It is a privilege to be holding Occupational Therapy Australia’s 30th National Conference and Exhibition 2023 on the land of the Gimuy Waluburra Yidinji and Yirragandji people. We pay our respects to their Elders both past and present. We also recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ diverse language groups, kinship structures and cultures. In the spirit of reconciliation, we are committed to growing stronger partnerships and working respectfully with all knowledge systems, to promote health and wellbeing through engagement in meaningful daily occupations for all Australians.
The theme for the upcoming national conference is Ignite. OTAUS2023 positions Ignite as a source of strength, commitment, collaboration, creativity, community, resilience, sustainability, and transformation. Join us in Cairns to connect, co-produce, challenge, wonder, adapt and innovate. We will share and create knowledge for and about the occupational therapy profession and the people and communities we support.
The conference aims to showcase opportunities, innovations, solutions, and strategies informed through research and practice in the field which can shape future practices, policies, and educational approaches to facilitate the growth of occupational wellbeing, both nationally and internationally.
OTA’s National Conference represents the pinnacle of Australian OT excellence. This is an opportunity for all people working in occupational therapy to come together—clinicians and managers, students and academics, metro and rural, young and young at heart.
The OTA National Conference is not just a few dates on the OT calendar every two years. The National Conference is our conference, and this is our time to shine. Our time to learn, discuss, network, collaborate, debate, question, and deliberate. It is a time to forge new connections and renew old ones. Our time to share our insights and inspire our communities.
While you are here, why not enjoy all that this great subtropical destination has to offer. Cairns is a vibrant city with excellent accommodation, restaurants, boutique shopping, art galleries, and a diverse cultural history. Cairns provides an ideal base for exploring and enjoying the rich, varied pleasures of this region which include nearby Palm Cove, Port Douglas, the Atherton Tablelands, the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree National Park.
We look forward to seeing you at the OTA National Conference in Cairns in June 2023.
Ted Brown
Conference Convenor