Emergency Service Organisations, and technology leaders gathered in Geelong for a pivotal conference that reaffirmed a shared commitment to modernising emergency contact systems across Australia and New Zealand.
Geelong, Victoria, Australia
The conference brought
together representatives from across the emergency communications ecosystem,
including the Australian emergency call service custodian, alongside
telecommunications and internet providers and critical industry partners.
Through a series of community panels and industry-led discussions, participants
explored the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of emergency
communications.
A key outcome was strong
alignment on the strategic direction of the National Emergency Communications
Working Group (NECWG). Attendees endorsed NECWG’s Vision, Mission, and Purpose,
as outlined in the recently published one-pager—reinforcing a
collective focus on delivering safer, smarter, faster emergency communications
for our communities now and into the future.
Discussions highlighted the need to evolve beyond traditional voice-only contact pathways, recognising growing expectations for faster, more accessible, and multi-channel engagement. The critical role of telecommunications, internet services, and energy infrastructure was also emphasised as essential to ensuring resilience when it matters most.
Emergency Comms Staff
The insights and momentum
generated in Geelong have set a clear path forward. The work ahead will keep
all involved in emergency communications actively engaged, as we collectively
modernise and bring capabilities across Australia and New Zealand into the
future.
NECWG looks forward to
continuing this collaboration at the next Members Conference in Darwin this
November (dates TBA), and at the May 2027 Industry Conference in Sydney.
Through NECWG, this
collaboration continues—shaping a more connected, capable system that delivers
safer, smarter, faster outcomes for all.
Mike Higgie and Kristy Walters – Executive Co-Chairs
Executive Co-Chair
National Emergency Communications Working Group – Australia & New Zealand
(NECWG-A/NZ)
Note: This forum information and registration page is for Industry Delegates.
NECWG-A/NZ will be holding the next Industry Engagement Forum in Geelong, Victoria on 12-13 May 2026 at the Novotel Hotel.
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For the 2026 industry engagement forum, the theme is to investigate the factors to commence progress of the Australia and New Zealand NECWG White Paper recommendations. At this forum we will explore this theme and collaborate with you on the opportunities, challenges, development of capabilities, and identification of objectives to support emergency communications.
The draft agenda can be accessed via the GovTeams link below:
A final agenda will be distributed closer to the conference date.
Industry Booths (Stalls)
For this conference, we intend to offer industry partners the option of having booths on site (approximately 3×2 metres).
Exhibitor Passes are required for vendor personnel who are not registered as Industry Conference Delegates.
Includes:
Access to the exhibition area;
Observation of open plenary conference sessions only.
Does not include:
Participation in workshops, breakout sessions, or facilitated discussions;
Delegate networking functions unless otherwise specified Exhibitor Passes will be visually distinct from Industry Delegate passes to support access management.
To register for an industry booth and exhibitor passes refer to the link below:
Conference attendance fees have been increased to $1000, however, there is an early bird registration fee of $750 if registration is received by 10th April. Please note: There will be NO refunds issued for non attendance.
To assist in confirming number of attendees, please submit the registration form no later than 24th April.
We are excited about the opportunity this year’s event provides and look forward to seeing you there.
Note: This forum information and registration page is for NECWG Members.
NECWG-A/NZ is holding the next Industry Engagement Forum in Geelong, Victoria from 11-14 May 2026 at the Novotel Hotel.
DCIM\101MEDIA\DJI_0194.JPG
For the 2026 industry engagement forum, the theme is to investigate the factors to commence progress of the Australia and New Zealand NECWG White Paper recommendations. At this forum we will explore this theme and collaborate with you on the opportunities, challenges, development of capabilities, and identification of objectives to support emergency communications of the future.
To ensure attendees can get the appropriate travel approvals, we are distributing the draft agenda now. The draft agenda can be accessed via the GovTeams link below:
A final agenda will be distributed closer to the conference date.
A few things to note for this conference:
The Executive Committee have made the decision to start the conference at 12:00 on Monday, 11th May. Lunch will be provided at this time and members will then move into SILO meetings for the afternoon. Further information will be provided by your SILO leads.
Industry colleagues will join the forum for two days, Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th May.
The year 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of NECWG A/NZ. To mark this occasion, past NECWG members have been invited to the official dinner on Wednesday, 13th May.
Conference attendance fees have been increased to $750, however, there is an early bird registration fee of $500 if registration is received by 10th April. Please note: There will be NO refunds issued for non attendance.
To assist in confirming number of attendees, please submit the registration form no later than 24th April.
Venue and Accommodation
The conference is being held at the Novotel, Geelong (recommended). A discounted rate has been negotiated – securing your accommodation by Booking Here.
We are excited about the opportunity this year’s event provides and look forward to seeing you there, along with our past NECWG members and industry colleagues.
The 2019-20 year challenged all people in Australia as they dealt with one disaster event after another. The video contained in the following link highlights the events of this period and its impact on emergency services and the community. Our great appreciation to Matt Rowson of the NSW Police for his excellent collation and presentation of this dramatic period.
BAPCO are happy to announce the launch of English Fire and Rescue Services – Preparedness for ESN webinar hosted with our one of our partner associations – TCCA. Please find details below.
Date: 8th September 2020
Time: 12:00 – 13:00 (British Standard Time)
The University of Leeds has published a significant research report entitled Information and Communication Technologies in the Fire and Rescue Services in England. The report has a distinct focus on the UK’s Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP) and the Services’ readiness for and confidence in the UK’s Emergency Services Network (ESN). Whilst this in-depth report is focused on Fire and Rescue Services in England, its findings will be of interest to any organisations or services around the world involved in a critical communications project or intending to migrate to a broadband-based system.
This webinar provides an excellent opportunity to hear first-hand from the report’s author and from those affected by the report’s findings in their work on the UK’s Emergency Services Network.
In considering the impacts of COVID-19 across the globe, the coalition has developed a document they believe will be valuable in helping public safety organisations and emergency communications professionals across the world navigate this outbreak in the best way possible.
NECWG-A/NZ has worked with the Australian Security Industry Association Ltd (ASIAL) to develop national alarm guidelines for the reference by the alarms industry.
This national guideline is designed to align police classification; requirements; and response to alarms and alarm activations.
The document is available for industry reference at the Publications page.
MBIE Deputy Chief Executive Brad Ward announced New Zealand has gone live with Advanced Mobile Location (AML) for iOS, which is an important extension to the successful Emergency Caller Location Information (ECLI) service and is deployed as part of Apple’s global release of iOS 11.3.
NECWG-A/NZ has released its review of 2017 activity and achievements. This document highlights the focus of the NECWG-A/NZ, the gains made and highlights in 2017, and the forward plan for 2018.
The document is available here or at our Publications Page.
