The ACFA 2025 Industry Conference is your chance to discover innovative practices and learn from the leaders shaping the future of cabinetmaking, joinery and design industry.

We are focusing on equipping your business for the future, covering everything from cutting-edge AI solutions and efficient business structures to essential legal insights and the evolving workforce. Each session is designed to provide practical, actionable strategies that will drive growth, improve efficiency, and help you stay ahead in a rapidly changing industry.

Whether you’re looking to harness technology, build a more resilient business, navigate legal complexities, or attract the next generation of talent, this conference has insights tailored to your needs. Join us for a day packed with expertise, networking, and strategies that will keep your business thriving. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain a competitive edge and prepare your business for tomorrow!

Harnessing Artificial Intelligence to Drive Business Success

Discover how Artificial Intelligence can transform businesses of all sizes with Julian Moore, a renowned expert in AI solutions. With a wealth of experience across diverse industries, in this engaging keynote, he’ll demonstrate how AI can streamline manual processes, reduce costs, and empower your team to focus on what really drives growth and innovation.

Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, Julian’s insights will equip you with the tools to harness AI for greater

As an unabashed technology geek, has a deep understanding of the AI world and how associations can use AI to improve their operational performance and make a greater impact on the sectors they represent.

Having worked extensively in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, Julian has a knack for making complex topics easy to grasp. He loves to showcase practical ideas through stories and examples that people can relate to.

Hear from Julan’s AI Avatar!

Built to Last: Creating a Business That Thrives Without You”

Ben Fewtrell is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner at MaxMyProfit. With over 20 years of experience in business growth, Ben is also the co-creator of the “Business Exceleration™ Blueprint” and co-hosts the Max Your Business Podcast. He’s known for his dynamic presentations and effective business coaching, helping companies boost their sales and efficiency.

Imagine having a business that runs smoothly, even when you can’t be there.

If for some reason you were unable to work, would your business survive? Would it thrive or struggle?

In this session, Ben Fewtrell, Co-Founder of MaxMyProfit, will show you how to set up your business so you can take a step back and feel confident your business will continue to flourish, even when you’re not there!

We’ll dive into the four key areas every business owner needs to master to build a team that’s clear on their roles, accountable, and driven by real KPIs. You’ll walk away with a practical way to structure your business for growth, giving you a clear path to create systems that keep things running day-to-day, freeing you up for the big picture or even a well-earned break!

Whether you’re thinking about succession planning or just want more freedom, this session will give you the roadmap to make it happen.

Essential Legal Insights: Understanding Consumer Rights,
Contracts 101, Warranties, and Payment Protection

Andrew Seaton is the Managing Partner of Easton Belle Lawyers and is a leading Corporate and Commercial lawyer with over 30 years’ experience and a long standing and strong following of Australian and international clients. He has been highly recommended in national and international legal publications including Asia Pacific Legal 500.

Session Overview.

Consumer Guarantees

• All businesses must meet a set of basic rights when they sell products or services.  These basic rights are called “Consumer Guarantees”. They are included in the Australian Consumer Law.
• Consumers automatically receive these Consumer Guarantees when they buy goods and services.  It is unlawful for businesses to mislead consumers about these rights. The fines are up to $50 million.
• We will explain what these Consumer Guarantees are.

Unfair Contract Terms

• The unfair contract term regime, with fines and penalties, came into force on 9 November 2023 and applies to all standard form contracts.
• Since 9 November 2023 the use of an ‘unfair contract term’ can attract civil penalties if the business is prosecuted by a regulator, such as the ACCC.  The fines are up to $50 million.
• We will explain the test for an unfair term in a contract.

Home Statutory Warranty

• Home Warranty Insurance is compulsory (with some exceptions) for residential building work over a particular value – and that value varies from state to state.
• If you undertake a project that is required by law to be warranted in your state or territory, you must purchase Home Warranty Insurance prior to commencement of the work.
• We can help your business navigate the level of cover you need for your location and the building work you’re about to undertake.

Contracts 101

• How and when is a contract formed?  How do you know if you have entered into a contract?
• Contracts can be made in writing or verbally, and entered into in a number of ways including by signing a document, agreeing terms over the phone or clicking an ‘I agree’ button on a web page.
• We will explain the factors which determine whether a contract has been entered into.

Written Contracts to Get Paid

• Residential building work in NSW worth between $5,000 and $20,000 must be covered by a small jobs contract.  Building jobs in NSW worth more than $20,000 must be covered by more extensive written contracts.
• In Victoria, for work worth $10,000 or more, you must have a written contract.
• Do you know the rules that apply to you that determine whether you get paid.  We will explain these rules to you.

More About Andrew:

Andrew has managed and worked at a range of Australia’s leading law firms including Freehills, Corrs, Truman Hoyle (now known as Bird & Bird) where he was Managing Partner, and Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors where he was head of the Corporate & Commercial Practice.

Andrew advises a wide range of small, medium, national, and international clients in all aspects of:

• Corporate and commercial litigation,
• Acquisitions and sales of assets and businesses, including mergers,
• Corporate restructuring, capital raising and private equity,
• Competition and consumer law, and
• Insolvency law.

Andrew has acted in litigious matters and appeared in all Courts and Tribunals from the Local Court up to the High Court of Australia every year for over 30 years, including defending investigations and proceedings commenced by various state and federal regulators.  Andrew has also acted for numerous liquidators in the recovery of assets and monies for creditors.

Building Tomorrow’s Trades: Inspiring, Attracting, and Retaining the Future Workforce

The Future Tradie Report, developed by Trout Creative Thinking and Next, is the first of its kind in Australia. In this insightful session, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of the motivators and ambitions driving residential tradespeople.

In this session, attendees will gain insights from in-depth interviews with industry experts and more than 1000 trades professionals across the country targeting the under 40s, a cohort who have different expectations and motivators than their predecessors and highlighting how evolving values, workplace culture, and technology are reshaping the trades industry.

With Millennials and Gen Z expected to make up 75% of the workforce over the next decade, the findings provide valuable perspectives on emerging ambitions, diverse team management approaches, and a strong focus on integrity and continuous learning.

In light of labour shortages and evolving work expectations, retention strategies are more critical than ever. This session offers essential insights into the changing workforce, helping attendees understand and engage the next generation of tradies.