The Fire Safety Event Australia will bring together leading voices from across the industry to explore the issues shaping the future of fire safety.

From 25-26 November 2026, The Fire Safety Event Australia will take place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, bringing the fire safety community together as part of the wider Melbourne Build event.

At the heart of the programme is The Fire Safety Leaders Summit, bringing together fire safety professionals, engineers, regulators and industry leaders for two days of discussion around some of the biggest issues facing the sector.

From AI and compliance to bushfire risk, sustainable construction and lessons from recent incidents, the programme will look at how the industry can respond to an increasingly complex risk landscape.

From compliance to culture

One of the key discussions will look at whether Australia is moving beyond compliance towards a stronger culture of fire safety.

Reza Abbassi, Director and Chartered Fire Safety Engineer at Beigman Engineering, Stephen Scimonello, Education and Accreditation Policy Manager at the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors, Ryan Tandy, Technical Lead and Senior Advisor at the Building and Plumbing Commission, and Joshua Fischer, Deputy Commissioner Community Safety and Operational Training at Fire Rescue Victoria, will explore what it takes to turn regulation into safer behaviours and better outcomes.

The summit will also hear from James Cox, Municipal Building Surveyor at the City of Melbourne, on what auditors and regulators are really looking for when assessing compliance and performance.

Technology and the future of fire safety

Technology will be another major theme, with the programme looking at how AI and sensors could change the way fire safety compliance is managed.

The session 'Smart Fire Safety: AI, Sensors and the End of Paper Compliance' will explore how new technologies can improve accuracy, efficiency and confidence across compliance processes, led by Russ Porteous, CEO of Firewize and Board Member of Fire Protection Association Australia.

The programme will also examine the practical impact of AS 1851, with Warren Makings, Technical Manager at Fire Protection Association Australia, joined by Chris Scully and Rob Lind to discuss what the standard has changed in practice and what it means for compliance and the wider fire industry.

Building for a changing risk landscape

The summit will look beyond traditional fire safety concerns too, exploring how changing construction methods, climate and urban development are creating new challenges.

Martin Stirling, Simon Rickard and Mark Prior will examine passive fire protection and why it remains an area where defects can have serious implications for building safety.

Another session will explore the growing challenge where bushfire risk and urban development meet, with Jason McFadyen, Bushfire Technical Manager at FPA Australia, and Justin Leonard, retired Research Leader in Bushfire Urban Design at CSIRO, considering how planning, design and emergency management can help create more resilient communities.

Sustainable construction will also come under the spotlight. A dedicated workshop organised by the Society of Fire Safety Engineers Australia will examine the fire performance of sustainable construction materials, including how they perform within complete building systems and the role of testing and certification.

Learning from incidents and human behaviour

The programme will also consider what recent incidents can teach the industry about fire safety, from design and construction through to maintenance, compliance and emergency response.

Kelvin Chieng, Technical Lead at Arup, and Nick McCarthy, Senior Research and Development Officer at CFA, will explore the lessons emerging from recent fire incidents and how these can influence standards, regulations and best practice.

Another session will ask whether buildings are really designed around how people behave during an emergency. Daniel Ellis, Director of EIG, Jason Forrest, Vic Section Manager at NDY and Hann Loo, Director of Axe Architects will explore evacuation, decision-making, mobility and communication in real-world emergencies.

The summit will close the day with a focus on leadership and the role it plays in shaping safety culture, bringing together voices from across the built environment.

Bringing the fire safety community together

The Fire Safety Leaders Summit is designed to bring different parts of the fire safety community into the same conversation, creating space to share experience, challenge current approaches and look at what needs to change.

Taking place alongside The Fire Safety Event Australia, Melbourne Build, The Security Event Australia and InstallerSHOW Melbourne, visitors will also have the opportunity to connect with professionals across construction, security and installation.

With two days of expert-led sessions covering technology, regulation, building design, wildfire risk, sustainability, emergency response and leadership, the summit will offer a closer look at the issues shaping the future of fire safety in Australia.

Register for The Fire Safety Event Australia 2026 | MCEC Melbourne | 25-26 November 2026: The Fire Safety Event Australia.

Register your Interest for the Fire Safety Event Europe 2027 | NEC Birmingham | 27-29 April 2027: The Fire Safety Event Europe.

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