The Industry’s Biggest Night Comes to Brisbane — and Why You Can’t Miss It

By Steven Ballerini | CEO of Australasian Supply Chain & Logistics Association (ASCLA)

Supply chain is the most important job most people never think about. When it works, nobody notices. The shelves are stocked, the freight moves, the order lands on the doorstep, and the country goes about its day with no idea of the planning, the pressure and the very long hours that made it all look effortless. When something goes wrong, everybody notices — and the people who spend their working lives holding it together are the first to wear it.

It is demanding work. It is often invisible work. And for the most part it is thankless work, carried out at loading docks and in control towers and on the road at hours when the rest of the world is asleep. The people who do it rarely ask for recognition. That is exactly why, once a year, we should insist on giving it to them.

One Night to Put That Right

The ASCLA Industry Awards are the oldest and most prestigious awards in our sector — more than six decades of celebrating the individuals and organisations who set the standard for the rest of us. But the Awards are about far more than the trophies handed out on the night. They are the one occasion each year when our whole industry stops competing, sits down together, and says out loud what is too often left unsaid: that this work matters, and the people who do it are extraordinary.

That sense of coming together is the point. In a sector as dispersed and as relentless as ours, the chance to be in one room — to reconnect with peers, to meet the next generation of leaders, and to celebrate excellence wherever it has emerged this year — is rare and genuinely valuable. You leave the evening reminded of why you chose this industry in the first place.

A First for Brisbane

This year the celebration moves north. For the first time, the ASCLA Industry Awards Gala Dinner will be held in Brisbane — at the iconic Brisbane City Hall on Friday 23 October 2026, from 6:30pm. It is a landmark venue for a landmark night, and a deliberate step in taking these Awards to every corner of our membership. If you have been meaning to attend for years, this is the one to make.

Nominations Are Open — but Not for Long

Before the celebration comes the recognition, and that part is in your hands. Nominations for the 2026 Awards are open now and close on Friday 7 August — so there is only a short window left to put forward the people and organisations who deserve it. Nominate a colleague, a team, a supplier who went above and beyond, or your own organisation. If someone comes to mind as you read this, that is your answer.

The 2026 categories span the full breadth of our industry — from the Supply Chain Management and Transport & Logistics Excellence Awards to Environmental Excellence; Automation, Robotics or Emerging Technology; Big Data, IT & Business Intelligence; International Supply Chain; Workplace Health & Safety; Training, Education & Development; Industry Excellence; the Start Up Award; and our Future Leaders Award, which recognises the emerging talent shaping what comes next.

You can review every category and submit your nomination here: The Australasian Supply Chain & Logistics Awards — Nominations.

Secure Your Seat — Early Bird Rates

Whether or not you enter, we want you there. Registrations are open now but filling fast, and discounted Early Bird rates are available until the end of today — the best value on the night, and the easiest way to lock in a table for your team. Tables fill quickly for this event, and a first-time Brisbane gala will be no exception, so I’d encourage you to book now rather than risk missing out.

A Word of Thanks to Our Sponsors

An evening of this scale simply would not happen without the organisations who choose to stand behind our industry, and we extend our sincere thanks to every one of our 2026 sponsors. In particular, we are proud to recognise Oracle NetSuite as our Platinum Sponsor for this year’s Awards. Thank you for backing not just the event, but the people it exists to celebrate.

The Final Word

Our people spend the year making the impossible look routine, usually without a word of thanks. The ASCLA Industry Awards are our chance to change that — for one night, in one room, together. Nominate someone who deserves it before 7 August, book your seats while Early Bird rates last, and join us in Brisbane on 23 October. It is the premier night on our industry’s calendar, and it belongs to the people who earn it every single day.