Event Wrap UP!

On Tuesday, 17 June 2025, the Maitland Business Chamber hosted its highly anticipated “Future Ready” luncheon at the Gillieston Heights Community Hub. Well attended, the event brought together local leaders, tech experts, and policy analysts to explore how businesses can adapt and thrive in a post-election and AI-driven landscape.

Insights from the Panel: Politics, Technology & Human Judgement

The keynote presentations offered a powerful blend of political analysis and technological foresight:

• Louise Rose (KPMG) delivered a sharp post-election breakdown, noting the Labor Government’s historic majority and its commitment to policies that support community growth. Key initiatives discussed included HECS loan relief, expanded apprenticeship schemes, support for first home buyers, and superannuation reforms targeting high-balance accounts. Louise emphasized that these policies reflect a government focused on long-term investment in skills, housing, and financial equity — all crucial for regional communities like Maitland.
• Rob Dawson (Myrtec) brought a practical and grounded perspective to AI adoption. With over 15 years of experience in IT and business development, Rob stressed the importance of developing and testing business processes manually before integrating AI. He introduced the concept of “spokes and hubs” — where spokes represent individual tasks and hubs represent centralised systems — encouraging businesses to understand how their operations connect before automating them. Rob’s advice was clear: Don’t rush into AI. Know your process first, test it, and then let AI enhance it. His emphasis on strategic planning and clarity resonated with attendees, many of whom are navigating digital transformation for the first time.
• Brent O’Toole (Microsoft) expanded on the technical side of AI, reinforcing the security and reliability of embedded AI tools like Microsoft Copilot. He highlighted how these tools offer multi-layered protection protocols and are designed to be intuitive and adaptive, making them ideal for businesses looking to scale securely. Brent explained that intelligent agents will increasingly take on non-judgement-based tasks, such as data entry, scheduling, and workflow automation — freeing up human capacity for strategic and creative decision-making. However, he and the panel were unanimous in their message: AI cannot replace human judgement. In areas involving ethics, ambiguity, and complex decisions, human oversight remains essential.

Brent & Rob also urged businesses to understand the difference between embedded AI (like Copilot) and external AI (like ChatGPT), develop a clear AI policy to guide employee use and ensure alignment with business protocols, and engage with platforms like Microsoft Learn and other support agencies to build internal capability.

Our panel then shared insights into how AI is being leveraged in real-world scenarios, along with practical examples of policy implementation from their own experience

“AI is not here to replace judgment — it’s here to remove the noise!”

Local Flavours, New Connections & Young Leadership

Guests enjoyed a delicious menu curated by Slow Food Hunter Valley, a new Chamber member committed to sustainable and community-driven food practices. The Slow Food Earth Market is held on the Levee bi-monthly is well worth a visit to source our amazing local produce. The event also welcomed new members including the Sleapy’s Foundation, supporting families in crisis, and Sculpture on the Farm Dungog, celebrating creativity and their upcoming national exhibition. These additions reflect the Chamber’s growing network of purpose-driven organisations.

A standout moment of the afternoon was the formal sashing of Maitland Young Woman 2025, Gemmalla de Beuzeville-Howarth, by Mayor Philip Penfold. Gemmalla’s heartfelt speech reflected her dedication to preserving Maitland’s rich heritage and her ongoing support for local charities. Her recognition not only celebrated her personal achievements but also underscored the importance of empowering young women to lead and inspire within our community.

The Chamber is excited to continue the momentum at our next event, Future Focus with Jeff Smith, General Manager of Maitland City Council, on 24 July 2025.

Tickets are available now — join us as we explore what’s next for Maitland’s growth and innovation.

See our EVENTS PAGE for more!