ACS Canberra Member Update | 10 November 2026
10 November 2026 by Jenalle Bushby
Highlights
October Branch Activities Recap: October was a busy and rewarding month for ACS Canberra, with four events bringing together emerging professionals, mid-career practitioners, industry partners and technology leaders.
ACS advocating for a stronger Digital Duty of Care
Recently, ACS has been invited to speak at Parliament on the Online Safety Amendment Bill 2026, including the proposed Digital Duty of Care (DDoC).
For technology professionals, this is an important conversation about how Australia strengthens accountability, professional standards and assurance as digital and AI-enabled systems become increasingly embedded in our economy and society.
Key areas for consideration include:
- establishing a national benchmark for professional competency and standards
- defining senior accountability and responsibility
- strengthening independent assurance for critical systems
- building a capable and qualified assessor workforce
- encouraging members to engage with their Federal MPs and Senators
- advocating for greater transparency and accountability
What would you like to see prioritised as Australia strengthens its approach to digital accountability and safety? Read the full ACS media release.
October Branch Activities Recap
October was a busy and rewarding month for ACS Canberra, with four events bringing together emerging professionals, mid-career practitioners, industry partners and technology leaders.
Our events focused on building professional skills, capability, confidence and personal brand, while creating conversations around important emerging technology issues. Highlights included partnering with Scyne to explore AI sovereignty, and collaborating with AI CoLab on“Unseen and Uninvited: Who Answers When AI Agents Come to Your Front Door?”
The Branch was also active across Canberra's broader technology community, engaging with the Public Sector Network, University of Canberra, Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT), Women in ICT and Australian National University (ANU).
These activities generated 14 new leads, promoted ACS membership and professional ethics to university students, strengthened key stakeholder relationships, and contributed to industry and academic discussions.
Together, these activities reflect ACS Canberra's continued focus on professional development, member engagement, emerging technology and stronger connections across the ACT digital and technology ecosystem.
Upcoming Events
We have three events remaining in 2026, offering opportunities to connect, learn and celebrate with Canberra's technology community. We would love to see you there.
📅 25 November | Meet Your Future: Canberra Tech Networking Night
2 CPD hours | Free for ACS members | $15 for non-members
Canberra's tech community is full of talent, ideas and opportunities. This is your chance to meet new people, exchange ideas and build connections across the local technology ecosystem.
📅 3 December | Who Owns the AI Risk?
2 CPD hours | $15 for ACS members | $30 for non-members
Who owns the risk when AI makes decisions, influences outcomes or causes harm?
Join ACS Canberra's Leadership Breakfast for a thought-provoking panel discussion exploring leadership, governance and accountability in the age of artificial intelligence.
Register for who owns the AI risk?
📅 9 December | Digital Futures, Enduring Connections
2 CPD hours | Free for ACS members | $15 for non-members
Join the ACS Canberra End-of-Year Celebration 2026 as we reflect on the achievements of our Branch, recognise the contribution of our members and community, and celebrate the connections we have built throughout the year.
It will be a great opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and peers before we close out 2026.
Register for the End-of-Year celebration
We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event and continuing to build a strong, connected and influential technology community in Canberra.
Jenalle Bushby
Branch Manager, ACS Canberra
Australian Computer Society (ACS)
Find out more about what ACS can do for you, membership benefits and upcoming events.