Good morning everyone,
I would like to begin by thanking John Bennett OAM, President of the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales, and Brock Gilmour, Chief Executive for hosting us here at the 2026 Sydney Royal Easter Show.
It’s a privilege to be here as your Independent Chair and to speak on behalf of the Board.
This past year has been a defining one for ASA.
A most significant achievement has been the development and endorsement of the ASA Strategic Plan 2026–2028.
What makes this plan important is not just what’s in it – but how it was created.
A highly engaged, member-led process.
It was shaped through roundtables, workshops, stakeholder interviews, Menti polling and surveys, and member engagement here at Sydney Royal and in Adelaide.
The level of engagement from members was outstanding – thank you.
This plan reflects your input, your priorities, and your collective vision.
We now have four clear priorities:
- building a sustainable ASA,
- strengthening our one national voice,
- creating member value, and
- investing in youth and community engagement.
Encouragingly, we are already seeing traction.
One of the most positive shifts this year has been the uplift in our Working Groups.
Across:
- National Competitions — Geoff Bush
- Emerging Leaders — Joshua Antonio
- Rural Ambassadors — Peter Angus
and our newer groups:
- Advocacy & Communications — Robyn Sermon
- Resourcing & Funding — Brendan Christou
We are seeing stronger engagement and contribution.
This model of distributed leadership is working.
It’s enabling more people across the ASA network to actively shape and deliver our shared priorities.
We’re also seeing stronger collaboration across the system.
Royal shows are contributing capability – from HR support through RASWA to communications support from the Ekka – creating real value for ASA and for members.
Every show has something important to contribute.
And together, we are stronger.
Across Australia, agricultural shows continue to demonstrate resilience and relevance.
We are seeing strong attendance, deep community connection, and extraordinary commitment from volunteers.
But we are also seeing increasing pressure:
- rising costs and financial sustainability challenges,
- insurance and compliance requirements,
- volunteer recruitment and succession, and
- the need to remain relevant in a more competitive event landscape.
These are shared challenges across the network.
At the same time, we are seeing innovation – attracting younger volunteers, strengthening agricultural education, and finding new ways to engage communities.
Balancing legacy with innovation is one of enduring challenges, and opportunities for the show movement.
This is where ASA matters.
Our role is not to replace what happens locally – but to strengthen it.
We do that by:
- providing a national voice,
- connecting shows and enabling shared learning, and
- delivering programs, tools and forums that support members in practical ways.
We are also placing greater emphasis on listening – capturing insights from across the network and feeding that back into ASA to inform action.
Because ASA is only as strong as its connection to its members.
We have also seen an important shift in our Emerging Leaders.
They are now an embedded part of ASA – including representation at Board level and an active Working Group.
This is a strong signal for the future of leadership across the show movement.
Over the past year, ASA has continued to strengthen its role in communications, advocacy, funding and resourcing.
This includes:
- completion of the Global Metrics Taskforce,
- progress toward a national Economic and Social Impact Study,
- early engagement with government and key stakeholders including representation in Canberra alongside Katie Stanley, supported by our National Rural Ambassador Grace Collins and finalist Dylan Belchambers, Bruce Wright from AAFDA and Toni Rolls President of Royal Canberra Show.
- ongoing work to expand partnerships and explore new funding pathways.
A strong national voice matters.
We’ve seen that in the past particularly during COVID – and we may well need it again.
We have also seen strong delivery across ASA programs and events.
Including:
- National Championships,
- youth programs such as Rural Ambassadors and Young Judges and Paraders, and
- strong progress toward the 2027 ASA Conference in Canberra.
These programs continue to build connection, capability and pride across the movement.
I would like to thank all members for your ongoing support and commitment to ASA. Your engagement is what gives this organisation its strength and relevance.
I also acknowledge my fellow Directors for their commitment and stewardship.
In particular:
- thank you to Tim Capp for his significant contribution as he steps off the Board (add JWS personal note)
I also acknowledge the passing of Bill Trend, former President of FCAS, and a long-standing contributor to national competitions.
We also recognise the inaugural ASA Honour Award presented to Dr Rob Wilson last year.
Finally, I thank our Executive Officer Katie Stanley, along with Sue Sharpe, Heather Earney, and our Working Group Chairs and members.
Agricultural shows remain one of the most important ways we connect Australians with agriculture, with community, and with each other.
Through ASA, we can:
learn from each other,
support each other,
and strengthen the future of agricultural shows across Australia together.
Thank you. It is an honour to serve you as your Independent Chair.