The Public Health Association has postponed its flagship 2025 conference in Auckland.
The event was due to run at the University of Auckland on 26 and 27 November 2025.
Public Health Association of New Zealand (PHANZ) told registrants the PHANZ Public Health Conference 2025 will now be held in 2026, shifting to a fully online format during Global Public Health Week.
In a message signed by the PHANZ Conference Organising Committee, PHANZ pointed to “current pressures across the public health sector” as a key reason for the change, as services across Aotearoa juggle workforce shortages, rising demand and long-running reform work.
Why was the PHANZ public health conference 2025 postponed?
PHANZ said the decision “was not made lightly” and that sector strain influenced the call.
“The current pressures across the public health sector have been an important factor in our consideration.”
The committee said it wanted to deliver the conference in a way that allowed “full participation, connection, and collaboration”, which it described as central to the public health community.
For many in the sector, the timing would have landed in the final stretch of the working year, when services often manage influenza and other respiratory illness spikes, alongside end-of-year reporting and planning for summer demand.
The postponement also comes as the country continues to debate long-term preparedness after COVID-19, including system coordination and health workforce resilience. A recent Royal Commission report follow-up has kept attention on how the sector sustains capacity under pressure.
PHANZ did not provide further detail on the specific pressures behind the postponement, but it framed the move as a practical step to protect participation.
When is the new PHANZ public health conference and how will it run?
The rescheduled event will run online on Tuesday 7 April and Wednesday 8 April 2026.
PHANZ said it would hold the conference during Global Public Health Week, and that moving online should widen access for people who cannot travel to Auckland or take several days away from front-line roles.
“The PHANZ Public Health Conference 2026 will now be held online, during Global Public Health Week, on Tuesday 7 April and Wednesday 8 April 2026,” the organising committee said.
The committee said the virtual format would support participation “across Aotearoa and beyond”. It also signalled a deliberate emphasis on inclusion, describing the new approach as designed to be “inclusive, accessible, and engaging”.
World Health Organization guidance has long pointed to the importance of a capable, supported public health workforce, including training and professional development that can be maintained during periods of high demand.
What happens to registrations, refunds and presenters?
PHANZ said all registered participants and presenters from the postponed 2025 conference will receive full refunds.
Refunds are being processed automatically, and “no action is required”.
That promise matters for public health workers and students who often pay fees up front, or rely on limited professional development budgets that can be difficult to reallocate once a course or conference is cancelled.
PHANZ said speakers from the 2025 programme would be invited to take part in 2026. It said exact speaking slots would be confirmed early next year as it adapts the programme to the virtual format.
“Speakers will be invited to participate in the 2026 online event, and we will confirm exact speaking slots early next year as we adapt the program for a virtual format,” the committee said.
The PHANZ Public Health Conference 2026 will now be held online, during Global Public Health Week, on Tuesday 7 April and Wednesday 8 April 2026.
What this means for auckland and the sector
The conference had been scheduled to bring public health leaders, researchers, practitioners and students to the University of Auckland’s city campus, a regular draw for national meetings because of its transport links and lecture facilities.
A shift online removes the need for flights, accommodation and time away from work. It also changes the informal parts of conferences that people use to compare local initiatives, recruit staff and build research partnerships.
Local businesses that often benefit from visiting delegates, including cafés and hotels near the university, will not see the same late-November bump. Auckland’s central city calendar already leans heavily on seasonal events and festivals, with listings like the free Auckland CBD events guide mapping out weekend crowds.
For the public health workforce, however, an online schedule may better reflect the reality of stretched rosters. Virtual attendance can allow staff to join key sessions without taking annual leave or leaving smaller teams short.
Online conferences have also become a way to bring more voices into national conversations, including rural and regional practitioners who can be underrepresented when events sit in major centres.
PHANZ thanked “attendees, presenters, partners, and service providers” and said further updates would be posted on its website and social media channels.
How to follow updates and future submission opportunities
PHANZ said it would share new programme details and “new submission opportunities” as planning for the 2026 online event progresses.
The committee did not publish a new abstract deadline, but said it would provide updates “early next year” as it reworks the programme for a virtual setting.
Public health in Aotearoa spans communicable disease control, health promotion, screening, environmental health and policy. Conferences often set themes that spill into wider debates, from health equity to climate risks, including concerns raised by a University of Auckland researcher about how institutions respond to climate pressures.
PHANZ has advised registrants and presenters to watch its website for the next round of information. The rescheduled conference is set to run online on 7 and 8 April 2026.
