James Laughlin
7x World ChampionAuthor, Habits of High Performers
Takeaway: A repeatable framework for clarity and decision-making when pressure rises and a decision can't wait.
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General Access rises to $690 and Group of 3 closes on 1 September 2026.
Lead when it matters most.
New Zealand's conference for H&S leaders strengthening their leadership, decision-making and influence in high-risk environments.
Secure Your Seat, From $590
Group of 3 $1,620 · VIP $840
Compliance doesn't change culture. Leaders do.
New Zealand's health and safety law has changed. The Health and Safety at Work Amendment Act 2026 has been enacted and takes effect on 1 April 2027, moving critical risk to the centre of the system. Safety Summit 2026 runs before that date, the room to prepare your leadership team while there is still time to act, not react.
100+ safety leaders raised their standard at Safety Summit 2025. In 2026, the room grows to up to 300.
"That was by far the best summit I have ever attended. Keynote speakers were on point. I've got so many takeaways."
Arthur Preuss
Health and Safety Manager
"This was not your usual H&S conference. It was a day of inspiration and motivation."
Geoff Brokenshire
Company Director / H&S Consultant
"I took so many learning opportunities from the amazing speakers, both from the stage and from casual conversations."
Bernie Wesselingh
Health and Safety Compliance Supervisor
Raise your standard as a safety leader
What you walk away with.
1
Influence executive decisions
Develop the influence to be heard and respected at every level, from the frontline to the boardroom.
2
Make defensible calls
Build the confidence and frameworks to make sound, defensible decisions when critical risks escalate and time is short.
3
Align safety and operations
Walk away with practical tools to build strategic partnerships with operations and stop the constant friction for good.
Who is Safety Summit for?
Make sure this is the room you need.
This probably isn't for you if...
- You're looking for a passive seminar experience.
- You're happy ticking boxes and calling it safety leadership.
Safety Summit 2026 is for you if...
- You're responsible, formally or informally, for influencing safety outcomes.
- You feel the weight of knowing your leadership quality determines the outcome in high-stakes moments.
- You want practical frameworks for defensible decisions when critical risks escalate.
- You're ready to move beyond compliance and lead with real authority.
Choose your ticket
All prices exclude GST · Non-refundable but fully transferable at no extra charge · Full comparison and inclusions below.
Learn from people who've led under pressure
Keynote speakers.
Dr Alia Bojilova
Former SAS Lead PsychologistAuthor, The Resilience Toolkit
Takeaway: Practical tools for maintaining clarity and control in your next high-consequence moment.
Moni Hogg
Safety Differently SpecialistAuthor, Discovering the New View of Safety
Takeaway: Practical tools for embedding a human-centred approach to risk that strengthens culture from the inside out.
Matt Jones
Founder, NZ Health and Safety ProfessionalsAuthor, Raise the Standard
Takeaway: A clear-eyed view of where your safety leadership actually sits, and a practical path to strengthen it.
Workshop facilitators.
Nicola Knobel
Risk Professional of the Year 2026, LLMAuthor and TEDx Speaker
Takeaway: A practical framework for navigating the legal and governance landscape without losing real-world outcomes.
Paaka Westrupp
South Island Health and Safety ManagerFulton Hogan
Takeaway: How to connect leadership intent to frontline work, with critical risk as a practical example of strategy in action.
Matt Williams
Founder, Better TrainingAuthor, Moments That Matter
Takeaway: A practical way to turn what your people already know into what they actually do when it counts.
Dave Greenberg
25 years, 4,000+ missions. Certified Speaking ProfessionalEmergency Preparedness Services
Takeaway: An honest read on whether your leadership would hold when it counts, and the tools to close that gap.
Expert panel: Integrity Under Pressure.
Four experts. One conversation. Three confirmed, fourth announced soon.
Claire Pattinson
Recruitment Support Advisor: H&STradestaff
Marcus Bathan
Chief Operations OfficerVertical Horizonz New Zealand
Wayne Marriott
Foundation SponsorMediator and Organisational OmbudsFleetwood Group
Fourth panellist
announced soon
Panel
announced soon
To be announced
The fourth seat on the panel is being confirmed.
Safety Summit 2026 is brought to you by
Gold Sponsor
Supported by
15 October 2026, The Majestic, Christchurch
The day, unfolded.
Doors at 8:15am, drinks from 5:00pm. Four keynotes, one panel and two workshop rounds where you choose your room.
Every session time below is a start time
Workshops run in parallel, you attend two of the four
Full catering all day by White Tie
8:15am45 min
Registration
Registration & Arrival Coffee
Doors open at 8:15am. Collect your badge, get a coffee and find your table before the room fills.
9:00am45 min
Keynote
Welcome & Opening Keynote
Matt Jones, Host
A clear-eyed view of where your safety leadership actually sits, and a practical path to strengthen it.
9:45am45 min
Keynote
Performance & Psychosocial Risk
Practical tools for maintaining clarity and control in your next high-consequence moment.
10:30am30 min
Break
Morning Break & Connection Tables
Structured networking, not a scrum. Connection tables let you book a 1:1 rather than hope you bump into the right person.
11:00am5 min
Performance Reset
Performance Reset
Luke Taylor, Taylored
A five minute whole-room reset built to pull your attention back before the next session starts.
11:05am45 min
Keynote
Human-Centred Safety Culture
Practical tools for embedding a human-centred approach to risk that strengthens culture from the inside out.
11:50am45 min
Panel
Expert Panel: Integrity Under Pressure
Claire Pattinson, Marcus Bathan, Wayne Marriott and a fourth panellist to be announced
Four experts, one conversation, on what integrity actually costs when the pressure is real and the easy call is the wrong one.
12:35pm60 min
Break
Lunch
Full catering by White Tie. A proper hour, so the conversations you started in the morning have somewhere to go.
1:35pm5 min
Performance Reset
Performance Reset
Luke Taylor, Taylored
The post-lunch dip is predictable. This is the five minutes that deals with it.
1:40pm40 min
Workshop 1
Workshop Round 1
Two rooms, same time. Choose one.
Room A
Paaka Westrupp
How to connect leadership intent to frontline work, with critical risk as a practical example of strategy in action.
or
Room B
Nicola Knobel
A practical framework for navigating the legal and governance landscape without losing real-world outcomes.
2:20pm40 min
Workshop 2
Workshop Round 2
Two rooms, same time. Choose one.
Room A
Matt Williams
A practical way to turn what your people already know into what they actually do when it counts.
or
Room B
Dave Greenberg
An honest read on whether your leadership would hold when it counts, and the tools to close that gap.
3:00pm30 min
Break
Afternoon Break & Connection Tables
Second run at the connection tables, with the workshops fresh enough to actually talk about.
3:30pm5 min
Performance Reset
Performance Reset
Luke Taylor, Taylored
Last reset of the day, ahead of the closing keynote.
3:35pm45 min
Keynote
Closing Keynote: Decision-Making Under Pressure
A repeatable framework for clarity and decision-making when pressure rises and a decision can't wait.
4:20pm40 min
Wrap-Up
Wrap-Up & Book Launch: Raise the Standard
The day pulled together into what you do on Monday, and the launch of Raise the Standard: Integrity and Influence in High-Risk Organisations. Every delegate is handed a signed paperback at the close.
5:00pm60 min
Networking
Drinks & Connection
The part of the day where the year's most useful contact usually turns up. Stay for it.
Choose your ticket
Lead with certainty.
General Access
$590
$590 until 1 Sept, rising to $690 after. Excludes GST.
- Full-day access to Safety Summit 2026
- Four keynote sessions and the expert panel
- Two workshop rounds, choose your room
- Structured networking, plus booked 1:1s at connection tables
- Full catering all day by White Tie
- Post-event session recordings
- A signed paperback of Raise the Standard, handed to you at the close
- Access to the NZHSP Connect community
Non-refundable but fully transferable at no extra charge. 300 seats, one room.
Group of 3
$1,620
Save $150 against three single seats. Excludes GST.
- Everything in General Access, for three attendees
- The strongest play for an H&S manager bringing operations and an exec into the room
- Learn as a team, implement as a team back at work
Group rate closes 1 September.
VIP Performance Experience
$840
Built with performance specialist Luke Taylor, Taylored. Excludes GST.
- Exclusive VIP dinner 14 October, with a performance priming session
- Sleep Pack delivered to your door in advance
- All-day access to the VIP Performance Lab, 3 to 20 minute resets on demand
- Priority seating throughout the main event
- 12 months premium tier membership inside NZHSP Connect
Only 25 VIP seats.
FAQs
Still have questions?
When and where is Safety Summit 2026?
Thursday 15 October 2026 at The Majestic on Durham, 189 Durham Street South, Christchurch Central City. Centrally located, within walking distance of hotels, cafes and parking buildings.
What's included in my ticket?
All tickets include full-day access to keynote presentations and panel sessions, structured networking, full catering, session recordings post-event, and access to NZHSP Connect.
Are ticket prices inclusive or exclusive of GST?
All prices shown are exclusive of GST, which is added at checkout.
Can my organisation pay by invoice or purchase order?
Yes. Email info@safetysummit.co.nz with your PO number and we'll issue an invoice.
Is the venue accessible?
Yes. The Majestic on Durham is a modern, easily accessible venue, including step-free access for wheelchair users.
Is accommodation available nearby?
Plenty. The venue sits centrally in the Christchurch CBD, close to a wide range of hotels including Christchurch City Hotel, The Observatory Hotel and BreakFree on Cashel.
Does attending count towards CPD?
Safety Summit is genuinely valuable professional development, but it does not carry formally recognised CPD units or hours through any professional body. If your organisation or association tracks CPD internally, keep your own record of attendance.
Can I substitute an attendee on a Group of 3 ticket?
Yes. The same transfer process applies, email the new attendee's name and details to info@safetysummit.co.nz before 8 October 2026 so we can update registration and catering.
Is there parking nearby?
There is no dedicated on-site parking. Wilson Parking and Christchurch City Council parking buildings are within easy walking distance, and metered street parking is also available. We recommend arriving early.
What is the cancellation policy?
Tickets are non-refundable but fully transferable at no extra charge. If you can't attend, send a colleague in your place, email their name and address to info@safetysummit.co.nz before 8 October 2026.
Will sessions be recorded?
Yes. Session recordings will be made available post-event, with access details provided closer to the date.
Secure your ticket today.
15 October 2026, The Majestic on Durham, Christchurch
Secure Your SeatsPrices rise 1 September.