News Corp Australia has confirmed the return of its regional advocacy event, the National Bush Summit, with the 2025 program set to focus on the growing divide between metropolitan and regional Australia and the urgent challenges facing rural communities.
Presented by National Presenting Partner, Hancock Prospecting and S Kidman, the multi-stop summit will travel across six regional centres: Broome, Mount Gambier, Toowoomba, Wagga Wagga, Ballarat, and Darwin.
The event will begin on Wednesday, 20 August and finish on Monday 1 September, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese scheduled to deliver the keynote address in Ballarat.
Now in its sixth year, the Bush Summit agenda for 2025 includes policy discussions on natural disaster response, cost of living, energy, infrastructure, healthcare, housing, education, trade, and red and green tape reform.
Michael Miller
News Corp Australasia Executive Chairman Michael Miller said the initiative continues to make a tangible difference in regional policy outcomes.
"The Bush Summit continues to be a catalyst for action and has delivered tangible solutions to the unique challenges faced by the regions of Australia," he said. "Together with Hancock Prospecting and S Kidman and our partners we are able to amplify rural voices, celebrate bush life, and drive meaningful change. This enduring initiative underscores News’ unwavering commitment to ensuring regional Australia's stories are heard.”
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Hancock Prospecting and S Kidman return as presenting partners for the third consecutive year. S Kidman CEO Adam Giles described the situation in regional communities as critical.
“Regional Australia is the engine room of our nation - but businesses are failing in record numbers," he said. "These are not just numbers, but real people, mums and dads and families, many of whom had been operating successfully in our country for decades.
"There is also a growing divide between government and regional areas and this needs to be addressed," he added.
Giles confirmed that Executive Chair Gina Rinehart will open the 2025 series in Broome with a keynote address titled, '20/20 vision, or vision blurred by ideology.'
“She will be addressing the need to tackle issues important to the bush and to Australia’s future, not with ideologies or blurred vision, but with much needed truth, facts and rationale, 20/20 vision!,” he said.
A nationwide editorial campaign will accompany the summit across The Australian, Herald Sun, The Daily Telegraph, The Courier-Mail, The Advertiser, NT News, The Toowoomba Chronicle, The Weekly Times, and AgJournal. Coverage of all live events will also be broadcast on Sky News Australia.
The Bush Summit has become a central platform for rural advocacy in Australia, combining journalism, stakeholder dialogue, and high-level political engagement in a touring format designed to reflect and respond to local.
