These are the dates you don’t want to miss. But if we have overlooked your special event, put us right - get in touch. Please email gayle@pulseillawarra.com.au or janine@pulseillawarra.com.au

And don’t stop at the diary either, keep scrolling for all the details of the key networking groups in the Illawarra.

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JULY

Wednesday, July 1: BNI Seacliff Business Networking Weekly, 6.45am-8.30am, at the Legacy Cafe and Bar, 139 Balgownie Rd, Balgownie. Register here, tickets are $20.

Thursday, July 2: i3net is partnering with Inside Industry PK to present a customised Clean Energy Tour, 7.30am-11am. The tour will combine both “drive-through tours”, as well as a number of site visits, where participants will hear directly from project leaders and gain deeper insights into key facilities. Among the speakers: Giselle Coromandel (Head of Business Development - Renewables, BlueScope), Mahi Singh, (Procurement Manager Manufacturing, BlueScope), Doug Barr (Systems Manager, Squadron Energy), Peter Ernst (Head of Regional Ports, Port Authority NSW). Member tickets: $80 + GST, available here

Thursday, July 2: iAccelerate opens its doors. Take a free tour and listen to the info session, noon-1pm, at the Squires Way, North Wollongong building. Starting or scaling a business? This could be for you. Register here

Friday, July 3: Boss Woman Breakfast, at Shell Cove’s Georgia Rose, 9am-10.30am. These breakfasts are only held bi-monthly, ticket cut-off is 24 hours before the event. Get yours here, from $79.80.

Tuesday, July 7: Kick-start your day with Cereal Entrepreneurs at iAccelerate UOW’s Innovation campus, North Wollongong. Designed for founders, creatives and future entrepreneurs who want protected time to work on their ideas in a like‑minded community. Free tickets here.

Wednesday, July 8: BNI Seacliff Business Networking weekly meeting, 6.45am-8.30am, at the Legacy Cafe and Bar, 139 Balgownie Rd, Balgownie. Register here, tickets are $20.

Wednesday. July 8: The 2026 University of Wollongong Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Final, 3pm-4.30pm. Register here. Seven outstanding PhD candidates will present their research in a compelling, accessible format.

Wednesday, July 8: Casual networking with local entrepreneurs organised by Wollongong Entrepreneurs & Networking Group, 6pm-8pm, at The Waterfront Shell Cove Marina. Sign up here.

Thursday, July. 9: Test Your Business Idea Wollongong, 9.30-11.30am, at iAccelerate, Squires Way, Innovation Campus, North Wollongong. This workshop is tailored for students, researchers, alumni, and community members eager to turn ideas into action. Spots limited, register here.

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Wednesday, July 15: RDA Illawarra Shoalhaven and The Pulse Illawarra have teamed up to present a free AI Breakfast briefing session with Bill Simpson-Young from the Gradient Institute, 7.30am-10am, iAccelerate, Innovation Campus, North Wollongong. Book your spot here.

Wednesday, July 15: SEO Connect organised by Business Illawarra, at Hotel Totto, 7pm-10pm. Join an exclusive gathering of the Illawarra, South Coast and Southern Highlands most influential business leaders for an evening of strategic conversation, meaningful connection, and high-impact networking. Tickets $190.

Thursday, July 16: Effective Complaints Management, 9.30am-1.30pm, presented by Community Industry Group, 26 Mortlock AvenuePort Kembla. This course, facilitated by Edward Birt, is designed for anyone who receives, handles, or oversees complaints as part of their role. Tickets $100 for members and $150 for non-members. Available here

Thursday, July 16: Able Plus presents Able Meet - Shoalhaven, at 10am-noon, at Worrigee Sports Club, Worrigee. his is a speed networking event where all attendees get to meet all the providers for 5 minutes to learn about their services and discuss if they work for you. Reserve a spot here.

Friday, July 17: The Illawarra Women’s Health Centre 40 Years Celebration Dinner at Novotel Wollongong Northbeach, 6.30pm-10.30pm. The night in the Grand Ballroom will be a celebration of four decades of impact, while raising vital funds to support services in the future. Tickets here $160 per ticket or $1450 for a table of 10. For any queries or special requests, contact info@womenshealthcentre.com.au or call 02 4255 6800.

Wednesday, July 22: Organised by International Centre for Future Health Systems, it’s the 2026 Think Tank: Identifying evidence and research gaps, at UOW’s Innovation Campus, 8:45am-3:30pm. Tickets are free, but few remain. Head here, quickly.

Thursday, July 23: 2026 Kiama Business Awards. Open to all Kiama Business Awards entrants. More details soon.

Friday, July 24: Illawarra Women in Business networking lunch, at Centro CBD, 28 Stewart St, Wollongong, noon-2.15pm. Dr Neryl East wants you to “Ignite Your Influence”: How to communicate with confidence and increase your impact. Members $80, non-members $99. Book here.

Friday, July 24 - Sunday, July 26: Held in the Thirroul District Community Centre & Library, the South Coast Readers & Writers Festival 2026 is a celebration of all things reading, writing and creativity. Choose from 12 unique sessions on Saturday and 10 sessions on Sunday. All the details here.

Tuesday, July 28: The Community Industry Group hosts an online workshop, From Team Member to Team Leader, 9.30am-1.30pm. $100 for members and $150 for CIG non-members. Edward Birt, head of policy and advocacy at CIG is the host. Get tickets here.

Wednesday, July 29: The latest Postgraduate Information Series features business. Online, 6pm-7pm. Sydney Business School, University of Wollongong offers a range of postgraduate business programs that are designed to expand your business expertise and build your leadership capabilities. Register to attend.

Thursday, July 30: The Social Enterprise Council of NSW & ACT presents How to Demonstrate your Social Enterprise Model, 12pm-1pm, online. If you’re running a for-purpose business and want to show the world that you truly put people and planet first, this is for you. Tickets $10.75 members, $26.13 for non-members. Book here.

Thursday, July 30: NSW Data Centres Solutions Summit, organised by the Property Council of Australia, 7:30am-11:45am, Shangri-La Sydney 176 Cumberland St
Sydney. Senior ministers, planners, utilities, global operators and investors at the table – including NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully MP – this is a practical, collaborative forum for those shaping, approving and delivering data centre projects across NSW. Tickets members $499, non-members $750.

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AUGUST

Wednesday, August 12: Mentor Walks Wollongong will be hitting their stride again from 6.30am. It’s a chance to discuss career progression and get support from an exceptional female mentor. Tickets cost $33. Get them here.

Wednesday, August 12: Casual networking with local entrepreneurs organised by Wollongong Entrepreneurs & Networking Group, 6pm-8pm, at The Waterfront Shell Cove Marina. Sign up here.

Thursday, August 13: The Community Industry Group presents Good Governance workshop, 10am-1pm, at 26 Mortlock Ave, Port Kembla. Facilitated by Peter Masterson, this training is aimed for not-for-profit board members and those looking to join a board. Tickets $50 for members, $80 for non-members. Register here.

Wednesday, August 19: Business Illawarra’s latest Business After Hours event, at IMB Ltd, 47 Burelli St, Wollongong, 5pm-7pm. Connect with fellow professionals, exchange ideas, and build valuable relationships in a relaxed and social atmosphere. Tickets non-member $46, member $41. Book here

Friday, August 21: It’s the Illawarra Women in Business Coffee Club at Bulli Surf Club, Lot 68 Trinity Road, Bulli, 9.30am-11am. A relaxed and informal environment – networking over a cuppa. Members $12, non-members $20. Book here

Tuesday, August 25: Fabulous Finance, a workshop by the Community Industry Group, 2pm-25pm at 26 Mortlock Ave, Port Kembla. Peter Masterson is the facilitator. This training is aimed at board members, those looking to join a board, CFOs, finance managers, managers and CEOs. Tickets $50 for members, $80 for non-members. Book here.

Tuesday-Wednesday, August 25-26: Annual i3net Industry Showcase at Novotel Wollongong North Beach. The i3net Industry Showcase Expo runs across both sessions: Tuesday Dinner (5.30pm-10.30pm) & Wednesday Breakfast. This means exhibitors receive premium exposure over two high-value industry sessions with more than 200+ senior leaders across manufacturing, energy, mining, defence, infrastructure and major project delivery. The BlueScope Townhall will headline the Showcase Breakfast. A senior management panel will discuss land holdings, project direction and the broader industrial strategy shaping the Illawarra. All the information and tickets here

Thursday, August 27: Communication for Frontline Management online course, facilitated by Community Interest Group’s Edward Birt, 9.30am-1.30pm, online. This workshop is designed for managers and supervisors who are directly responsible for frontline operational or community-based teams. $100 for members and $150 for non-members. Spaces limited, book here

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Looking for a network?

1. Business Illawarra

As the region’s peak business organisation, Business Illawarra supports over 27,000 businesses across the Illawarra-Shoalhaven, South Coast, and Capital regions. They offer a comprehensive events program, including networking, educational, and executive-level events, connecting members with key decision-makers and providing valuable insights. More on Business Illawarra here

2. i3net (Illawarra Innovative Industry Network)

i3net is a network of advanced manufacturers and industrial innovators in the Illawarra. They host events like the Industry Breakfast, providing opportunities for networking, knowledge sharing, and exploring real work opportunities. More on i3nethere

3. Illawarra Women in Business (IWIB)

IWIB is a vibrant network dedicated to supporting and connecting women in business. They host regular networking lunches, coffee clubs, and an annual Businesswomen’s Awards, providing a platform for collaboration and professional growth. More on IWIB here

4. The Illawarra Connection

This exclusive organisation brings together business and community leaders to foster connections, inspire collaboration, and drive innovation in the region. They also partner with RDA Illawarra and the Sydney Business School to deliver the Leadership Illawarra Program. Read more about the Illawarra Connection here.

5. Northern Illawarra Chamber of Commerce (NICC)

NICC supports local businesses in the northern Illawarra region through events like business breakfasts and networking evenings, fostering community building and collaboration among professionals. More in the NICC here

The University of Wollongong’s chief people and culture officer says she was “shocked” when Alyssa White sought approval for a new $388,000-a-year vice-president role she expected to fill herself.

Alison Bourke told the Independent Commission Against Corruption she immediately argued the role should be advertised, but Chancellor Michael Still replied: “Definitely not.”

Bourke recalled Still saying “process prevents the right decision” and that People and Culture had been known to “stop things” and “we need to change that”.

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Bourke described a series of conversations in late January 2025 after White outlined plans to create a new Vice President Strategy and Executive Affairs role, carrying a remuneration package of $388,443.75, while also seeking to increase the title and salary of Associate Director Governance Dr Pei Shan Stacy Oon.

According to Bourke’s contemporaneous file notes, White told her Chancellor Michael Still and incoming vice-chancellor Professor Max Lu had already decided she would fill the position.

“I was shocked,” Bourke told the inquiry.

She said her concern was not only that White was proposing a senior executive role for herself, but that it was not intended to be filled through a transparent and competitive recruitment process.

Bourke told the Commission that the proposal emerged as the university prepared for a major organisational restructure, and that tighter recruitment controls were in place as part of the university’s financial transformation program, making the creation of new executive positions particularly concerning.

She said White appeared confident the proposal would proceed, describing her approach as matter-of-fact.

“I guess just how brazen almost, for want of a better phrase, that she’d... ‘it’s happening and that will be me’,” Bourke said.

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Bourke said Still repeatedly told her the proposal should proceed because “Professor Lu wants this in”, even though Professor Lu had not yet formally commenced as vice-chancellor.

Concerned by what she regarded as legal, industrial and cultural risks, Bourke documented her concerns before escalating them to General Counsel Rebecca Lim, Chancellor Michael Still and interim vice-chancellor Professor John Dewar.

She prepared a written briefing outlining three options, including delaying the proposal to obtain legal advice or abandoning the creation of the role altogether.

The inquiry heard Bourke and Lim then briefed Professor Dewar, who described the proposal as “a very, very bad idea” and directed that no further work proceed until he had spoken with Chancellor Still.

Bourke’s evidence was interrupted when the Commission adjourned for the day and will continue on Wednesday, July 1.

Operation Scandi is examining recruitment, governance and procurement practices at the University of Wollongong, including whether recruitment processes were manipulated to benefit associates of Alyssa White and whether conflicts of interest were appropriately managed.

ICAC has made no findings in Operation Scandi. All named individuals are subject to allegations at a public inquiry.

READ IT ALL:

Operation Scandi: the coverage index

The chief executive of a consulting firm at the heart of Operation Scandi never declared a conflict of interest before her firm was engaged by the University of Wollongong — despite a 22-year relationship with the Chancellor who put her there. She went on to shape a report destined for the Vice-Chancellor selection committee.

Tanya Diesel, CEO and founder of Aspirall Consulting International, confirmed under oath on Tuesday that no one at UOW asked whether her decades-long ties to Chancellor Michael Still posed a conflict of interest before her firm was contracted in August 2024. No declaration was sought. No tender was required.

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The relationship ran deep. Mr Still had written references for Aspirall with Ernst & Young, Microsoft, NSW Treasury and Hydro Tasmania. He had steered Ms Diesel toward consulting opportunities at organisations where he sat on the board. He and his partner had dined with her. He had attended the launch of her poetry collection.

When Counsel Assisting Emma Bathurst put to Ms Diesel that the relationship had “developed into a friendship,” Diesel pushed back hard. “I have a long-term business association with him over 22 years. I do not have a friendship with him.”

Commissioner Paul Lakatos SC pressed her to define the line. A friend, Diesel said, was “someone from whom I ask emotional support ... people who I go on picnics and holidays with ... people that deeply understand my personal background.” Still, she insisted, didn’t meet that bar.

Sections stripped from the final report

The inquiry heard how a draft report on the Vice-Chancellor recruitment process, meant to inform the selection committee, changed materially between its first and final versions, after Ms Diesel met with Mr Still and then-chief governance officer Alyssa White. A section titled “Chancellor’s Outcomes,” laying out what Mr Still wanted from the focus groups, was cut before the report was finalised. So was a lengthy section titled “Deeper Observations.”

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Ms Diesel couldn’t recall specifically why either was removed, but agreed it was likely the changes followed her September 13, 2024, meeting with the pair: “We would have listened and adjusted - that’s the purpose of a draft.”

She went further. Ms Diesel agreed she had been “particularly influenced” by Mr Still’s views in finalising the leadership requirements that ultimately landed in the report sent to the selection committee, pointing to the esteem in which she held him and a relationship dating back to 2004.

White makes contact

A text message from January 31, 2024 ,shows Mr Still telling Ms Diesel to let him know when she heard from UOW’s Vice-Chancellor. Five months later, Mr Still’s then-assistant Jou-An Chen emailed Ms Diesel to set up an introductory meeting with White - explicitly “on the recommendation of Chancellor Michael Still.” It was at that meeting that Ms White outlined two proposed programs of work for Aspirall. Ms Diesel said the email came as a surprise: she hadn’t, she told the inquiry, discussed any specific opportunity with Mr Still beforehand.

The money

Aspirall landed three separate engagements. The first - the Vice-Chancellor recruitment consultation - was worth $49,600, paid in full. The second, a council and university executive leadership workshop, started at $50,800 plus GST before scope creep pushed it to $55,500, then $56,600, signed off by Ms White in February 2025. A third, covering broader senior leadership engagement, was valued at $163,800 - but never went ahead.

Ms Bathurst also raised an invitation Ms Diesel sent Mr Still asking to bring Ms White to an Aspirall client retreat. Retreat costs are typically picked up by the executive’s organisation, meaning UOW would have worn the bill had White turned up. She didn’t.

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The sharpest moment came when Ms Bathurst asked whether Ms Diesel’s admiration for Mr Still — she’d once described him in writing as showing “impeccable and deeply thoughtful leadership” — could have coloured Aspirall’s work. Diesel pointed to internal consulting psychology supervision as a safeguard. Pressed further, she conceded: “It could, it could be so.”

ICAC has made no findings in Operation Scandi. All named individuals are subject to allegations at a public inquiry.

READ IT ALL:
Operation Scandi: the coverage index

… and all the Week 1 reporting.

“Thanks for the job.”

That was the text message a University of Wollongong employee sent former chief governance officer Alyssa White after being appointed to a senior governance role - one of dozens of exchanges scrutinised at the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption’s Operation Scandi inquiry on Monday, June 29.

Kayla Powell, a primary school teacher who was working casually in UOW’s Governance and Policy Division, acknowledged White helped her throughout the recruitment process, including reviewing her application, providing an example cover letter and sending suggested interview questions.

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The inquiry heard Powell and White had known each other since attending Elderslie High School and remained close friends. Before joining UOW, Powell balanced teaching with casual administrative work at the University of Sydney before taking on a similar role in Wollongong.

Counsel Assisting Emma Bathurst SC took the inquiry through Facebook Messenger exchanges showing White alerted Powell to the vacancy, encouraged her to apply despite the role being advertised as full-time when Powell could only work one day a week, discussed the interview panel and helped prepare her application.

Powell accepted White’s assistance had benefited her.

Asked whether, with hindsight, it had given her an unfair advantage over other applicants, she replied: “When you put it like that? Yes.”

But she rejected the suggestion White had secured her the job.

“I believe I was responsible for getting me the job,” Powell told the inquiry, while acknowledging White’s assistance had helped.

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She also denied believing the appointment was guaranteed, saying she prepared thoroughly because she wanted to put “my best foot forward”. Earlier, she told the inquiry she hoped to transition from teaching into a governance career and believed she was capable of doing the work.

The inquiry heard evidence from Emma Pinfold, another successful applicant recruited into UOW’s Governance and Policy Division and currently employed as an office coordinator at UOW.

After graduating from UOW with a communications degree in 2019, she built a career in marketing and stakeholder engagement, working for the Eddie Group, Destination Wollongong and Elite Energy Events before deciding to pursue a different career path.

Ms Pinfold, whose partner Thomas Farah previously completed UOW’s management cadet program alongside White, told the inquiry she approached the former chief governance officer after overhearing her discuss staffing shortages within the Governance and Policy Division at a housewarming gathering in April 2024.

White subsequently offered her casual work, with Ms Pinfold later applying for permanent governance roles.

The inquiry heard White reviewed Pinfold’s application, suggested Dr Stacy Oon as a referee and arranged for her to receive a pre-interview exercise before it was formally distributed because she was travelling overseas. Dr Oon later emailed her interview tips. Under questioning, Pinfold accepted she had benefited from aspects of that support.

Asked whether that assistance affected the integrity of the recruitment process, Pinfold replied: “Yes, possibly ... I understand what you’re saying and I don’t disagree.”

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Counsel for White, Jillian Walsh, highlighted that Pinfold had been unanimously ranked the number one appointable candidate by the selection panel and assessed as suitable for two more senior governance positions.

Operation Scandi is examining recruitment, governance and procurement practices at the University of Wollongong, including whether recruitment processes were manipulated to benefit associates of White and whether conflicts of interest were appropriately managed.

ICAC has made no findings.

The hearing continues on Tuesday, June 30, with evidence from Aspirall CEO Tanya Diesel and UOW’s Chief People and Culture Officer, Alison Bourke.

READ IT ALL:

Operation Scandi: the coverage index

Former University of Wollongong deputy v…

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Port Kembla-based Sicona Battery Technologies has secured $45 million in Federal Government funding to …

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The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption’s public inquiry into the University of …

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July 1 ushers in a new financial year – and a raft of changes that will affect both workers and businesses.

From changes in superannuation payments and paren…

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The Chancellor of the University of…

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KordaMentha was the preferred choice for a University of Wollongong consulting contract before the tender had…

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When Asmaa Seyam began her PhD at the University of Wollongong, her research focused on machine learning sys…

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The consulting firm at the centre of allegations involving UOW Chancellor Michael Still was e…

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Brenden Hooke will return to the witness box when the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption’s Operation Scandi public inquiry into the University of Wollongong enters day 3 on …

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Some live alone in social housing. Others are caring for ageing parents while juggling jobs, mortgages and families of their own.

Many have never registered with M…

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A University of Wollongong executive has acknowledged she should have “over-declared” a conflict of interest after NSW Independent Commission Against Corr…

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The Independent Commission Against Corruption public inquiry is investigating allegations concerning the University of Wollongong’s chief governance officer and secretary, Alyssa White, Chancellor Michael Still and other University of Wollongong staff and contractors.

• ICAC has made no findings in Operation Scandi. All individuals named are the subject of allegations being examined at a public inquiry.

Start here:

A reference guide to all key figures and organisations.

Week 1: June 22 - June 27

Day 1:

Day 2:

Day 3:

Day 4:

Day 5:

The week in review:

Week 2: June 29 - July 3

Day 6:

Day 7:

Day 8:

Day 9:

Day 10:

Week 3: July 6 - July 10

Day 11:

Day 12:

Day 13:

Day 14:

Day 15:

Before ICAC …

A tightly-knit network of former University of Sydney governance staff is at the centre of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) inquiry into the University of Wollongong.

Operation Scandi began its three-week public hearings in Sydney on Monday, seeking to unravel how UOW’s corporate governance framework was allegedly compromised from the top down.

Counsel Assisting Emma Bathurst used her opening address to detail how former Chief Governance Officer Alyssa White allegedly subverted UOW recruitment processes to install 10 of her former Sydney colleagues into senior roles.

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The University of Wollongong’s chief governance officer resigned just two days before a public corruption inquiry into her conduct…

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For years, the debate centred on a shortage of approved apartment projects in Wollongong. Now, with thousands of apartments moving through planning reforms, the focus has shifted to a new question: c…

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