Technical Summit 2026 Program

Up to 20 CPD hours will be on offer across the Technical Summit.

Click to view session details below

Please note, program is subject to change. Time is in AEST.

Day 1 - Wednesday 29 July 2026

8:30am

Exhibition opens

9:40am

wELCOME

9:50 am - 10:50am

10:50am - 11:15am

morning tea

11:15am - 12:15pm

12:15pm - 1:15pm

Contribution Failures and Fixes

Leigh Mansell, Director SMSF Technical & Education Services, Heffron

Workshop 1

Contribution Failures and Fixes
Wednesday 29 July 2026
11:15am – 1:15pm
2 CPD hours
Session Details
Contribution strategies are becoming increasingly complex as SMSF professionals navigate shifting client circumstances and estate planning objectives alongside changing rules and increased ATO scrutiny.

This advanced, case based workshop examines what happens when contribution strategies go wrong. Through practical scenarios, Leigh will explore contribution traps, timing failures, excess contributions, rectification challenges plus much more.

Designed for experienced SMSF professionals, this workshop will focus on identifying risks early and managing complex contribution issues in practice.

Leigh Mansell, Director SMSF Technical & Education Services, Heffron

Business Real Property: Don’t Get Caught Out

Shelley Banton, Director, Super Clarity

Mini Workshop A

Business Real Property: Don’t Get Caught Out
Wednesday 29 July 2026
11:15am – 12:15pm
1 CPD hour
Session Details
Business real property (BRP) remains one of the most relied on, yet frequently misunderstood, concessions. While the legislative test appears clear, real-world application often is not.

This case study-based session focuses on scenarios where trustees often get caught out, including mixed-use properties, primary production land, related party leasing, and changing use over time. It will also highlight the critical role of documentation and how more complex structures can amplify risk.

Attendees will gain practical insights into applying the BRP rules, identifying key risk areas, and navigating the grey zones that continue to challenge SMSF professionals.

Shelley Banton, Director, Super Clarity

TO BE ANNOUNCED: Mini Workshop B

Mini Workshop topic and presenter will be announced soon

To be announced
Wednesday 29 July 2026
12.15pm – 1.15pm
1 CPD hour
Session Details
To be announced

1:15pm - 2:00pm

LUNCH

2:00pm - 4:00pm

SMSF Property: Strategy, Tax and Risk

Mark Ellem, Head of SMSF Education, Accurium

Lee-Ann Hayes, Head of Education, TaxBanter

Workshop 2

SMSF Property: Strategy, Tax and Risk
Wednesday 29 July 2026
2:00pm – 4:00pm
2 CPD hours
Session Details
SMSFs continue to invest in property either directly or indirectly, bringing with it increasingly complex regulatory, tax and strategic considerations.

This advanced workshop is delivered by Mark and Lee-Ann, combining their regulatory and income tax expertise to explore key technical issues affecting SMSFs investing in property. Through practical case studies and technical analysis, the session will examine how strategic decisions, compliance obligations and tax outcomes interact, and the risks that can arise when these issues are considered in isolation.

Designed for experienced SMSF professionals, the workshop focuses on understanding the interconnected nature of property related issues and managing increasingly complex property arrangements in practice.

Please note this workshop focuses on federal taxation issues affecting SMSFs and will not cover state-based property taxes and duties.

Mark Ellem, Head of SMSF Education, Accurium

Lee-Ann Hayes, Head of Education, TaxBanter

TO BE ANNOUNCED: Workshop 3

Stay tuned as all Workshop topic and presenter will be announced soon

To be announced
Wednesday 29 July 2026
2:00pm – 4:00pm
2 CPD hours
Session Details
To be announced

4:00pm - 4:25pm

AFTERNOON TEA

4:25pm - 5:25pm

Division 296: What Matters Now

Craig Day, Head of Technical Services, Colonial First State

Keynote 2

Division 296: What Matters Now
Wednesday 29 July 2026
4:25pm – 5:25pm
1 CPD hour
Session Details
With Division 296 now law and the 2026–27 financial year marking its first year of operation, the focus now shifts from the legislation itself to how the regime will operate in practice.

Craig will unpack the new rules, the Total Superannuation Balance concept that underpins them, and implications for SMSF members as complexities begin to emerge.

Designed for technically focused SMSF professionals, this keynote cuts through the noise to highlight the advice, strategy and compliance issues that matter most in the new Division 296 environment.

Craig Day, Head of Technical Services, Colonial First State

5:25pm - 7:30pm

Class Networking function

Day 2 - Thursday 30 July 2026

8:30am

Exhibition opens

9:00am - 10:00am

Beyond Retirement: The Ageing Challenge

Louise Biti, Director, Aged Care Steps

Keynote 3

Beyond Retirement: The Ageing Challenge
Thursday 30 July 2026
9:00am – 10:00am
1 CPD hour
Session Details
For many SMSF members, retirement planning does not end when a pension commences. As members age, changing health, care and living arrangements, together with constantly evolving policy settings, can create new strategic, financial and emotional challenges that have significant implications for retirement outcomes.
In this keynote address, Louise will explore the growing intersection between retirement planning and aged care, examining how changing personal circumstances can influence decisions around wealth, income, housing, family support and long-term care. The session will consider the practical challenges facing retirees and the professionals who support them as they navigate increasingly complex later-life decisions.

Louise Biti, Director, Aged Care Steps

10:00am - 10:25am

MORNING TEA

10:25am - 11:25am

11:25am - 12:25pm

Rethinking Retirement Strategies

Tim Miller, SMSF Technical & Education Manager, Smarter SMSF

Workshop 4

Rethinking Retirement Strategies
Thursday 30 July 2026
10:25am – 12:25pm
2 CPD Hours
Session Details
Retirement is not simply a destination for SMSF members; rather, it marks the beginning of a new set of technical, strategic and practical challenges. As balances grow, rules become more complex and member circumstances change, managing retirement strategies requires ongoing attention and careful decision-making.

Through practical scenarios and technical analysis, this workshop will examine key technical and strategic issues affecting SMSF members in retirement, including transfer balance cap considerations, changing tax outcomes and the challenges that arise as retirement strategies are tested by changing policy settings and client circumstances.

Designed for experienced SMSF professionals, the workshop will focus on navigating the complexities that emerge long after retirement begins.

Tim Miller, SMSF Technical & Education Manager, Smarter SMSF

The SMSF Fallout of Relationship Breakdown

Peter Crump, Senior Consultant, BDO

Mini Workshop C

The SMSF Fallout of Relationship Breakdown
Thursday 30 July 2026
10:25am – 11:25am
1 CPD hour
Session Details
SMSF strategies are often built around relationships that are expected to endure. When those relationships change, whether between spouses, family members or business associates, the consequences for an SMSF can be significant and far-reaching.
Through practical scenarios, this mini workshop will explore the complex issues that can arise when relationship dynamics place pressure on SMSF arrangements. The session will examine challenges involving fund control, liquidity, valuation, restructuring decisions, superannuation interests and competing stakeholder objectives, alongside the consequences that can follow when arrangements are not designed to withstand change.
Designed for experienced SMSF professionals, this session will focus on identifying risks early, understanding where SMSF structures are most vulnerable and navigating the technical and strategic challenges that emerge when relationships break down.

Peter Crump, Senior Consultant, BDO

TO BE ANNOUNCED: Mini Workshop D

Mini Workshop topic and presenter will be announced soon

To be announced
Thursday 30 July 2026
11.25am – 12.25pm
1 CPD hour
Session Details
To be announced

12:25pm - 1:10pm

LUNCH

1:10pm - 3:10pm

A New Era for Death Benefits

Jemma Sanderson, Director, Cooper Partners Pty Ltd

Workshop 5

A New Era for Death Benefits
Thursday 30 July 2026
1:10pm – 3:10pm
2 CPD hours
Session Details
Death benefit planning is becoming increasingly complex as SMSF members accumulate greater wealth, family structures evolve and measures such as Division 296 reshape the retirement landscape. As advisers begin to consider the implications of these changes, questions are emerging around whether existing death benefit and estate planning strategies remain fit for purpose.

This advanced workshop will explore the key technical, strategic and practical issues affecting death benefit planning within SMSFs. Through technical analysis and practical scenarios, the session will examine how superannuation law, tax outcomes, fund control and estate planning considerations interact, and the risks that can arise when these issues are considered in isolation.

Designed for experienced SMSF professionals, the workshop will focus on identifying emerging risks, navigating complexity and delivering more effective death benefit outcomes for clients.

Jemma Sanderson, Director, Cooper Partners Pty Ltd

When SMSFs Meet Trusts

Bryce Figot, Special Counsel, DBA Lawyers

Fraser Stead, Lawyer, DBA Lawyers

Workshop 6

When SMSFs Meet Trusts
Thursday 30 July 2026
1:10pm – 3:10pm
2 CPD hours
Session Details
Trust structures continue to play an important role in the affairs of many SMSF members, creating increasingly complex interactions between superannuation, trust law and taxation outcomes. As regulatory settings evolve and technical issues become more interconnected, understanding where risks emerge has never been more important.

This advanced workshop will explore the growing complexity associated with SMSFs investing through, interacting with or receiving benefits from trust structures. Through practical scenarios and technical analysis, the session will examine emerging issues such as unpaid present entitlements, evolving trust taxation measures and other technical challenges that arise when trust and superannuation rules intersect.

Designed for experienced SMSF professionals, the workshop will focus on navigating complex trust-related issues in practice and identifying strategies to manage risk in an evolving technical environment.

Bryce Figot, Special Counsel, DBA Lawyers

Fraser Stead, Lawyer, DBA Lawyers

3:10pm - 3:30pm

afternoon teA

3:30pm - 4:30pm

When SMSF Strategies Are Tested

Scott Hay-Bartlem, Partner, Cooper Grace Ward

Keynote 4

When SMSF Strategies Are Tested
Thursday 30 July 2026
3:30pm – 4:30pm
1 CPD hour
Session Details
The difference between a successful SMSF strategy and one that unravels is often not found in the legislation, but in how the strategy responds when tested in the real world.

Drawing on real-world examples and practical experience, Scott will examine the lessons that emerge when SMSF arrangements face challenge, scrutiny or unexpected outcomes. Rather than focusing on the technical answer alone, the session will explore the assumptions, decisions and risk factors that often determine whether a strategy succeeds or unravels.

Designed to bring together many of the themes explored throughout the Technical Summit, this keynote will leave SMSF professionals with a renewed perspective on the role they play in supporting their clients in practice.

Scott Hay-Bartlem, Partner, Cooper Grace Ward

4:30pm - 4:40pm

wrap up

“Absolutely top notch event, with top line speakers and terrific content.”

“This was my first Technical Day and I found it absolutely fantastic. The speakers kept me engaged all day and I left having learnt a lot.”