We are pleased to announce that planning for the AFIF 2012 Conference is moving forward at a fast pace, with the program being finalised and registration details being prepared for launch in early February 2012.

The event takes place on the Gold Coast from the 24 - 26 May 2012. The venue will be the Holiday Inn Surfers Paradise (to become an Outrigger property as of the end of January).

Featured Speaker

Over the coming months, we will feature a speaker or session from the program and outline further detail. At this time, we are excited to announce our opening speaker:

PETER FITZSIMONS

Peter Fitzsimons writes regular columns for The Sydney Morning Herald and Sun-Herald, is a television presenter on Fox Sports, and has co-hosted radio shows with Mike Carlton and Doug Mulray. He speaks four languages and has interviewed famous people around the globe from George Bush to Diego Maradona. Peter has played rugby for Australia and written almost 20 best-selling books. He is the biographer of World Cup winning Wallaby captains, Nick Farr-Jones and John Eales, as well as former Opposition Leader Kim Beazley, war heroine Nancy Wake and magazine Queen, Nene King.

In 2001 Peter Fitzsimons was Australia's biggest selling non-fiction author. He duplicated that feat in 2004, with his book on Kokoda. His book Tobruk, recounts the story of the Rats of Tobruk as they fought during World War II against Italian, then later the Afrika Korps as they were led by General Erwin Rommell.

Peter boasts an impressive list of interview credits including ex-president George Bush, Sir Edmund Hillary, Jodie Foster, Nicki Lauda, Joe Montana and Carl Lewis as well as all the major Australian sporting figures from Shane Gould to Lionel Rose and Allan Border. He has interviewed every Australian Prime Minister from Gough Whitlam through to Kevin Rudd.

On December 12, 2011 he entered the Guinness Book of Records for the World's Longest Radio Interview - 24 hours with ABC Radio's Richard Glover. This was to celebrate the release of his 24th book, about Antarctic explorer Douglas Mawson.

We look forward to welcoming him to the AFIF 2012 Conference to open the event and set the scene for an exciting and stimulating event!

Program of Speakers and Sessions

The committee have focussed heavily on the program content and the format of the event. The familiar structured session format has been broken down to provide a more varied program covering a wider range of topics, both directly related to the industry but also including more generic business issue topics. We will be releasing details of the program once finalised and hope our members and supporters will appreciate the new approach.

REGISTRATION AND ACCOMMODATION

Registration and Accommodation booking details will be available in print and online from early February 2012. All bookings can be done via the conference secretariat who are holding accommodation rooms at a discounted conference rate, from $150 per night.

FLIGHTS

Jetstar are currently offering sale fares to the Gold Coast during the conference dates, with flights from Sydney starting at $49 one way and from Melbourne at $69. Don't miss out on these great deals and book early.

If you would like a copy of the registration brochure emailed to you, or have any other questions about the conference, please contact the conference secretariat at:

Tel: 02 4973 6573
Email: afifconference@willorganise.com.au

Also why not Bookmark the AFIF 2012 Website and keep checking for updates: http://www.afif.asn.au/AFIF2012/

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and look forward to seeing you at the conference in May.

Regards

AFIF2012 Conference Organising Committee