Hear from:
- Dr Ed Wensing, Special Adviser and Associate, SGS Economics and Planning | (Life Member) MPIA FHEA
- Susan Ryan, Senior Strategic Planner, Golden Plains Shire Council
- Tony Kelly, Chief Executive Officer, First Nations Legal & Research Services
This event will be facilitated by SGS Chief Executive Officer, Julian Szafraniec.
We’ll cover:
- What’s changing under Treaty and why it matters for councils.
- How engagement expectations are shifting from arbitrary consultation to genuine ongoing relationships.
- Navigating Treaty and Native Title alongside statutory and strategic planning obligations.
- Practical steps councils can take now.
Join us for a grounded, practical discussion on how planning is changing and what comes next.
Dr Ed Wensing is an experienced planner, policy analyst and academic. He has a deep understanding of the impact of colonisation on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities of Australia and the ongoing dispossession and is committed to addressing these ongoing power imbalances.
Ed has extensive knowledge and understanding of Commonwealth/ State/Territory laws relating to land administration, land use and environmental planning, Aboriginal land rights, native title rights and interests, environmental protection, natural resource management, cultural heritage protection and local government in every jurisdiction in Australia.
Susan Ryan is a Senior Strategic Planner, at Golden Plains Shire and contributes not only to the growth of the Shire but growth with consideration to planning together for Country. Susan’s desire to discover new knowledge around planning with Country was generated through her research at Deakin University and experiences within local government.
Tony Kelly is the CEO of First Nations Legal & Research Services and has four decades’ experience working with First Nations people across the country. He is committed to ensuring First Nations people have their rights and interests respected and self-determination recognised. Tony is also the Chair of Environmental Justice Australia, a public interest law firm, dedicated to protecting country, nature and the climate, and advisory director of Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa a Martu organisation that provides cultural, environmental, social and economic support to Martu communities in the northeast Pilbara.
Julian Szafraniec is the Chief Executive Officer at SGS Economics and Planning. As an economist, Julian advocates for data-driven policy development to support efficient and sustainable communities and places. His aim is to collaborate across a range of sectors, facilitating the exchange of ideas to understand the links and opportunities between them. He sees new data and technology as essential to how we understand and plan for our cities and regions in the future. Julian’s expertise has been instrumental in advising all tiers of government and the private sector, contributing to informed policy-making and investment strategies spanning housing, transportation, social infrastructure, and the broader economy.