Regional leaders take their voice to Canberra
September 2026
Canberra — Goulburn Murray Community Leadership is celebrating a successful Fairley Leadership Study Tour to Canberra
Thanks to the flexibility of participants and the support of sponsors, for the 2nd year in a row, the Fairley group opted for a minimalist format to make the experience possible. They travelled in a self-drive bus, with GMCL Executive Officer at the wheel, and reduced costs with additional funding from program partners. Participants in the 2026 Fairley Leadership Program travelled to Canberra from 14–17 September, meeting federal parliamentarians, visiting key national institutions and gaining first-hand insight into democracy, public leadership and decision-making.
The cohort was officially welcomed to Parliament House where they engaged in Q&A sessions with Members and Senators from across the political spectrum, exploring leadership, values, and the realities of public life. Participants were fortunate to hear directly from:
The Hon Milton Dick MP, Speaker of the House who hosted a tour of the Speakers Office and Courtyard
Senator Jana Stewart, (ALP)
Dai Le MP, Member for Fowler (Independent)
Simon Kennedy MP, Member for Cook (Liberal)
Senator Matt Canavan, Leader of the Nationals.
Darren Chester MP, Deputy Leader of the National Party
The cohort also attended Question Time, toured Parliament House and its behind-the-scenes media area and had opportunities throughout the tour to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing regional communities.
GMCL Executive Officer Jesse Mitchell said access to decision-makers was an important part of developing leaders who were prepared to play an active role in their communities. “Leadership programs like Fairley are not just about professional development,” Ms Mitchell said. “They help people better understand their region, meet people outside their normal networks, engage with different perspectives and think about the role they can play in their community.
“Taking participants to Canberra and giving them the opportunity to sit down with Members and Senators makes our democratic institutions more accessible. It encourages people to ask questions, understand how decisions are made and think about how they can contribute to civic and community life themselves. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who made time for our cohort.
“These are upcoming leaders who will return to their communities and contribute through their workplaces, boards, community organisations, volunteering and local initiatives. When our elected representatives take the time to have genuine conversations with them, it strengthens their understanding of democracy and reinforces that they have a role to play in shaping the future of their communities.”
Ms Mitchell thanked Sam Birrell MP, a Fairley Leadership alumnus, and his team for helping host the cohort at Parliament House, along with the Members and Senators who gave their time to participants.
"As a former Fairley Fellow, it's particularly rewarding to see the next generation of regional leaders taking part in the program," Mr Birrell said. "It was a privilege to host them in Parliament. The group had the opportunity to put questions directly to MPs and Senators from across the political spectrum, hearing a range of perspectives on public life and the role of elected representatives."
Participant Harley Harber said: “Going to Canberra as part of the Fairley Leadership Program was an incredible experience. It gave us the opportunity to see firsthand how decisions are made at a national level, meet with people involved in that process and understand how important it is for regional communities to have a strong voice. I’ve come away with a greater appreciation for advocacy and leadership, and plenty of inspiration to take back to our own communities.”
Participant Katie Thorp said: “I found the Canberra Intensive to be one of the most valuable aspects of the Fairley Leadership Program. It was a unique opportunity to discuss regional challenges and priorities with people who are directly involved in shaping policy and influencing outcomes. Meeting key political leaders and stakeholders and experiencing first-hand the environment where key decisions are made, gave me a much deeper appreciation of the complexities of leadership and governance. The experience broadened my perspective, challenged my thinking and reinforced the importance of advocating for regional communities.”
Participant Matt McLaulin, who recently contacted Federal Member Sam Birrell regarding a proposed cap for funding to veterans said: “As a veteran, the news that the government is scrapping the veterans cap is very welcome. I have advocated strongly for myself and fellow veterans through my local member, who took my concerns to Parliament. Many veterans throughout Australia advocated strongly, alongside the Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs. This shows the true veteran spirit and the commitment of people who appreciate the service given to this country. Thank you to Sam Birrell for listening to my concerns and ensuring they were heard in Parliament, and to everyone who fought hard to achieve this positive outcome.”
The sessions provided an invaluable opportunity to gain insights into national leadership while connecting regional issues to broader policy discussions. Participants represented their communities, asking our Federal Leaders questions about issues identified while participating in the Fairley Leadership Program.
The 2026 FLP cohort will officially conclude their Fairley Leadership Program journey at graduation on 28 October 2026, marking the culmination of an intensive eight-month program of leadership development, learning and connection, adding a new chapter to more than 30 years of the Fairley Leadership Program legacy.
For three decades, the program has brought together diverse individuals from across regional Victoria, supporting them to develop their leadership capabilities, broaden their perspectives and build meaningful connections that contribute to stronger communities. Throughout the eight-month journey, this year’s cohort has continued that tradition, engaging in challenging conversations, sharing experiences, building relationships and exploring what leadership looks like in an increasingly complex world.
Graduation will be a significant milestone for the cohort, recognising not only the completion of their eight-month journey, but also the growth, contribution and connections they have developed along the way. As they join the Fairley alumni community, they become part of a 30-year legacy of leaders who have gone on to make a difference across their communities, organisations and sectors.
The graduation ceremony will celebrate the achievements of the 2026 cohort while looking ahead to the next chapter of their leadership journey - carrying forward the knowledge, relationships and experiences gained through the program and contributing to the continuing legacy of the Fairley Leadership Program.
Now in its 30th year, the Fairley Leadership Program has produced more than 745 graduates who continue to make a significant contribution across business, government, and community sectors in the Goulburn Murray region.
Goulburn Murray Community Leadership is dedicated to building strong, resilient, and connected communities by developing local leaders through programs such as the flagship Fairley Leadership Program, Youth Leadership initiatives, and specialised leadership development opportunities.
Regional leadership at a crossroads
The successful tour comes at a critical time for GMCL and other regional community leadership organisations across Victoria.
For many years, Regional Development Victoria provided funding to regional community leadership organisations through Victoria’s Regional Community Leadership Program. That funding ended following the 2023 program year, leaving organisations to transition to alternative funding arrangements.
GMCL has continued delivering the Fairley Leadership Program by increasing participant contributions, building partnerships, pursuing grants and philanthropy and significantly changing its operating model. GMCL Board Chair Lacey Nicholson said the organisation had worked hard to adapt, but the current funding environment was placing increasing pressure on the future of the program.
“GMCL has made significant changes to reduce costs, diversify income and keep Fairley Leadership accessible to the region, but there is a point where short-term grants and annual fundraising cannot replace sustainable investment,” Ms Nicholson said. “Without something changing, we are facing the very real prospect of the Fairley Leadership Program going into recess in 2027. That is not a decision the Board takes lightly. Fairley has spent more than 30 years building leadership capability, relationships and networks across this region, and we know what would be lost if the program could no longer continue.”
GMCL's network now includes 766 Fairley alumni. Its 2026 Alumni Impact Report estimated alumni leadership had generated $35.4 million in social value, positively affected more than 82,000 people, and found 99 per cent of alumni had taken at least one new leadership action following their participation.
Ms Nicholson said the funding challenge should be viewed as more than the future of one organisation.
“The risk is not simply that we lose a leadership course,” she said. “We risk losing part of the social infrastructure that helps identify emerging leaders, connects people across sectors and communities, and gives them the confidence, relationships and understanding to step forward. Regional communities need people who are prepared to serve on boards and committees, volunteer, respond during difficult times, advocate for their communities and work across traditional boundaries. That capability does not just appear. It needs to be developed, connected and supported.”
Statewide effort to secure the future
GMCL is part of the Victorian Leadership Network, an emerging collaboration between Victoria's regional leadership organisations and Leadership Victoria.
Through its statewide work, the network is developing a stronger approach to civic and community leadership capability and building the case for renewed and sustainable investment in leadership development across Victoria.
Ms Nicholson said the collaboration was important, but there was urgency in ensuring established regional programs remained viable while longer-term solutions were developed.
“There is important work happening across Victoria to build a more sustainable future for community leadership, but programs cannot continue indefinitely without a secure funding base,” she said. “If established regional programs go into recess one by one, communities lose staff capability, networks, local knowledge and relationships that have taken decades to establish. Once that infrastructure is lost, it is not something that can simply be switched back on the following year.”
Ms Mitchell said the Canberra Study Tour was a timely reminder of why that investment mattered. “Watching this year's cohort engage with our democratic institutions, ask thoughtful questions and have conversations with national leaders reinforced why this work matters,” she said. “These participants will return home and use those experiences in different ways, but collectively they strengthen the social fabric of our region. We want future generations of regional leaders to have the same opportunity.
In August, GMCL joined a Victorian Leadership Network delegation to the Victorian Government to directly raise the funding challenges facing regional leadership programs and the growing uncertainty around their future. The delegation highlighted the difficulty of sustaining long-term leadership development through short-term and competitive funding models, and the risk that established programs may be forced into recess before a more sustainable funding solution is secured.