ABOUT THE CONFERENCE


2021 has been a confronting year when it comes to women and workplaces. The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Conference in July will bring together the themes which have been residing in the public discourse and coursing through our collective consciousness. We hope to harness that energy as we RESPECT, REFLECT and ROAR

Workplace culture around Australia has been under the microscope – arguably nowhere more so than in Parliament itself. Scrutiny has led to renewed calls for an improved culture of respect to welcome and value diversity, recognise new perspectives, and engender a greater sense of confidence from not just women but our number one stakeholder more broadly: the Australian people.

As we gather to brainstorm for a better future, we will take stock of our individual journeys. We will reflect on work/life balance, professional development, the commitment to calling out bad behaviour and ensuring the guardrails of support are well-maintained.

Committed to strengthening and safeguarding the well-being of women parliamentarians, we will assess the various domains where we might effect positive change, bring some beneficial ruckus and make our voices heard. It is time to roar about domestic violence legislation and economic empowerment for women; to ensure policy is informed by various gender perspectives; to strive for more women in Parliament and to persevere in tackling bullying and harassment.

Travel permitting, we warmly invite our membership to join us in Darwin this July for the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Conference. Virtual attendance will also be available via a live platform, OnAIR.

We hope to see you there (in one form or another)!

Evolving COVID-19 Situtation
We are closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation across Australia and following the health advice of the Australian Government Department of Health and the Northern Territory Government.

For up-to-date advice on travelling to the Northern Territory, please visit the NT Government COVID-19 website. As restrictions vary by state and territory, we also encourage attendees to visit the Australian Government COVID-19 website where you will find links to each jurisdiction COVID-19 website.

If restrictions are put into place that prevent us from holding the conference in-person, the conference will either move to a virtual delivery or be postponed. We will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves and provide timely advice of any changes.
Note: Up to 80% of our conference program is scheduled to be virtual, so any impact from increased restrictions and lockdowns due to COVID-19 will only have a small effect on the overall content and conference experience

PROGRAM

for those attending in person

(times in Australian Central Standard Time)
Please note that times may be subject to change


postponed


Welcome Reception

hosted by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory


The Honourable Ngaree Ah Kit



postponed


09:45 am -10:00 am

Welcome to Country


10:00 am - 10:15am

Welcome address by

The Honourable Ngaree Ah Kit

Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory


10:15 am - 10:30 am

Opening Address by

Senator Nita Green

Chair of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Australia Region Steering Committee and Senator for Queensland


10:30 am - 11:00 am

Virtual Address and Q&A by

The Honourable Julie Bishop

Former Foreign Minister for Australia and Chancellor of the Australian National University


11:00 am - 11:30 am

Morning tea, networking and virtual exhibition booth time


11:30 am - 12:30 pm

Virtual discussion on regional perspectives with members of the

Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Pacific Region

(including New Zealand)


12:30 pm - 1:30 pm

Lunch, networking and virtual exhibition booth time


1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

Virtual address and Q&A by

Kate Jenkins

Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Australia


2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Discussion on mental health and politics led by

Mrs Kate Carnell AO

Deputy Chair, Beyond Blue and former Chief Minister, Australian Capital Territory


3:45 pm - 4:45 pm

Working Groups on Modern Parliaments

with afternoon tea


4:45 pm - 5:30 pm

Networking and virtual exhibition booth time


5:30 pm - 6:00 pm

Virtual Address and Q&A by

The Honourable Tanya Plibersek MP

Shadow Minister for Women, Shadow Minister for Education and Federal Member for Sydney


6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Conference Dinner



COUNTDOWN TO THE CONFERENCE

00

days


SPEAKERS


The Hon Ngaree Ah Kit
Speaker of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
Senator Nita Green
Chair of the CWP Australia Region and Senator for Queensland
The Hon Julie Bishop
Former Foreign Minister of Australia and Chancellor Australia National University
The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP
Shadow Minister for Women, Shadow Minister for Education, and the Federal Member for Sydney
Kate Jenkins
Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Australia
Mrs Kate Carnell AO
Deputy Chair of the Board of Beyond Blue and former ACT Chief Minister

VENUE



The 2021 Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Conference will be a hybrid event with both in-person and online delegate options.




Attend in person
The CWP Conference will be held in person at the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory, Darwin

Attend virtually
Experience all the key elements of the conference through the Virtual Attendee Hub. You will also be able to explore live content, interact in live-streamed Q&A discussions and engage virtually with other delegates.
If you are taking the opportunity to stay in Darwin before or after the conference, you may wish to see a little more of what the Northern Territory has to offer. For more information on activities see Visit the Northern Territory

Virtual Attendees - OnAIR Portal

We will be using the online platform OnAir for virtual attendees to participate in the conference. Below is some information to get you started, but more in-depth step by step instructions will be sent with your login details.
How and when do I gain access to the platform
Login details and the access link to the virtual conference platform will be sent to the email address provided during registration a few days prior to the start of the conference. Should you have any trouble locating the link or your login details, please email cwp@aph.gov.au. What is needed to watch the virtual meeting?
  • A computer, laptop or tablet (it can be difficult to view the platform on a mobile phone)
  • A stable internet connection
  • Audio & mic
  • Webcam

Do I need to download any programs or software to participate?
No. The virtual platform is browser based. For the best viewing experience, we recommend using a supported internet browser, Google Chrome (preferred), Microsoft Edge or Firefox.

What time zone is the program displayed in?
The program times will automatically adjust to the time zone you selected in your profile set up.
System Software Requirements
If you will be participating in the conference from within your workplace, you will need to ensure that your workplace firewall does not block access to the streaming platforms of the sessions and networking functions. You should check access with your IT department as early as possible.

Below is a list of all the streaming platforms that will be used during the online conference. Your IT department will need to allowlist these programs to enable you to access the online portal.
  • livefeed.aircastcdn.com
  • studio.aircastcdn.com
  • hls.aircastcdn.com
  • live.aircastcdn.com
If you are accessing the platform using Google Chrome, then you should experience no issues gaining access to the online conference portal from within your workplace. If the above sites are not allowlisted, then your organisation may block access to the streamed presentations and conference sessions and you will not be able to watch any of the sessions.

If you have issues with connecting to the virtual platform during the conference you may need to use your mobile data hotspot or participate from a private (home) network.
Will there be live Q&A during presentations?
Yes, most sessions will have Q&A functionality and you will be able to submit questions during the presentations. The questions will be discussed at a live Q&A session with the speaker and a moderator.

Can I share my login for the virtual portal with other people?
No, each registered attendee will receive a link to the virtual portal that is uniquely tied to their registration and cannot be opened on multiple devices at the same time.

REGISTRATION

Conference registration is open to Parliamentarians only.

Register now

ACCOMMODATION

We recommend accommodation at a number of properties currently available and within walking distance from the conference venue. To enquire about or confirm a reservation, follow the instructions below to liaise directly with the property. Please note that rooms are not holding and as rates are subject to availability at the time of booking, they may increase. It is recommended you book early to avoid disappointment.

H on Mitchell

105 Mitchell Street, Darwin NT 0800

Phone: 1300 688 872
Website | Email


H on Mitchell is a 5 star hotel located on Mitchell Street in the heart of Darwin's business and entertainment precinct.

Distance from conference venue: 1km walk to Legislative Assembly

Studio Rooms at this property start at $175 per night, room only. Please call or email using the above details to secure your reservation.

Novotel Darwin CBD

100 The Esplanade, Darwin NT 0800

Phone: 08 8963 5000
Website | Email


The Novotel Darwin CBD is a 4 star hotel ideally located on the city's Esplanade overlooking Darwin Harbour.

Distance from conference venue: 800m walk to Legislative Assembly

Standard City View Rooms at this property start at $306 per night, room only. Please call or email using the above details to secure your reservation.

Rydges Darwin Central

21 Knuckey Street, Darwin NT 0801

Phone: 08 8944 9000
Website | Email


Rydges Darwin Central is a 4 star hotel located in the middle of the CBD with plenty of cafes and restaurants within an easy walking distance.

Distance from conference venue: 450m walk to Legislative Assembly

Standard Rooms at Rydges Darwin Central start at $280 per night, room only. Please call or email using the above details to secure your reservation.

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CONTACT
CWP Secretariat
Phone: 02 6277 4400
Email cwp@aph.gov.au