From the Conference Convenor

I am delighted to be the convenor for the next PIA State Planning Conference in Cairns, a city defined by its diverse communities and unique environment. 
 
Cairns, like many areas across Queensland, is experiencing rapid growth and change. This underscores the importance of strong collaboration across the wider industry to address key challenges while safeguarding our shared values. Planners, especially those in the regions, recognise that issues such as climate risk, housing affordability, infrastructure demands, and balancing environmental and social priorities require collective solutions. 
 
Cairns, therefore, provides an ideal setting to explore the theme “Beyond Planning: Building Resilience Futures Through Collaboration.” I invite you to contribute your insights and innovative approaches by submitting an abstract, and to join us in advancing practical, collaborative solutions that generate better outcomes for our regions and cities.
 
I look forward to seeing you in Cairns!  

Grace Lambeth MPIA

2026 Conference Convenor

2026 Conference Theme

Beyond Planning: Building Resilient Futures Through Multi-Disciplinary Collaboration

This theme recognises that today’s planning challenges—climate risk, housing unaffordability, infrastructure constraints, and complex environmental and social pressures—cannot be addressed by planners working in isolation. Instead, it calls for integrated, cross-disciplinary approaches that bring together planners with engineers, designers, policy-makers, certifiers, engagement specialists and other allied professionals.

Learn more about the Conference theme & sub-themes