Main Conference: Tuesday, 24th February 2026

Borders as Strategic Assets in an Era of Disruption

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Rear Admiral Lee Goddard

Former Commander Maritime Border Command & Operation Sovereign Borders
Royal Australian Navy

9:00 am - 9:30 am Beyond eGate – Borders as Strategic National Assets

Michael Outram - Former Commissioner (2018-2024),, Australian Border Force
  • Deglobalisation and U.S - China Strategic Competition
  • Criminal Exploitation and Economic
  • Emerging Threats and System Vulnerabilities
  • Technology, AI, and National Resilience
  • Strategic Recommendations


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Michael Outram

Former Commissioner (2018-2024),
Australian Border Force

  • What does a secure supply chain mean for Australia in today’s multipolar world?
  • Where are the biggest blind spots in supply chain visibility for frontline agencies?
  • How do you modernise legacy systems without disrupting critical operations?
  • What builds trust when sharing data across borders and sectors?
  • Where can AI and analytics make the biggest impact on frontline decisions—and what guardrails are needed?
  • If you could redesign border tech from scratch, what capabilities are essential?



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Hans Koenderink

Assistant Commissioner Crime Command
Australian Federal Police

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Michael Outram

Former Commissioner (2018-2024),
Australian Border Force

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Evan Smith

Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder
Altana AI

10:00 am - 10:20 am Speed networking: Fast-track new connections in this high-energy session designed to introduce you to your industry peers

10:20 am - 10:50 am The Connected Border: Turning Data, Devices and Duty into One Trusted System

Rhys Hodgson - Managing Director, ANZ, Axon
  • From islands of inputs to a truly connected operational picture
  • The digitally confident frontline: Software, sensors and AI that work for officers and the public
  • Trust by design: Ethics, privacy and security in a high surveillance border
  • A roadmap to 2032: Modernising a 5% of the planet border without stopping it

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Rhys Hodgson

Managing Director, ANZ
Axon

10:50 am - 11:20 am Morning Break & Demo Zone Open

Travel & Trade Border Protection

  • Digitised cargo clearance for speed and accuracy.
  • AI/IoT to secure global supply chains.
  • Trade efficiency without compromising security.

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Commander Aaron O'Neill

Assistant Secretary Customs & Border Modernisation
Australian Border Force

11:50 am - 12:10 pm Identity at the Edge: Biometrics for Trusted Border Operations

Robert Avell - Federal Sales Manager, IDEMIA
  • Operational Certainty in Uncertain Times: How biometric identity verification supports secure, efficient border crossings amid geopolitical and technological fragmentation.
  • Modernising Without Disruption: Lessons from integrating biometric systems into legacy environments while maintaining mission-critical performance.
  • Privacy-First Innovation
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Robert Avell

Federal Sales Manager
IDEMIA

12:10 pm - 12:40 pm Futureproof Borders: Building Secure & Seamless Traveller and Trade Systems

Matt Jones - Assistant Secretary - Traveller, Cargo and Trade Systems, Department of Home Affairs
  • Technology vision for traveller and trade systems.
  • Secure, seamless border crossings.
  • Futureproofing Australia’s border IT infrastructure.



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Matt Jones

Assistant Secretary - Traveller, Cargo and Trade Systems
Department of Home Affairs

  • Smart gates, sensors, and automation in action.
  • Tech-enabled passenger and cargo screening.
  • Boosting efficiency while tightening security.



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Matt Jones

Assistant Secretary - Traveller, Cargo and Trade Systems
Department of Home Affairs

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Commander Aaron O'Neill

Assistant Secretary Customs & Border Modernisation
Australian Border Force

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Monica Collins

First Assistant Secretary | Biosecurity Operations Division
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

1:10 pm - 2:10 pm Lunch Break, Demo Zone Open

Join us in the expo hall to connect with peers, explore the latest innovations in border technology and security, and experience live demonstrations in the Demo Zone. 

Criminal Networks and Border Control: A Regional Response

2:10 pm - 2:40 pm Targeting Illicit Trade: Securing Borders Against Tobacco and E-cigarette Smuggling

Amber Shuhyta - Commissioner, Illicit Tobacco and E-cigarette, Australian Border Force
  • Understanding the Threat: How illicit tobacco and e-cigarette smuggling undermines public health, revenue, and border integrity.
  • Coordinated Enforcement: ABF’s multi-agency approach to disrupting criminal networks and supply chains.
  • Tech-Enabled Disruption: Leveraging intelligence, screening tools, and data to detect and prevent illicit flows in a fragmented global landscape.



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Amber Shuhyta

Commissioner, Illicit Tobacco and E-cigarette
Australian Border Force

2:40 pm - 3:10 pm Securing the Pacific: Disrupting Criminal Networks Across Borders

Ernie Verina - Regional Attache Oceania, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
  • Targeting Illicit Flows: How HSI is working with regional partners to detect and disrupt drug trafficking, human smuggling, and illicit trade across Pacific routes.
  • Operational Collaboration: Real-world examples of joint investigations and intelligence sharing with ABF, AFP, and Pacific law enforcement to strengthen border enforcement.
  • Building Regional Resilience: Supporting long-term capacity building, legal cooperation, and trusted networks to secure borders in a geopolitically complex region.



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Ernie Verina

Regional Attache Oceania
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)

3:10 pm - 3:40 pm Afternoon Break & Demo Zone Open

Maritime Border Security

3:40 pm - 4:10 pm Operation Sovereign Borders – Tech-Enabled Maritime Security

Rear Admiral Lee Goddard - Former Commander Maritime Border Command & Operation Sovereign Borders, Royal Australian Navy
  • Leveraging advanced surveillance to protect Australia’s maritime domain.
  • Coordinated response across Defence, Border Force, and partner agencies.
  • Tech-driven deterrence of illegal maritime ventures.

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Rear Admiral Lee Goddard

Former Commander Maritime Border Command & Operation Sovereign Borders
Royal Australian Navy

4:10 pm - 4:30 pm Next-Gen Maritime Domain Awareness & Border Security

Tom Farrow - Strategic Business Development, APAC, Planet
  • Transforming Maritime Situational Awareness: How emerging technologies, including satellites and AI, are shaping the future of maritime security.
  • Integrated Intelligence: Opportunities and challenges in fusing multiple data sources for a real-time maritime picture.
  • Responding to Evolving Threats: Using next-gen tech to detect illicit activities at sea and support operational decision-making.
  • Automation & Analyst Enablement: Enhancing workflows and accelerating insights through AI and automation.
  • Ethics & Strategic Considerations: Balancing innovation with policy, security, and trust.


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Tom Farrow

Strategic Business Development, APAC
Planet

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Rear Admiral Lee Goddard

Former Commander Maritime Border Command & Operation Sovereign Borders
Royal Australian Navy

4:45 pm - 5:45 pm Drinks Reception and Demo Zone Open

Unwind and connect with peers over drinks as the Demo Zone opens for an exclusive showcase of the latest innovations in border technology and security. Experience live demonstrations, meet solution providers driving smarter, faster, and more secure border operations, and toast to the ideas shaping the future of border management across Australia and New Zealand.