ICON•S Aus–NZ Chapter Conference

ICON•S Aus–NZ Chapter Conference

“HE MAHI RARANGA – infusion and diffusion of Australasian public law”

The Australian and New Zealand public law community is warmly invited to attend the 2026 ICON*S Australia–NZ Chapter Conference, hosted by Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington.

The theme He Mahi Raranga (the work of weaving) reflects the conference focus on the infusion and diffusion of ideas, traditions, and innovations in Australasian public law. The programme will bring together scholars, judges, practitioners, and students to explore contemporary challenges and future directions in public, constitutional, and administrative law.

Programme

The conference takes place between 3:00pm, Wednesday 26 August 2026 – 1:30 pm, Friday 28 August 2026.

The proceedings comprise a mix of plenary and parallel sessions, including the following plenary panels:

Wednesday 26 August 2026

  • 3 pm Assembly for Pōwhiri
  • 3.15 pm Pōwhiri (see note below)
  • 4 pm Afternoon tea
  • 4:30 pm Conference welcome
  • 4.45 pm Plenary Tahi: ‘The Law That Was Always There’: Weaving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Māori and Pasifika Knowledges Into the Law Curriculum (Justice Joseph Williams (chair), Dr Marcelle Burns, Prof Eddie  Cubillo, Maureen Malcolm, A/Prof Māmari Stephens, Dr Mele Tupou Vaitohi)
  • 6.30 pm Supper


Thursday 27 August 2026

  • 10 am Plenary Rua: The Automated State (David Goddard KC (chair), Prof Daniel Ghezelbash, Dr Darren O'Donovan, Dr Alexandra Sinclair)
  • 11.30 am Morning Tea
  • 11.45 am Parallel Session A
  • 1.15 pm Lunch
  • 2.15 pm Parallel Session B
  • 3.45 pm Afternoon Tea
  • 4.15 pm Plenary Toru: The Judiciary in an Age of Distrust (Dr Jessica Kerr (chair) Chief Justice Debbie Mortimer, Justice Vergil Los Narokobi, Chief Justice Helen Winkelmann)

Friday 28 August 2026

  • 8.30 am Parallel Session C
  • 10 am morning tea / brunch
  • 10.30 am Parallel Session D
  • 12.15 pm Plenary Whā: New Directions in Constitutionalism (Dr Elisabeth Perham (chair / discussant), Dr Joel Harrison, Justice Matthew Palmer, Prof Kristen Rundle)
  • 1:30pm Conference Close

A list of parallel panel is also now available here.

Note to proceedings on the first day

The afternoon’s proceedings commence with a pōwhiri (traditional welcome) at Te Tumu Herenga Waka, the University’s marae. Following the pōwhiri will be afternoon tea. The first plenary panel will take place in the wharenui (traditional meeting house). In accordance with marae kawa (protocol), those attending the plenary in the wharenui must be welcomed onto the marae through the pōwhiri. Conference delegates who arrive after the start of the pōwhiri or during the plenary panel are welcome to join the proceedings in the Ngā Mokopuna building adjacent to the wharenui, where the plenary panel will be simulcast by video feed. The conference dinner also takes place in Ngā Mokopuna and all delegates can attend, whether they participated in the pōwhiri or not. More details about the pōwhiri and kawa will be provided in the information pack before the conference.

Registration and Fees

  • Registration is now open and closes on Friday, 14 August 2026.
  • Register here: vuw.eventsair.com
  • Standard registration: $150: student registration: $100

Venue

The conference is hosted by the New Zealand Centre for Public Law at Victoria University of Wellington.

  • The first afternoon and evening of the conference (26 August 2026) will be hosted at Ngā Mokopuna – the University’s living pā, Kelburn campus.
  • The rest of the conference (27 and 28 August 2026) will take place at the Old Government Buildings and the law school, Pipitea campus.

Accommodation

Accommodation information

Contact

For conference enquiries, please contact: