Speakers

Hon. Scott Morrison served as the 30th Prime Minister of Australia from 2018 to 2022,
As Prime Minister, Mr Morrison successfully led Australia through the global COVID 19 pandemic.

Under Mr Morrison’s leadership Australia had the third lowest COVID fatality rate in the OECD
while Australia’s economy outperformed all G7 and almost all OECD economies, making it one of
the most effective public health and economic responses in the world.

As Prime Minister, Mr Morrison was the architect and founder of the AUKUS trilateral defence
agreement between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. He was a founding member
of the Quad leaders dialogue with Indian PM Modi, Japanese PMs Suga and Kishida and United
States President Biden. As PM, Mr Morrison also completed numerous other diplomatic, trade and
defence agreements, including the first post Brexit free trade agreement with the UK, the first ever
bilateral defence forces reciprocal access agreement with Japan and the first ever comprehensive
strategic partnership agreement with ASEAN.

Domestically, Mr Morrison steered the Australian economy to its lowest unemployment rate in almost
50 years, balancing the federal budget before the pandemic hit and returning it to a structural surplus.

He ensured Australia remained one of only nine countries in the world to maintain a AAA credit
rating from all major international credit rating agencies.

Prior to becoming Prime Minister, Mr Morrison served as a Cabinet Minister for five years, including
three years as Federal Treasurer (2015-2018) as well as Minister for Immigration and Border
Protection, where he designed and implemented Australia’s highly successful border protection
policy, Operation Sovereign Borders. Mr Morrison served on both the National Security Committee
of Cabinet and the Cabinet Expenditure Review (Budget) Committee for eight years, and as the
Member for the electorate of Cook in the Australian House of Representatives from 2007 to 2024.

As Prime Minister, Mr Morrison was awarded the honour of Chief Commander of the United States
Legion of Merit by President Trump, The Jerusalem Prize by the World Zionist Council and the
inaugural Grotius Prize for International Relations from UK Policy Exchange.

Mr Morrison is now non executive Vice Chairman of US geo-political advisory firm, American
Global Strategies, non executive Chairman of Space Centre Australia and Principal of his own
Australian based consulting firm, Triginta Advisory. He also serves on several global strategic
advisory boards in the private sector as well as the International Democracy Union, the Center for a
New American Security and the Hudson Institute China Center.

Mr Morrison holds a Bachelor of Applied Science with Honours in Economic Geography from the
University of New South Wales, in Sydney, where he graduated in 1990. In 2024 Mr Morrison’s
Christian memoir, Plans for Your Good, was published by Harper Collins. Mr Morrison is married to
Jenny, they have two teenage daughters and live in Sydney, Australia.

Eric Philips is an Australian polar explorer, adventurer, guide and private astronaut, renowned for his pioneering expeditions across Earth’s most extreme environments.

Eric has led numerous self-supported ski expeditions across major icecaps, including those in Greenland, Ellesmere Island, Iceland, Svalbard, Patagonia, and Antarctica. Notably, he became the first Australian, alongside companion Jon Muir, to ski to both the North and South Poles, locations he has since trekked to more than 20 times. In 1998–99, he completed a 1,425 km ski expedition from McMurdo Station to the South Pole via the untrodden Shackleton Glacier, one of four new rotes he has pioneered to the Earth’s most southerly point.

In 1999, Eric founded Icetrek Expeditions and Equipment, a company specialising in polar guiding and equipment design. He also co-founded the International Polar Guides Association (IPGA) and co-created the Polar Expeditions Classification Scheme (PECS).

In April 2025, at age 62, Eric participated in the Fram2 mission - the first human spaceflight to orbit over the Poles. Launched from Cape Canaveral aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, the mission completed 55 orbits over 3.6 days at an altitude of approximately 430 km. He became the first Australian to fly to orbit under the Australian flag and the fourth Australian in space.

James Palmer MEM, CompIEAust, EngExecFounder, Space Centre Australia
As the founder of Space Centre Australia, James has over 20 years’ experience as a Chartered Engineering Executive Leader.
James began his career as a submariner in the Royal Australian Navy. During this time, he gained extensive experience in engineering vehicles to withstand hostile conditions, both deep underwater and in space.

As CEO and Owner of Space Centre Australia, James specialises in project management, engineering, environmental science, land management, andof course, space systems. James’ educational achievements include a Master of Philosophy from the Queensland University of Technology, a Master of Business Administration from the University of South Australia, and a Master of Engineering Management from Southern Cross University.

Growing up in 1980s USA, Katie fell in love with Space as a small child and has been working in the domain since 2021 (if you can dream it, you CAN do it – Space needs everyone!) after COVID upturned her successful Fashion Photography business and deposited her in the Australian Public Service. Katie’s career has also included time as an Executive Support Guru, Recruiter and Retail whiz in the early days. Currently working in the Australian Space Agency’s International Partnerships team, Katie has also worked in Civil Space Policy and National Missions.

A passionate advocate for Women, Diversity and Inclusion in STE(A)M, and a personal supporter of events and organisations which encourage all to consider a career in STE(A)M, Katie also has a particular interest in First Nations connections to Sky and Country and appreciates the sharing of learning and experiences.

Katie cares deeply about being a champion for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, not only in her workplace but also through external activities, and takes great pride in leading by example, consideration and intent.

Easily recognised by her warm smile, colourful outfits and Space themed accessories – Katie’s unique conversation starters have helped build genuine connections with her ever-growing network of peers who support the belief that we should seek to lift others as we ourselves rise.
Katie is an alumni of Melbourne Business School’s “Women’s Leadership Program”, is a Masters level member of the Australian Human Resources Institute, member of the Women in Aviation/Aerospace Australia organisation and an inaugural committee member of the Australian Space Diversity Alliance. She is currently completing her PSMP through QUT. She participates as a mentor in programs which focus on supporting young women in the Space arena.

In her downtime, Katie can be found keeping her hand in Photography (both Film and Digital), working on Vintage Sportscars and getting the living room “just right” (for the thousandth time, much to her cats’ displeasure).

Steven Freeland is Emeritus Professor of International Law at Western Sydney University, where he was previously the Dean of the School of Law, and Professorial Fellow at Bond University. He also holds Visiting or Adjunct positions at various other Universities/Institutes in Copenhagen, Vienna, Toulouse, Hong Kong, Montreal, Kuala Lumpur, Vancouver, Mumbai and London. Prior to becoming an academic, he had a 20-year career as an international commercial lawyer and an investment banker. He is a government-appointed Member of the Australian Space Agency Advisory Board and has been an advisor to the Australian, New Zealand, Norwegian and several other Governments on issues relating to national space legislative frameworks and policy. He has represented the Australian Government at Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS) meetings and, in June 2021, was appointed by UNCOPUOS as Vice-Chair of a 5-year Working Group addressing issues related to the exploration, exploitation and utilisation of space resources. He has also been a Visiting Professional within the Appeals Chamber at the International Criminal Court, and a Special Advisor to the Danish Foreign Ministry in matters related to the International Criminal Court. He is a co-Principal of specialised space law firm Azimuth Advisory and is also a Director of the International Institute of Space Law, a Member of the Space Law Committee of the International Law Association and a Member of the Space Law and War Crimes Committees of the International Bar Association. In addition to co-Editing the Annotated Leading Cases of International Criminal Tribunals book series, he also sits on the Editorial Board / Advisory Board of several internationally recognised academic journals.

Dr Rebecca Allen is the Co-Director of the Space Technology and Industry Institute at Swinburne University of Technology. She completed her PhD in Astrophysics at Swinburne where she used information from powerful telescopes like the Hubble Space Telescope to study the evolution and growth of galaxies going back to when the Universe was barely a billion years old. Now, Dr Allen applies her scientific expertise to help support Australia's growing space industry. To this end, she supports the translation of cutting-edge research in areas such as microgravity experimentation and Earth observation to build climate change resilient communities and support innovations for Earth. When she’s not studying space or sending things there, she’s inspiring and empowering future space leaders by communicating the wonders of the Universe and creating immersive, hands-on learning experiences.

Lloyd Damp is CEO of Southern Launch and is at the forefront of the space industry in Australia. He founded Southern Launch in 2017 and the company conducted the first commercial space launch from Australian soil in 2020 and Australia’s first commercial space return in 2025.
Today, Southern Launch employs 30 people and operates two licensed space launch and return facilities in Koonibba and Whalers Way on the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia. These multi-user space launch facilities have been used by domestic and international customers with the Koonibba Test Range hosting the launch of the first high-powered rocket under Australian legislation.
Lloyd leads a team dedicated to developing world-class space launch and return facilities in South Australia and providing bespoke solutions for customers. Lloyd’s vision is to build a connected space industry centred around domestic launch and return capabilities to establish Australia as the next global space hub.
Prior to starting Southern Launch, Lloyd spent over 12 years working for the Australian Government specialising in complex program design and delivery. While there Lloyd also played a small part in helping Australia undertake regular rocket launches into space from Woomera.

Duncan Blake researches and teaches at the intersection of law, space, and military strategy. A former permanent member of the Royal Australian Air Force, he served 22 years as a Legal Officer and now continues as a Reserve legal officer. His career spans legal support to operations in Iraq and Syria, strategic advisory roles, and work with strike and surveillance units. He served as Deputy Director of Operations and International Law in the Department of Defence and advised the Defence Space Coordinating Office, leading strategic legal initiatives in military space operations.
Duncan helped develop a joint operating concept for military use of space and continues to advise on Defence space law and operations. He has contributed extensively to Defence doctrine and policy, particularly in operations and space law, and was awarded the 2011 Lieber Society Military Prize.
He holds degrees in Law and Economics (UWA), two Master of Laws degrees (Melbourne, McGill), and is a graduate of Australian Command and Staff College. At McGill, he wrote his thesis on warfare in space law and later founded the Manual on International Law Applicable to Military Uses of Outer Space (MILAMOS) and led the Woomera Manual project.
Duncan is completing a PhD at the University of Adelaide on resolving legal conflicts in military space law. He also founded the Workshops on the Regulation of Space Activities and Technologies (WRegSAT) and is Deputy Chair in 2025.
He consults with the International Aerospace Law & Policy Group and pursues research in space governance. Duncan lives in Australia with his wife and two children, and enjoys cycling, skiing, and rowing.

Craig Ingram is a physicist and project leader based in Australia, specialising in the development of advanced optical instrumentation and Earth observation technologies. He played a pivotal role in the CyanoSense project, leading the design and deployment of Australia's first domestically developed hyperspectral imaging payload in space, aimed at monitoring inland water quality and detecting harmful algal blooms. Craig's current work at CSIRO includes innovative telescope design for Earth observation satellites, integrating cutting-edge optical systems and rapid prototyping methodologies to enhance environmental monitoring from satellites, drones, and airborne platforms. He is dedicated to advancing satellite remote sensing capabilities and promoting Australian leadership in space-based Earth observation.

Dr Rodrigo Praino is Professor of Politics and Public Policy and Director of the Jeff Bleich Centre for Democracy and Disruptive Technologies at Flinders University.
He holds a PhD in Political Science and has received several prestigious fellowships, scholarships and awards, including a Fulbright Scholarship. In 2018 he became the first political scientist to win a Tall Poppy Science Award for excellence is scientific research and communication.
Professor Praino is an expert in decision-making and political behaviour, conducting research on elections, voting, and how voters make decisions in a context of low-information. His publications in this area cover a wide range of issues, including the effect of political scandals and corruption, the political behaviour of young voters, the political representation of women, and the role of candidate physical appearance.
Professor Praino is also engaged in research on space politics and space policy. He is particularly interested in understanding and analysing the importance of space assets for defence, economic development, international relations, and decision-making. He is a co-author of Power, State and Space: Conceptualizing, Measuring and Comparing Space Actors (Springer, 2023).
Professor Praino's research has been published by top peer-reviewed academic journals in the Social Sciences, and has attracted funding from various sources, including the Australian Research Council, SmartSat CRC, Defence, the Australian Space Agency, and UNICEF.