NBAA September 2026: Event Recap

On Thursday, 3 September 2026, NORTH Link welcomed over 150 attendees to the Northern Business Achievement Awards (NBAA), a dynamic breakfast event at Novotel Melbourne Preston. It was a gathering that combined sharp political insight with heartfelt business recognition.

The hosting councils for this breakfast were the Banyule City Council and the City of Whittlesea. A heartfelt thank you to our event sponsors: La Trobe University, Darling Daughters and Inner North Community Foundation. Your continued support helps make these events possible.

Thank you to our NBAA Naming Rights Sponsors:

Victorian Government, Darling Daughters, Inner North Community Foundation, Kangan Institute, La Trobe Business School, La Trobe University, Macpherson Kelley, Melbourne Polytechnic, New Epping, Pitcher Partners and Yarra Valley Water.

Keynote

We were pleased to welcome Robin Penty, Chief Executive Officer of the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, as our keynote speaker. Robin delivered an eye-opening and powerful presentation detailing the stark realities surrounding ovarian cancer in Australia—and why urgent action, awareness, and community-driven research funding are vital.
Here are the critical challenges shared during the event:

High Mortality, Low Early Detection: As Australia’s most lethal gynaecological cancer, nearly 2,000 women are diagnosed annually. Without an early screening test (and contrary to popular belief, Pap smears do not detect it), 70% of cases are caught late, bringing 5-year survival rates down to 49% overall and 31% for advanced stages.
Silent Symptoms: Warning signs like persistent bloating, pelvic pain, feeling full quickly, and frequent urination are often subtle or dismissed, delaying crucial diagnoses.
Crucial Need for Community Support: Despite the high impact, ovarian cancer received less than 0.7% of Australian medical research funding over the past 25 years. Because of this gap, 100% of OCRF’s research funding relies directly on community support to pioneer life-saving early detection methods.

Celebrating Excellence Across the Region

We extend our warmest congratulations to the outstanding Business Nominees and Young Business Achievers (YBAs) from Banyule City Council and the City of Whittlesea: