The Connection Table

Member spotlight: Natalie Sommerville on unlocking the value of Indigenous agriculture Our member Natalie Sommerville, chair of the NFF Advisory Committee for the Indigenous Agriculture Product Framework project, has helped deliver a national report with significant implications for Indigenous producers and communities across Australia. The project - funded by the federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry through a $1.93 million grant and delivered in partnership with the NFF and the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation - found that 30 per cent of Australian consumers would pay a premium for Indigenous products. More than half said they would choose an Indigenous product when presented with otherwise comparable options. The report estimates Indigenous agriculture contributes $1.4 billion annually to the national economy, supporting around 1,900 jobs. But Natalie is direct about the opportunity that remains untapped. "There is still money being left on the table." The report recommends the establishment of a verifiable, culturally grounded credential that would allow Indigenous producers to differentiate their goods in domestic and international markets with greater consumer confidence - covering all agricultural products, not just bush foods or native species. Getting Indigenous producers the platform, the tools and the market access they deserve. That is the work. #TheConnectionTable #RegionalLeadership #IndigenousAgriculture #RuralAustralia #NFF #IndigenousEconomy #FoodSystems

Something is coming… what could it be??? First to guess it in the comments wins bragging rights - for life. #theconnectiontable #comingsoon #leadership #professionaldevelopment #ruralimpact

REMINDER! Tomorrow is the PD you don't want to miss... if you're interested in learning how to: - Communicate with clarity and confidence in complex settings - Navigate cross-sector and cross-cultural collaborations - Build alliances that drive meaningful change; & - Understand and leverage your personal leadership style for greater impact Then this session is for YOU! Whether you’re representing a board, business, or community – this session with esteemed guest Marjon Wind will help you show up with confidence and contribute from a position of strength. Available for members only, join us for this and to access our entire network and content library (for way less than your current takeaway coffee habit...) Link in bio. #theconnectiontable #professionaldevelopment #ruralleadership #ruralaustralia #ruralimpact #leadership

When rural expertise stays siloed in rural communities, Australia loses. When it influences decisions at every level - local, state, national - everyone benefits. That's what drives us.

Have a virtual cuppa at The Connection Table with a new member☕ Meet... Cameron Evans Based... Ararat, Victoria Has... more than two decades of leadership in business ownership, technology, and community governance. Current roles... Chair of East Grampians Health Service and member of the Grampians Local Health Service Network Chairs Committee. Meet more regional, rural, and remote leaders seeking pathways to amplify their impact at The Connection Table. https://f.mtr.cool/tnmvhiihaq

Planning the week ahead? This months Professional Development session on The Connection Table is set to be a dynamic and practical session that explores how to strengthen your leadership voice and foster genuine collaboration. Drawing on decades of experience across finance, consulting and sustainability, our guest Marjon Wind will guide participants through how to build influence and partnerships by understanding yourself, your values and your position. Friday 15th May, 12 - 1:30pm AEST, online via zoom Check out the link in our bio to join The Connection Table below, to access this and many more professional development sessions, and grow your Network! #theconnectiontable #ruralleadership #ruralaustralia #professionaldevelopment #communitybuilding #ruralimpact #ruralvoices #leadership

Have a virtual cuppa at the Connection Table! Meet... Jo Marshall Based... Crookwell, New South Wales Works in... agricultural education, community development and local government. Current roles... CEO of the Australian Agricultural Centre, RDASNA Board Member, and 2026 NSW Regional Woman of the Year. Jo has spent 18 years living and working in the Upper Lachlan region, leading innovative education and demonstration programs in sustainable agriculture. Her career spans small business, education, primary production and local government - including two terms as an Upper Lachlan Shire Councillor - and she founded the Walk Away Cancer charity, raising over $50,000 for local families. This year she was recognised as the 2026 NSW Regional Woman of the Year - an acknowledgement, she says, of the impact of the work she is doing in her community and industry. She holds an MBA and is a graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation. Her work has also been recognised through the 2024 Banksia NSW Sustainability Award for Primary Industries and Regional Development and the 2025 NAIDOC Yindyamarra Ally Award. Her view on what agriculture needs is clear: strong champions who can help reshape its image and highlight the innovation, opportunity and vital role it plays in Australia's future. She is looking to connect with sponsors and partners who value hands-on education and want to ensure young people stay genuinely connected to agriculture and regional life - not as an afterthought, but as a foundation. Get to know Jo and other rural, regional, and remote leaders at The Connection Table.

We exist because "what's next?" shouldn't be an unanswerable question after you've invested time and energy into developing your leadership.

REMINDER! Tomorrow's Brunch with Friends event is for people wanting to access grant funding - whether for grassroots, community projects or larger scale development projects, there will be takeaways from Tara Whitney worth getting the note pad and pen out for! Tomorrow Friday 1st May, 12 - 1pm AEST, online via zoom Available to Members only - check out the link in our bio to join The Connection Table, and to access this session and our entire library of professional development sessions. #theconnectiontable #ruralleadership #ruralaustralia #professionaldevelopment #communitybuilding #ruralimpact #ruralvoices #leadership Photo by Kier in Sight Archives on Unsplash

The gap between grassroots community leadership and national influence shouldn't be so vast. We're bridging it, one connection at a time.

“The Connection Table has become one of my most valued networks.” We're proud of our members and our Network - because it works. “... It has connected me with leaders across regional, rural and remote Australia who genuinely understand the realities of working and leading from outside the city. I’ve promoted it heavily because it works. The opportunities are tangible, the connections are high quality and the community is incredibly generous. Partnering with TCT has helped me step up, back myself and amplify my impact.” - Adam Curcio, Director Natural Impact Advisory + Project Manager at QLD Farmers Federation. Check out the link in the comments below to take your seat at the table, and grow your Network today. #theconnectiontable #professionaldevelopment #ruralleadership #ruralaustralia #ruralimpact #leadership

Planning the week ahead? This months Brunch with Friends session on The Connection Table is for anyone who's ever written or thought about writing a grant application. Whether it's for grassroots, community projects or larger scale development projects, there will be takeaways from Tara Whitney worth getting the note pad and pen out for! This Friday 1st May, 12 - 1pm AEST, online via zoom Check out the link in our bio to join The Connection Table below, to access Grant writing for rural projects and organisations, with Tara Whitney from Whitney Consulting and many more professional development sessions. #theconnectiontable #ruralleadership #ruralaustralia #professionaldevelopment #communitybuilding #ruralimpact #ruralvoices #leadership