EMPA New Zealand 2025
The EMPA New Zealand Committee is pleased to announce that EMPA New Zealand 2025 will be held at Te Papa Tongerewa on Thursday 13 & Friday 14 November 2025!
Registrations are NOW OPEN!
Please email kiaora@createasplash.co.nz if you wish to purchase conference tickets with an invoice.
Entries for the 2025 EMPA Awards for Excellence in Emergency Communications are NOW OPEN!
EMPA New Zealand is the meeting of the voices of emergency management in New Zealand
Effective public information and connection with communities is critical to building safer and more resilient communities. The need for constant improvement in warnings, information and engagement is always a major component of Royal commissions and inquiries into natural disasters.
It is critical that we focus on improving the capability and capacity of our public information and communications staff byexposing them to research and experience of their local, interstate and overseas peers.
EMPA’s are the only EM conferences which occur in this region that provide the intense focus on communications and engagement that Australasia’s EM professionals require.
Conference Programme
One of the highlights of this year’s programme is world-renowned expert in the use of AI in Crisis Communication - Philippe Borremans. If you were at our 2024 conference, you’ll remember his fantastic online session and this year we have enticed him to travel from his home in Portugal to deliver an exclusive workshop for us.
Another major feature will be Churchill Fellow Anni Fordham, a communications specialist with a passion for emergency public information. Anni will be delivering a presentation entitled ’What does public information best practice look like around the world?’. Having recently returned from Switzerland, the United States of America, Japan and New Zealand as part of her fellowship, Anni has plenty of lessons to share.
The wellbeing of those dealing with emergency situations is now more important than ever and we’re very much looking forward to a workshop focusing on coping skills, led by NZ Police’s former lead crisis negotiator, Lance Burdett. A bestselling author, coach and renowned motivational speaker, Lance will share the lessons he’s learned from a career which has included overseeing the protection of the Prime Minister and being appointed principal security officer at both the Delhi Commonwealth Games and the London Olympics.
In addition to Philippe, Anni and Lance, we're in the process of finalising some other great speakers and workshops. We'll update you on those in the coming weeks, and look out for our full conference programme which will be available soon.
Delegates’ highlights and key take-aways from 2024
Register
Registrations are NOW OPEN. Special rates for groups of three or more are available.
Programme
The latest 2025 programme can be downloaded here.
EMPA Awards
The EMPA awards recognise excellence in emergency communications in Australia over the past year. Entries for the 2025 awards are open. More info.
Venue
Te Papa Tongarewa | 55 Cable Street | Wellington.
Almost 150 delegates attended EMPA New Zealand in 2024. Delegates came from a broad range of emergency services agencies, national government & government agencies, local & regional government, NGOs and industry groups. The EMPA Australia conference has become an important professional development and engagement event for communications specialists within the emergency management community.
