2026 David Hawkes Oration
2026 Oration Topic
Where Trust Lives: The Everyday Work of Public Servants
Professor Caron Beaton-Wells
Professor Beaton-Wells is an internationally distinguished academic leader, committed to the role of education and research for a sustainable future and with a track record in leading major organisational change through innovation and high performing, collaborative and inclusive culture.
Prior to joining ANZSOG, Caron led Melbourne Business School as internal Dean through a period in which the School transformed its educational portfolio to offer greater accessibility, established an innovation agenda to address pressing learning and development challenges, strengthened its impact in sustainability, business analytics, Indigenous business leadership and social purpose, and forged new partnerships with industry and government.
Previously, as a member of the Melbourne Law School executive team, Caron established one of the world’s most highly regarded hubs in competition and consumer law. She led the development of Australia’s first online masters suite in this field, while researching, teaching and advocating at the intersection of law, economics and business disciplines as they relate to competition in markets and the digital economy and regulation of concentrated markets. She was awarded substantial research funding and published extensively, contributing to policy and legal reform and intellectual and public discourse around the world.
Please note: The Institute of Public Administration Australia WA (IPAA WA) is managing this event on behalf of IPAA NT. As such when you register, your receipt and some communications may come from IPAA WA.
For enquiries please contact:
Phone: (08) 9360 1400 | Email: projects@ipaawa.org.au
About the David Hawkes Oration
Named in honour of David Hawkes, a long-serving President of IPAA NT, the Hawkes Oration pays tribute to his exceptional contributions to the field of public administration. David played a vital role in creating innovative practices that put the Northern Territory at the forefront of the public sector during the 1990s.
With an illustrious career, David served as the Commissioner for Public Employment for thirteen years, becoming the longest-serving Commissioner in Australia upon his retirement. His influence extended beyond his tenure, as he played a significant role in developing redeployment and voluntary redundancy arrangements within the Australian Public Service. These arrangements were later used to good effect in the territory over many years to manage structural change.
As a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration, David continues to contribute his expertise and insight to the work of the Institute, even in his retirement.
Find out more about the David Hawkes Oration and view past Orators here.