Locals interested in getting the ear of the Prime Minister can register from mid-next month for the 2026 National Bush Summit which returns to Dubbo this August.

Anthony Albanese has been confirmed for this annual country-focussed conflab that seeks to “unite decision makers, business leaders, community advocates and policy-makers in a national conversation about the future of regional and rural Australia”.

The event receives blanket coverage from promoters and sponsors News Corp in its metropolitan and national newspapers as well as live broadcasts and reports on Sky News, the company’s Australasia Executive Chairman, Michael Miller revealed.

“Returning to Dubbo where the very first Bush Summit was held in 2019 with the prime minister and senior leaders present, is an important moment for regional Australia,” Mr Miller said.

“Together, we are ensuring the conversations that matter most to regional communities are heard at the highest levels,” he added.

Among other big industry hitters supporting the talkfest is Australia’s richest individual, Gina Rinehart, with her Hancock Prospecting and S Kidman and Co returning as “National Presenting Partners” for the fourth consecutive year.

From her reported comments on the summit, however, any interaction the outspoken businesswoman has with senior members of the Federal Government should be interesting!

“The Bush Summit is important because our fantastic farmers and pastoralists, and regional Australians are truly struggling with rising taxes, endless government tape, and bad energy policies that are driving up costs and destroying prime farmland and making it harder and harder to provide for their families, invest, employ, and survive,” Ms Rinehart said.

Motivated Central West residents can also put their names down to attend with registrations opening mid-July. The venue for this country showcase is currently confidential, however, with details to be released closer to the Wednesday and Thursday, August 26 and 27.

The prime minister will attend the Summit in Dubbo on Thursday and will also be joined by state and territory leaders from across the country.

Weekly publicity leading up to the return of the high-powered event will include television reports from regional towns across the country with cartoonist and adventurer Warren Brown and senior journalist Patrick Carlyon “bringing the stories of the bush” to a national audience.