Elected Member Professional Development Training 2026

Published on 17 June 2026

Elected Member Training at the LGAQ Annual Conference 2026

Morning tea and light lunch provided.

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This year we are offering Elected Members another practical, purpose-built valuable opportunity for Professional Development at Conference:

Planning with Purpose: A Councillors' guide to planning

Build the confidence, clarity and practical know-how to help shape the future of your community.

Offered for the first time, this one-day workshop equips Councillors’ with practical strategic planning foundations and Queensland planning framework knowledge to balance competing priorities and make sound development decisions.

What the course covers

• Understand the foundations of strategic planning and how councils can plan for growth, change and community need,
• Explore the Queensland planning framework, including how legislation, regional plans, planning schemes and development assessment processes work together,
• Learn how planning schemes guide decisions through strategic frameworks, LGIPs, zones, overlays, codes and assessment tables,
• Work through practical scenarios involving growth, economic development, environmental considerations, natural hazards and competing land use,
• Clarify the role of Elected Members in strategic planning, development assessment and representing community priorities,
• Practise asking the right questions through a mock development assessment exercise.

Why this training matters

Every planning decision has the potential to shape how a community grows, adapts and thrives. For Elected Members, understanding the planning system is essential to making informed, transparent and community-focused decisions that balance opportunity with responsibility.

Through interactive presentations, facilitated discussion and hands-on activities, this training session connects the technical elements of planning with the real-world challenges councillors face - from managing growth and land-use conflicts to considering resilience, liveability and long-term prosperity.

Participants will leave with practical tools, stronger strategic insight and a clearer understanding of how to contribute effectively to planning conversations and decisions that matter to their communities.

Meet your specialist planning facilitators

Nikki Huddy is an award-winning planning professional and passionate educator based in Far North Queensland. Recognised as Australian Town Planner of the Year (2020/21), Nikki is widely respected for her commitment to place-based solutions and practical planning outcomes. Working closely with local governments and communities across Queensland, Nikki helps identify opportunities that reflect local priorities, strengthen decision-making and deliver better community outcomes.

Kelly Reaston is a passionate regional advocate with more than 20 years' experience spanning planning, property and government. She believes rural and regional communities are central to Australia's future and is committed to supporting the people who help shape them. Kelly champions professional pathways that retain local talent, foster collaboration and build stronger, more resilient communities. Her practical experience and regional perspective help participants connect planning principles with the realities facing councils and communities today.

Facilitating the session together

Together, Nikki and Kelly bring a unique blend of planning expertise, local government experience and practical regional insight. Their collaborative approach helps elected members better understand the planning framework, ask informed questions and make confident decisions that support sustainable, community-focused outcomes.

Learn more about the Elected Member Training at the LGAQ Conference in 2026, contactPatricia Paolini, Business Development Manager - Training

E ppaolini@peakservices.com.au, M 0407 966 716