Professionals

Connecting with IPAA Queensland is perfect for professionals in the midst of their career seeking to broaden their horizons, enhance their skills, and open up new professional opportunities. Through our strong relationships with local, state and federal government, academics and leaders from industry and community organisations, IPAA is uniquely positioned to connect you with the relevant information, people, and opportunities you need during this stage of your career journey.

What membership type is best for me?

We recommend Full Membership for Professionals. Being a full member offers a range of benefits. You will receive discounted tickets to events and access to the latest thought leadership on public purpose topics. Find out more here.

EVEnts and resources

For ease, we have sourced and compiled a range of events and resources most relevant to you. Please take your time to browse our recent blog and thought leadership pieces and register for any upcoming events that spark your interest. If there’s anything you’d like to see here, please get in touch with us as we are regularly creating new content and evolving our events program.

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April 30, 2026

2026 Chief Executives and Emerging Leaders Breakfast

Brisbane City Hall

Influencing without authority: supporting emerging leaders to lead in complex systems About this Event IPAA Queensland is thrilled to invite the public sector and public purpose community to our annual flagship event – the Chief Executives and Emerging Leaders Breakfast, held at the iconic Brisbane City Hall on 30 April 2026. This popular event is

November 17, 2026

2026 Irene Longman Oration

1 William Street Brisbane Q 4000

17th November 2026, 1 William Street IPAA Queensland’s Irene Longman Oration will return in November 2026. The Oration brings together leaders from across Queensland’s public purpose community for a timely, ideas-driven address from a distinguished speaker, followed by conversation and connection. About this Event The IPAA Queensland oration is named in honour of Irene Longman,

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News

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Thursday 26 February

Message from the President: Strengthening Public Purpose Together

Stepping into the role of President of IPAA Queensland is a privilege I approach with humility and a clear sense of responsibility. I joined IPAA Queensland because I believe deeply in the importance of strong institutions and the role that capability, connection, and professional stewardship play in sustaining them. IPAA Queensland is unique in its

Thursday 26 February

The Power of a Growth Mindset in Public Sector Leadership

As governments face mounting challenges—from housing affordability to the net zero transition—the need for innovative, evidence-based policy solutions has never been greater. In navigating these complexities governments face competing priorities and need to make challenging policy choices. The Australian Productivity Commission has encouraged governments to adopt a growth mindset in approaching policy decisions. We explore

Wednesday 25 February

Public sector leadership in Queensland: Purpose, pressure and the power of talent

By Adam Dent, Partner at Orchard Talent Group Stewardship in action On 16 February, an audience from across the Queensland public sector gathered for IPAA Queensland’s Stewards on the Couch series. It was an evening of candour, perspective and lived experience, as Queensland Rail CEO Kat Stapleton joined Clare Hunter in conversation about leadership,

Monday 15 December

Addressing Big Challenges – Reflecting on The 2025 Irene Longman Oration

On 18 November 2025, IPAA Queensland welcomed members and guests to our annual flagship event, the Irene Longman Oration, proudly supported by Bright People. This year’s keynote was delivered by Professor Brian Head, whose deep expertise in governance and public policy provided a powerful and optimistic message: Does the public sector have what it takes

What are members saying?

A lot of people join Government because they want to make a difference to the community and IPAA can help in improving that difference we make.

Heidi Bushnell, Professional

Queensland Government

The experiences are amazing, and the relationships and the people you meet are incredible.

Dave Stewart, Executive

Queensland Government

IPAA provides a fantastic meeting place. There aren’t many forums where you can bring together a really diverse group of stakeholders and talk about really topical issues. IPAA does this really well.

Michael Hiller, Queensland Chairman

KPMG

It is great to see IPAA thriving, bringing in so many people, the calibre of the people you meet is priceless. I recommend everyone get involved and join in.

Fahim Khondaker, Professional

BDO

The forums, exceptional presentations – it is learning in a relaxed way that you don’t see in other institutions. I am very glad that IPAA is back in Queensland.

Katarina Carroll, Commissioner

QFES