EventsNews
Garran Oration at Government House Victoria: reflecting on democracy and the institutions that protect it
08 May 2026
L&D Connect arrived in Geelong last week, where IPAA Victoria and Victorian Public Sector Commission were welcomed by over 30 learning and development, HR, people and culture professionals, and senior leaders, representing local councils and departments at the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre. The energy in the room was palpable and grew as conversations flowed, new connections were made, and practical ideas were shared on how to tackle common challenges.
Highlights from the day
Brigid Monagle, Commissioner of the Victorian Public Sector Commission, set the scene with insights from the State of the Public Sector Report. She reminded us that more than 382,000 people work across the VPS, spanning over 200 employers – with almost 20,000 of those in the Geelong region alone. Brigid highlighted the VC’s commitment to capability-building across four areas:
- working in government
- integrity
- leadership and management
- living the VPS values.
Amanda Stevens, CEO of IPAA Victoria, brought her trademark energy, emphasising IPAA’s commitment to supporting professional growth across Victoria, not just Melbourne. She spoke about the importance of creating spaces for regional voices to influence the sector’s future, and the value of building strong local networks that help professionals stay connected, develop capability, and feel supported in their careers.
Clare Amies, IPAA Victoria board member and CEO of genU a large not for profit with a presence and origin in Geelong, spoke to her experience in the regions and particularly in Geelong area. Clare discussed the lack of anonymity that can occur in regional settings and the need to wear several hats thereby grounding conversations in real, local challenges and opportunities.
Kate Fraser, Executive Director, Programs at IPAA Victoria, facilitated regional realities: listening, learning, leading, a session exploring:
- Looking back: what’s worked in the past in collaboration, capability, and recognition
- The present: what’s working (and what’s not) right now
- Looking forward: bold, practical, and inclusive ideas to strengthen regional collaboration and support.
The day also featured insights from our facilitators and sector experts:
- Sofia Dedes shared strategies on stakeholder engagement, moving beyond consultation to co-creation, influencing without authority, and closing the “trust gap” in low-trust environments. → learn more about stakeholder engagement
- Ash Smith reframed neurodiversity as a workplace strength, highlighting small but impactful changes that build inclusive organisations. → learn more about supporting neurodiversity in the public sector
- Andrew Tingay reminded us that today’s project managers are also change managers, with alignment, governance, trust, and stakeholder engagement critical to project success. → learn more about project management
What’s next
Thank you to everyone who joined us, it was a pleasure to connect face-to-face, share ideas, and hear directly from our members and stakeholders about the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of the public purpose sector in regional Victoria, and Victoria as a whole.
From our discussions, Geelong members told us they value:
- strong networks and connection, ideally in-person, with virtual options appreciated
- practical solutions for technology challenges
- collaborative approaches to creating shared policies and frameworks, reducing duplication of effort.
Based on delegate feedback, we are exploring the idea of a regional community network, a dedicated space for connection, collaboration, and sharing for L&D professionals, HR and people and culture practitioners, communications and engagement specialists, and people leaders across regional Victoria.
If you are interested in being part of this network, please reach out to us by completing the form below.
