The 2026 Prime Minister’s National Veteran Employment Awards will celebrate this year’s theme, Success beyond service, recognising the employers, veterans and partners helping to demonstrate the value of veteran employment across Australia.
Keynote speaker Scott Fairweather will help set the tone for this national event, bringing a perspective shaped by military service, leadership development and business experience.
At the Awards ceremony, Scott will draw on his transition from military service to a successful civilian career, to highlight the capability, contribution and achievement veterans and partners bring to Australian workplaces. His keynote will reflect the themes at the heart of success beyond service: opportunity, leadership, performance and the ongoing value of service beyond Defence.
Scott served 15 years in the military, including deployments to Afghanistan. Those experiences shaped his approach to resilience, adaptability, discipline and decision-making in high-pressure environments.
He now applies those lessons across leadership, performance and culture-building work, helping individuals and organisations strengthen accountability, trust and sustained performance.
As founder of The RENOVATOR HQ, Scott also understands the value of entrepreneurship has established himself as a trusted advisor, mentor and leadership specialist. His work combines behavioural change, performance psychology and practical culture-building strategies.
His ability to translate military and elite performance experience into practical workplace insights makes him well placed to speak to the purpose of the Awards and of the strengths veterans and partners bring to civilian careers beyond service.
Scott continues to work with elite athletes, coaches, executives, veterans and emerging leaders. This includes work with organisations such as the NRL referees, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Rowing Australia, Redcliffe Dolphins, Brisbane Broncos and Collingwood AFL.
His keynote will help celebrate the achievements being recognised through the Awards and reinforce this year’s focus of success beyond service.