14/07/2026
Dear Exhibitors
I am writing to let you know that we have now had official written confirmation and new contracts provided confirming that the Perth Convention Centre (PCEC) has reallocated our huge event which was planned for August 14th and 15th to November 27th and 28th due to giving the date to a larger event. I have assurances this new date is available and wont change. The PCEC has written to explain that they have allowed another client to contract the entire venue space. We hire 3 halls and they have apparently hired all pavilions I believe but I have limited access to that private information. Please be assured that I have energetically expressed my concern, and how disappointed I am that we have had this done to Australia’s largest disability event in Australia and the hundreds of exhibiting organisations with over 12 000 people attending last year. I cannot understand how a venue would do this and inform us that it has occurred and a decision has been made without any option to escalate it, despite my best attempts. Australia’s largest disability event has run for 5 years in a row now and we were as surprised as you are to hear that the venue had to do this.
Before you reach out to express your frustration to us be clear this is not a decision we have made or support in any way. We are visitors and customers of venues just like you. You do not need to do anything with us as all exhibitors will be automatically moved and no change to booth allocations is required. I am unsure what this event could be that has been given dates we had planned as there is nothing I can see on in the pavilions we hire advertised on the PCEC’s ‘what’s on page’ for that time so perhaps it’s a private event with an agency that has to be given priority. PCEC has explained “availability and event movements can sometimes create difficult scheduling challenges across the calendar, and [they] do appreciate that the outcome in this instance is less than ideal”. That “they appreciate the commercial challenges this creates for [our] stakeholders, particularly given the scale of [our] event and the coordination required with builders, sponsors, and partner organisations. Nevertheless, despite our attempts to challenge and push back against this we have not had success and have been forced to contract a new date with assurance that this date will not be changed and is the only date that is not the same week as another small event of a similar industry that we might overshadow. We avoid being too close to other events, not due to competition, but because our Perth event is simply the largest community event for the disability sector in Australia’s history and would greatly impact negatively on other smaller event if we were too close to their date. The PCEC has always been amazing to work with and we truly value their space and support the last 5 years so this must be due to something exceptional that has occurred beyond my understanding or access to private conversations internally. We certainly thank PCEC for helping to ensure we have an alternative date and we are sure that whatever reason they had to make this decision it must have been unavoidable as we know they value Australians living with disability, Western Australia’s and our country’s largest disability event. We understand and we get that this is frustrating for organsiations attending as it may require changing accommodation, flights, and freight especially so we hope that one month’s notice is sufficient to ensure everyone can do this without financial impact. Now we have just received new signed contracts for the new date and I have exhausted all attempts to advocate against this. It does at least give you capacity to change bookings with clear new dates so please do this immediately. Those that know me and have seen me online will know I am a passionate advocate nationally and I can assure you my communication with PCEC has been very direct and clear about the impact this will have on our community and possible negative backlash for PCEC. The PCEC is a valuable service to the community so please help us in ensuring we discourage any negative community back lash the best we can for PCEC as they must have had a good reason for this change despite how frustrated we may be. It is out of our control and we have to assume there was a very good, reasonable and unavoidable reason and I do thank PCEC for their continued help. Let us assume they did their best and it was unavoidable. Working in our sector we all know that decisions made, just like the changes we are seeing now with state and federal reform, at times may not make sense but we have no choice but to adapt. We are a resilient community in the disability sector and I look forward to seeing you all in November. We thank PCEC for doing their best to support our huge event and I am sure they would not have done this if there was any other alternative. Email us if you have any questions. We are a small team and run on the smell of an oily rag to keep costs down for you all so be patient with us if you call. To ensure everyone is clear the PCEC have now changed our dates and given us Friday November 27th and Saturday November 28th for the 2026 Perth Disability Connection Expo, sponsored by St Jude’s. We thank you all for your understanding and patience.
