The 2026 National Rural & Remote Health Conference will bring together sector leaders from across Australia to explore practical strategies for delivering safe, sustainable, and equitable healthcare to the millions of Australians living in rural and remote communities.
The program will focus on the real-world challenges and opportunities facing the sector:
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Workforce attraction and retention
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Digital health and telehealth enablement
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Service accessibility
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Funding and commissioning
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Culturally safe care
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Integration across primary, community, and acute services.
Being part of this event will connect you with senior decision-makers and high-level organisational leaders who are actively seeking solutions and support as they strengthen and evolve service provision for rural and remote communities. You’ll have the opportunity to engage directly with stakeholders who influence planning and procurement, build partnerships, and demonstrate how your offerings can help address priority needs and improve outcomes on the ground.
Confirmed Speakers
Riki Nia Nia
Chief Executive Officer
Te Rau Ora (NZ)
Sarah Brown AM
Chief Executive Officer
Western Desert Nganampa Walytja Palyantjaku Tjutaku Aboriginal Corporation
Robert Tolson ASM
Executive Director, Country Operations
SA Ambulance Service
Daniel Best
Director, Virtual Care Improvement, Healthcare Improvement Unit, Clinical Excellence Queensland
Queensland Health
Professor Bep Uink
Director
HealthinfoNet
Jennifer Gordon
Project Manager, SE NSW Regional Training Hub
Australian National University
Jacinta Elphick Perrin
Senior Clinical Advisor, Policy and Practice
Murrumbidgee Local Health District
Alicia Southwell
Strategic Program Manager, Diabetes Alliance Program Plus
Hunter New England Local Health District
Neelu Kaur
Chief Information Officer
The Hume Rural Health Alliance
Ritesh Warty
Research Manager
Royal Flying Doctors Service Victoria
Adam Stephen
Workforce & Development Jurisdiction Manager
Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council
Anna Robards
Clinical Nurse Consultant
Western NSW Local Health District
Bianca Mills
District Antimicrobial Stewardship Governance Pharmacist, Infection Prevention Service
Hunter New England Local Health District
Belinda Storer
Residential Manager
Juniper Guwardi Ngadu
Waminda Parker
Director
NatureFix
Shellie Burgess
Rural Health Network Manager
Agency for Clinical Innovation
Kelly Foran
Chief Executive Officer; Board Member
Friendly Faces Helping Hands; Virtual Care Taskforce, NSW Health
Emma Barritt
Chief Executive Officer
CRANAplus
Simone Jordan
Nurse Manager of ADHD and Behavioural Management,
Western NSW Local Health District
David Edwards
Director
WellMob
Camilla Herbig
Senior Project Officer, Rural Adversity Mental Health Program
Grand Pacific Health
Dr Miles Holmes
DirectorDirector
NatureFix
Heather Keighley
Chief Remote Area Nurse
CRANAplus
Wendy Hubbard
Chief Executive Officer
Australian Rural and Remote Community Services
Dr Tom Evens
Executive Director Medical Services and Research
NSW Ambulance
Ian Treweek
District Director Digital Health
Mid North Coast Local Health District
Donna Parkes
Stream Lead Virtual Care
Agency for Clinical Innovation
Letitia Cross
Rural Mental Health Coordinator, Rural Adversity Mental Health Program
Hunter New England and Western Local Health Districts
Jennifer Wines
Disaster Recovery Clinician
Murrumbidgee Local Health District
Full line-up to be announced in April 2026
Past Sponsors
Event Series Attendees include:
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Adelaide Primary Health Network
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Alliance Clinics
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Australian Capital Territory Primary Health Network
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Australian General Practice Accreditation
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Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network
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Brisbane North Primary Health Network
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Brisbane South Primary Health Network
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Central Adelaide Local Health Network Incorporated
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Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network
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Central Coast Local Health District
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Central Queensland Rural Health
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Central Queensland Wide Bay Sunshine Coast Primary Health Network
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Country Health South Australia Local Health Network Incorporated
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Country South Australia Primary Health Network
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Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network Limited
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Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network
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Emerald Clinics
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Eyre and Far North Local Health Network Incorporated
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Far West Local Health District
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Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network Incorporated
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General Practice Training Queensland
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Gippsland Primary Health Network
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Gold Coast Primary Health Network
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Heywood Rural Health
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Hunter New England Central Coast Primary Health Network
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Hunter New England Local Health District
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Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District
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iReach Rural Health
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Limestone Coast Local Health Network Incorporated
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Mid North Coast Local Health District
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Murray Primary Health Network
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Murrumbidgee Local Health District
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Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network
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Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District
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Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network
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New South Wales Outback Division of General Practice Limited
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North and West Remote Health Limited
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North Coast Primary Health Network
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Past attendees have come from:
