The Australian Leadership Retreat will address Issues critical for the future of Australia

ADC Forum is an Australian, non-political, not-for-profit leadership organisation which brings together leaders from business, government, the public sector, academia and the broader community to improve their understanding of key issues affecting Australia.

Over its 27 year history of contributing to our nation’s and the world’s challenges, ADC Forum has actively offered solutions throughout several crises. To be held in Brisbane from 23-25 March 23, the ADC Australian Leadership Retreat (ALR) will enable leaders from all sectors to contribute to the issues which impact our future.

The ALR program responds to the pressing imperative, in these turbulent times, to have the conversation about the future we want for Australia. The discussions will encourage fresh strategies, policies and reforms to adjust to the new world that is emerging.

World-class thought and industry leaders will contribute to this conversation. The program will feature speakers to address crucial issues including:
 Critical threats to the global economy
 Challenges to human civilisation
 The rise of the Civilisation State, the challenge to the rules based international order, and the future of liberalism

 The role of science in supporting advanced economic development and national science priorities
 The development of future energy technologies, with critical comparisons debating the merits of various options
 Managing the energy transition and the opportunities for Australia as well as energy security
 Technology and resources investments in the energy transition
 The unprecedented feminist revolution in Iran and the lack of response from the West
 The future of the Middle East
 The viability and utility of sanctions regimes, their intended and unintended consequences
 Understanding investment markets across African countries and regions
 The role of national culture and strengthening democracy in a more contested world
 How democracies can move beyond what has been dividing them
 Cultural strategy and the arts
 National security and defence strategy
 Greater Atlantic and Indo Pacific security cooperation
 Large platform defence acquisition planning
 How to engage with and understand India and its role in the world
 Engaging the Australian business community with the South Pacific region for real cooperation, opportunities and security
 Lessons from Covid-19 pandemic and novel improvements to health policy
 Meeting Australia’s urban development challenges
 Distinguishing between economic pragmatism and economic ideology of various kinds
 Enabling better growth in the Australian economy, focusing on policy related to:
o competition
o productivity
o taxation
o strategic interactions
 Frontier developments in high technology markets (eg synthetic biology, AI) as well as policy for greater scaling of Australian businesses to prevent foreign transfer
 Key constitutional dialogues including:
o The Voice
o Republic
o Key issues in Federalism
 Decentralised finance and proposals for regulation
 Risks and benefits of AI versus human capability alongside declining educational performance
 Future scenarios of state