Inside AMINZ Conference 2025: Fast Five with Malcolm Wallace
We asked AMINZ President Malcolm Wallace five questions about this year’s annual conference: what we can expect from the programme, and what he’s most looking forward to.
Kia ora Malcolm, We’re looking forward to this year’s AMINZ Conference – it’s set to be a highlight on the calendar. The main theme this year is Back To The Future | Ka Mua, Ka Muri. Can you tell us a bit more about the theme and what inspired it?
I was chatting with Nicole Smith about possible Conference themes when she mentioned that 2025 marks 40 years since the release of Back to the Future. That sparked an idea: what if we used that anniversary to reflect on whether ADR has evolved fast enough to keep pace with society’s growing expectations for fair, timely and accessible dispute resolution?
The concept of ‘Ka Mua, Ka Muri’, walking backwards into the future, perfectly captures the idea of looking to the past to inform the path ahead.
Nicole suggested a theme that invites us to reflect on where we’ve come from and where we’re heading. While she was a bit reluctant to name an AMINZ member who might play Doc, it doesn’t take much imagination to picture a youthful-looking past President mediator stepping into the role of Marty!
How does this year’s conference differ from previous years?
This year’s theme lays down a challenge, not just for our presenters, but for everyone attending. It asks us to reflect honestly on how we’re performing as a profession. Are we meeting the needs of those who rely on us to help resolve disputes? What ideas have emerged over the last 40 years? Is innovation always a good thing? Do we need to change or do we simply need to improve? These are the kinds of questions that will shape this year’s conversations.
Who should attend?
Anyone involved in dispute resolution, whether you’re working in consensual or determinative processes, and whether you're just starting out or are a recognised leader in the field. This year, we’re also pleased to welcome a new group into our community: collaborative practitioners. One of the great strengths of AMINZ is our diversity. Our members genuinely enjoy one another’s company, and we often learn from each other without even realising it. If you like to be challenged, inspired and surrounded by thoughtful professionals, this is the conference for you.
We know the full programme is still under wraps – but what can you share about what to expect?
We’ll take a look back at how New Zealand society has changed since the mid-1980s, giving delegates the chance to reflect on whether they’d rather be practising then or now. We’ll also look ahead, exploring how 21st-century technology might improve how we deliver services, while asking whether tech can ever truly replace the human qualities that underpin dispute resolution. We’ll examine the evolving relationship between the Courts and ADR, and consider whether there's an appetite for further change. And we’ll shine a light on the cultural ideas and values that have become increasingly important in our work, many of which weren’t front of mind in 1985.
What are you most looking forward to when we all come together in August?
The energy and enthusiasm of our members. Every time I attend an AMINZ Conference, I come away feeling recharged and ready to keep growing as a dispute resolution professional. That sense of shared purpose, generosity and curiosity. It’s hard to beat.
Ngā mihi nui, Malcolm – thanks for sharing your insights. We’re really excited about the theme and can’t wait to see these conversations come to life at the conference in August.
The Conference kicks off on Wednesday 27 August with the AMINZ AGM, followed by a relaxed networking event. Conference sessions then run across Thursday 28 and Friday 29 August.
