Online and Sandy Bay
Summary:This year’s Sir James Plimsoll Lecture will be presented by Julie-Ann Guivarra, Chief Executive Officer of the National Indigenous Australians Agency.
Presenter(s):
- Julie-Ann Guivarra, Chief Executive Officer, National Indigenous Australians Agency
- Moderated by Dr Greg Lehman, Adjunct Professorial Fellow, Institute of Indigenous Knowledges, and Member of University Council
2026 Sir James Plimsoll Lecture
This year’s Sir James Plimsoll Lecture will be presented by Julie-Ann Guivarra, Australia’s first Indigenous woman to serve as an ambassador and now Chief Executive Officer of the National Indigenous Australians Agency. Drawing on her extensive diplomatic and leadership experience, Julie-Ann will reflect on Australia’s changing place in the world and the importance of trust, cultural understanding and diverse perspectives in strengthening our international relationships.
The Sir James Plimsoll Lecture is a prestigious annual event jointly presented by the University of Tasmania, the Australian Institute of International Affairs, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Named in honour of Sir James Plimsoll, a distinguished diplomat in Australia's history, the lecture series was established in 2005 to feature influential figures in the field of international relations, both from Australia and beyond.
Speakers
Julie-Ann Guivarra
Chief Executive Officer, National Indigenous Australians Agency
Julie-Ann Guivarra is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA).
Julie-Ann was born in Cairns and is proud to be of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage. She is passionate about inclusion, collaboration, and making a positive impact, her career has taken her to live and work in many parts of the world including India, Switzerland and Spain.
Julie-Ann joined the NIAA in 2021. During her time with the agency she has held several Senior Executive positions where she has led the coordination of Commonwealth policy development, program design and implementation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Prior to joining the NIAA, Julie-Ann held various senior roles at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. These included Australia’s Ambassador for Gender Equality, becoming Australia’s first female Indigenous Ambassador, and Australia’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain, Andorra and Equatorial Guinea.
Julie-Ann has also been posted to New Delhi and Geneva, serving as the Counsellor (Agriculture) in the World Trade Organisation. Prior to that appointment, she served as Australia’s lead services negotiator for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) while she was Assistant Secretary of the South East Asia Investment & Services Branch.
Moderated by Dr Greg Lehman, Adjunct Professorial Fellow, Institute of Indigenous Knowledges, and Member of University Council
Professor Greg Lehman is a well-known Tasmanian art historian, curator, poet, essayist and commentator on Indigenous identity and place, who is descended from the Trawulwuy people of north-east Tasmania. Greg is a member of the University Council at the University of Tasmania. His research spans Indigenous cultural values, land and fire management to representation of Indigenous people in colonial art.
Hosted by Professor Nicholas Farrelly
Professor Farrelly is the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Southern Tasmania at the University of Tasmania. He previously served as Head of Social Sciences, leading a multidisciplinary team across multiple campuses. With a distinguished academic background, including First Class Honours from ANU and a Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford, Nicholas specialises in political and cultural issues in rapidly evolving Asian societies. He also collaborates with Australian government, industry, and community organisations. He currently serves on the Board of the Australia-ASEAN Council and is a Director of the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.
Parking:
Free parking, including accessible spaces, is available at the venue.
Pre-event refreshments:
Head to the venue early and enjoy complimentary refreshments from 5.30pm.
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