Early bird registration is now open for the inaugural Infrastructure Regulation Symposium.
- Date: Tuesday 24 November 2026
- Where: Rydges, 75 Featherston Street, central Wellington
This full-day, in-person event brings together people from across New Zealand's electricity, water, gas, airports and telecommunications sectors — including regulators, policymakers, infrastructure providers, customer advocates, investors and industry leaders.
Infrastructure faces growing pressure from changing technologies, climate impacts, investment needs, affordability and equity challenges and evolving customer expectations. This Symposium will bring together diverse perspectives to these pressures, and explore the future of infrastructure regulation.
Supported by the Commerce Commission, join sector leaders for a day of practical discussion, cross-sector insights and debate on the opportunities and challenges ahead.
Register
Early bird registrations are now open.
- Early bird tickets are available until 31 August 2026 for $800 plus GST.
- Tickets purchased from 1 September 2026 will be $950 plus GST.
Places are limited, and registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Register here through our event site
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Programme
The programme sessions are confirmed, with speakers now being finalised. We're confirming an outstanding group of speakers from across government, regulators, infrastructure networks and industry. As more speakers are finalised, they will be added to the programme below.
Time |
Session |
Overview |
Speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00am | Registration and networking | Arrival, registration and refreshments | MC: Nick Russ, Lead - Water Services and Network Industries, Martin Jenkins |
| 8:30am | Welcome and opening remarks | Opening reflections on the purpose of infrastructure regulation and the role of customers in shaping future regulatory outcomes. | Nigel Barbour, Chair, ENA |
| 8:45am | Lessons from the UK | Exploring lessons from recent UK regulatory reforms and what New Zealand can learn from them. | To be announced |
| 9:15am | Regulation in transition: the future of infrastructure regulation | Senior regulatory leaders discuss the forces reshaping infrastructure regulation and the challenges that will define the next decade. | Grainne Moss, Chief Executive and Secretary for Regulation, Ministry for Regulation |
| 9:50am | Funding the future: investment, affordability and risk | A discussion on investment, affordability, regulatory certainty and the conditions required to support long-term infrastructure development. | John Loughlin, Chair, Powerco Jenna Raeburn, General Manager of Corporate Affairs, Wellington Airport |
| 10:30am | Morning tea | ||
| 11:00am | From regulation to stewardship: knowing when to shift course | When should regulation evolve, step back or be removed altogether? A cross-sector discussion on competition, innovation and regulatory stewardship. | Facilitator: Simon Peart, Partner, Chapman Tripp. Panel members: Alex McMinn, Head of Regulatory System Capability, Ministry for Regulation Charlie Littlewood, Head of Regulation, Enable Sara McFall, Head of Systems, Strategy, and Performance, Taumata Arowai (the Water Services Authority) |
| 11:45am | Beyond the rulebook: from frameworks to outcomes | Senior leaders from infrastructure providers, customer organisations and major users discuss whether regulation is delivering the outcomes it was designed to achieve. | Panel: Craig Young, Chief Executive Officer, TUANZ Karen Boyes, Executive Director, Major Electricity Users’ Group (MEUG) Mark Toner, Chief Public Policy and Regulatory Officer, Vector |
| 12:45pm | Lunch | ||
| 1:45pm | Lessons from Australia: putting customers first | Australian perspectives on customer-centred regulation, pricing reform and designing infrastructure systems around the needs of households and communities. | Danielle Beinart, Executive General Manager of Networks and Technical, Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) Kari Dahlgren, Senior Lecturer, Monash University |
| 2:30pm | Beyond the bill: what role should utilities play in addressing hardship? | Exploring the relationship between infrastructure, affordability and social outcomes, and where responsibility for hardship support should sit. | Facilitator: John Hancock, Signature Consulting Panel: Vhari McWha, Director, Sapere Gillian Blythe, Chief Executive, Water NZ Mike Fox, Chief Executive, The Lines Company |
| 3:15pm | Afternoon tea | ||
| 3:45pm | The cost of distance: fairness, service and the future of rural infrastructure | Discussion of the regulatory and pricing challenges created by geography, customer density and the cost of serving diverse communities. | Facilitator: Will Taylor, Managing Director, Nera Panel: Greg Anderson, National Board Member, Federated Farmers Nigel Barbour, Group Chief Executive, Orion |
| 4:30pm | Debate | For the final session, senior leaders will go head-to-head, sharing different perspectives on infrastructure regulation. Expect an honest but constructive debate that's thought-provoking, interactive and well worth staying until the end. | To be announced on the day |
| 5:20pm | Closing reflections | Drawing together the key themes from the day and looking ahead to the future of infrastructure regulation. | MC: Nick Russ, Lead - Water Services and Network Industries, Martin Jenkins |
| 5:30pm | Networking reception | Join speakers, panellists and fellow attendees for networking drinks and canapés. |
Event refunds
Our full refund policy can be found here: event registration refund policy.
