Draft program is subject to change.
SATURDAY 14th June 2024
12:00 – 1:00 - Registration and Welcome Lunch
1:00 – 1:10 - Welcome - Tim Jarvis, BookPeople President
1:10 – 1:20 - Welcome to Country
1:20 – 1:45 - CEO Update - Robbie Egan
Robbie Egan speaks on key issues for bookselling and the ongoing work of the association.
1:45 – 2:15 - Opening Keynote - Sally Rippin, Australian Children's Laureate 2024 and 2025
Sally Rippin is Australia’s highest-selling female author and has written over 100 books for children and young adults, many of them award-winning. Sally knows not every child finds it easy to read. During her two years as Laureate, she has been travelling across Australia talking about the many ways we can share stories, and support kids who might struggle to learn to read.
In partnership with the Australian Children’s Laureate Foundation and Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing
2:15 – 3:00 - Nielsen Report - Bianca Whiteley
Always a must-see at conference, Bianca will present the annual Nielsen state of the industry report, analysing trends and current data around sales in the Australian market.
Sponsored by NielsenIQ BookData
3:00 – 3:20 - Afternoon Tea - Sponsored by Wombat Books
3:20 – 4:15 - The Power of Yes: Unlocking Unexpected Revenue
Discover how booksellers are transforming their businesses by embracing new opportunities. This panel explores a variety of income streams—loyalty programs, subscriptions, pop-ups, and events—all by simply saying YES. Learn how blending business models (retail-event space, bookstore-café) is reshaping the future of bookselling. Hosted by Jaye Chin-Dusting owner of Mary Martin Bookshops
Panelists:
- Cholm Johnson - Bright and Early Books
- Jane Turner - Gertrude & Alice Café Bookstore
- Michael Weibler - Books@Stones
4:15 – 5:00 - Redefining Success: Reinvention, Resilience & Risk-Taking
What does it take to overcome setbacks, redefine success, and forge your own path? In this dynamic session, Melissa Leong and Kate Reid share their journeys of reinvention—Melissa from food writer to MasterChef judge, Kate from Formula 1 to Lune Croissanterie—offering insights on resilience, risk-taking, and personal growth. Chaired by bookseller Christine Gordon.
5:00 – 7:00 - Saturday Cocktail Party - Special guest speaker Sofie Laguna
Join us at the Saturday Cocktail Party to hear from multi award-winning author Sofie Laguna. Sofie’s forthcoming adult novel The Underworld will be published by Penguin Random House in October and is for every reader you know; thinkers, laughers, empaths, quirky folk, queer folk, nostalgists, the young and those getting on. Readers seeking a happy ending and anyone ready to feel. Anyone who has ever been fourteen.
Sponsored by Penguin Random House Australia
Saturday evening is free time for delegates.
SUNDAY 15th June 2024
8:00 – 8:30 - Foyer - coffee and tea available
8:30 – 8:35 - Welcome Back to Day Two
8:35 – 9:20 - Bookseller Ideas Exchange Session
Back by popular demand after last year’s success! This interactive session is all about sharing your best business ideas. Conference is a time to cross-pollinate, learn from, and be inspired by your peers. In this session, members will have the opportunity to present ideas that have become success stories for their business.
9:20 – 10:00 - Panel Session - Behind the Covers: Inside the World of Children's Publishing
Ever wondered how children's books are chosen, developed, and brought to market? Join a panel of experienced children's publishers as they take you behind the scenes. From commissioning manuscripts to selecting covers and planning publicity campaigns, this session will shed light on the business and creative decisions that shape what lands on bookshop shelves. Hosted by Anna Sheen owner of Quick Brown Fox Bookshop
Panellists:
- Clair Hume - Thames & Hudson
- Chren Byng - Hardie Grant Publishing
- Matt Hoy - Allen & Unwin
10:00 – 10:20 - Morning Tea - Sponsored by TitlePage
10:20 – 11:00 - A Passion for Pages or Skills for Sustainability - Why Not Both?
Loving books isn’t enough, sustainability requires strategy. Independent booksellers face shifting workforce trends, digital disruption, and rising competition. Brought to you by Service and Creative Skills Australia (SaCSA), this session explores the skills and leadership needed to balance passion with practical business investment, ensuring long-term success in an evolving market.
11:00 – 11:45 - Indies Supporting Indies
Independent publishers and bookshops are the heart of Australia’s literary landscape—championing risk-taking, diversity, and fresh voices. This lively discussion will explore how indie publishers and booksellers can deepen collaboration, build resilience, and navigate industry challenges together. Gain practical insights and fresh ideas to sustain and grow the indie ecosystem—ensuring bold, innovative storytelling continues to thrive. Hosted by Robert Watkins - Ultimo Press
Panellists:
- Alex Allan - Fremantle Press
- Letitia Davy - Gleebooks
- Tim Jarvis - Fullers Bookshop
- Nick Tapper - Giramondo Publishing
Sponsored by Independent Publishers Committee (IPC)
11:45 – 12:00 - ILF presentation
The ILF will share an overview of their upcoming activities.
12:00 – 1:00 - Lunch
12:00 – 3:00 - Trade Exhibition
3:00 – 3:40 - Who We Are: Storytelling and Identity with Narelda Jacobs, Karina Natt and Evelyn Araluen
What does it mean to tell your own story—and why does it matter? In this compelling session, co-authors Narelda Jacobs and Karina Natt discuss their feel-good adult picture book If Queers Weren’t Meant to Have Kids before flipping the mic and interviewing award-winning poet and writer Evelyn Araluen whose new collection The Rot is coming in November. This panel is a celebration of queer parenthood, First Nations culture, activism and will reshape how we see ourselves and each other.
Sponsored by UQP
3:40 – 4:00 - Afternoon Tea
4:00 – 4:45 - Member Forum
Robbie Egan and the BookPeople management committee will discuss and take questions on the association’s initiatives and plans. Member-only session.
4:45 – 5:00 - Annual General Meeting
Member-only session
6:30 – 7:30 - Pre-dinner Drinks - Special Guest Speaker Zoe Terakes
Zoe is a talented actor, performer and now they are showing us they are a brilliant storyteller. Zoe is using their platform to show that queer and trans love has always existed. In this conversation, Zoe reclaims their space and stories and will discuss how they stopped fighting their body and societal expectations to become their authentic self. Their debut book Eros, a collection of short stories recounting a number of different queer Greek myths, is being published in October
Zoe will be in conversation with their publisher Vanessa Radnidge
Sponsored by Hachette Australia
7:30 – 10:30 - Gala Dinner and Awards Night
Our guest MC is the passionate Jacinta Parsons, broadcaster, writer, and champion of bookshops and booksellers.
The special guest dinner speaker is the multi-award-winning author Trent Dalton.
Trent is a two-time Walkley Award-winning journalist and the international bestselling author of Boy Swallows Universe, All Our Shimmering Skies, Love Stories and Lola in the Mirror. His books have sold over 1.2 million copies in Australia alone. Insightful and generous, Trent is a passionate supporter of independent bookshops and a captivating storyteller. Expect an evening filled with inspiration, laughter, and a deep appreciation for the role of booksellers in bringing stories to life.
Sponsored by HarperCollins Australia
MONDAY 16th June 2024
8:00 – 8:30 - Foyer - coffee and tea available
8:30 – 9:00 - Nielsen BookScan Lite
BookScan Australia has been supporting independent booksellers for over two decades. For the first time in BookScan Australia history, independent booksellers now have access to their weekly reports within the newly launched BookScan Online platform. Join the BookScan team for this 30 minute session for tips on how to make the most of this data. NOTE - member-only session
Sponsored by NielsenIQ BookData
9:00 – 9:50 - Industry Forum
The annual forum to hear and discuss different perspectives on key aspects of our industry. Chaired by Gavin Williams owner of Matilda Books
Panellists:
- Julie Burland - Pengiun Random House
- Nick Croydon - QBD Books
- Lucy Hayward - Australian Society of Authors (ASA)
9:50 – 10:40 - Author Panel - Love is a Battlefield
Publisher Jane Palfreyman in conversation with four insightful storytellers Madeleine Gray, Erin Hortle, Bri Lee and Kate Mildenhall.
Sponsored by Simon & Schuster
10:40 – 11:00 - Morning Tea
11:00 – 11:50 - Hypothetical
After last year’s hugely successful session we are bringing it back for another round of lively debate, sharp insights, and plenty of laughs with Robert Skinner at the helm!
11:50 – 12:30 - Australia Reads - The Future of Bookselling
How can booksellers use insights from The Understanding Australian Readers report to build a stronger, more sustainable future? Anna Burkey (Australia Reads) joins young booksellers to explore how we turn data into action—reaching infrequent readers, breaking down barriers to book buying, and creating strategies that drive both reading rates and bookshop success. Discover how to make books and bookshops essential in more Australians’ lives —now and for the future.
12:30 – 1:00 - Closing keynote - Heather Rose
Heather is one of Australia’s finest writers with work spanning literary fiction, magical realism, crime fiction, political fiction, fantasy and memoir. Her awards include the Christina Stead Prize, the Stella Prize, ABIA Award for General Fiction and the Davitt Award for Best Crime. Heather will join us as to introduce her magnificent new novel A Great Act of Love which Allen & Unwin will publish in October 2025.
Sponsored by Allen & Unwin
1:00 – 2.00 - Bistro Suzette Lunch with Heather Rose
Join Heather Rose and your conference colleagues for a special final lunch in the Sofitel’s Bistro Suzette.