Fairley Keen for Canberra: Sponsorship Support Sought to Elevate Regional Voices

11th June 2025

Goulburn Murray Region — Goulburn Murray Community Leadership (GMCL) is calling on local businesses, community partners, and supporters to get behind a powerful initiative that strengthens regional leadership and advocacy.

Each year, participants in the Fairley Leadership Program take part in the highly anticipated Canberra Advocacy Tour – an immersive experience where emerging and established leaders connect directly with Federal Members of Parliament and policymakers. This tour offers a unique opportunity to discuss the needs and aspirations of the Goulburn Murray region on a national stage.

However, the 2025 Canberra Advocacy Tour hangs in the balance. Without financial support, this invaluable opportunity for leaders from over 15 communities and key industry sectors will not go ahead. Sponsorship is critical to ensuring regional voices are represented where national decisions are made.

Under the banner “Fairley Keen for Canberra,” GMCL is seeking sponsorship to help subsidise the tour costs for the 2025 Fairley Leadership cohort, along with participants from the 2020–2022 cohorts who missed this opportunity due to COVID-19 disruptions. Participants from these years are invited to submit an expression of interest to be part of the tour.

As a participant of the Fairley Leadership Program in 2023, the Executive Officer reflected on the experience and the opportunities it offered. “The Canberra Tour is one of the most impactful components of the Fairley Leadership experience,” said Executive Officer, Jesse Mitchell. “It helps build the skills, networks, and confidence our regional leaders need to influence change in their communities and across our region.”

The 2025 tour, planned for September, comes at an estimated cost of $2,500 per participant and is not included in the standard program fees. GMCL invites sponsors to either make a cash contribution to subsidise participation fees or sponsor a participant directly.

“Visiting Parliament House and hearing from leading politicians would provide valuable insights into decision-making in our country. This opportunity would broaden my perspective on public service through policy making and inspire me to lead with greater awareness!” Matt Billings, 2025 Participant shared.

In past years, the total cost of delivering the Canberra Tour has been approximately $35,000, and GMCL is seeking to raise at least $10,000 to reduce financial barriers and ensure the tour is more accessible for all participants.

Sponsorship opportunities come with recognition and the chance to be directly involved in developing the next generation of regional leaders. “We welcome contributions of any size, whether you’d like to sponsor an individual participant or contribute more broadly to the group’s costs,” she said.

“Supporting this tour means strengthening the voice of regional communities in Canberra. At a time when issues like drought, water security, housing shortages, and the cost-of-living crisis are placing immense pressure on our region, it’s more important than ever that our leaders are heard at the national level.”

For more information or to view the tour proposal, go to - GMCL | Canberra Advocacy Tour - https://www.goulburnmurraycommunityleadership.com.au/canberra-advocacy-tour

To support the Canberra Tour or to learn more, please contact: Jesse Mitchell, Executive Officer via email at eo@gmcl.org.au