Mobilise!
The problems that assail our nation cannot be fixed unless family is number one in public policy. Strong families make strong nations. The current upheaval in Australian politics only makes Family First's voice for family, faith, freedom and life more essential.
Despite a setback at the South Australian election, Family First is determined to persist and keep providing voters in Victoria this November and in NSW next March the opportunity to vote for candidates of courage, character and conviction.
Family First remains determined to gain a foothold in State upper houses because we have a vision for a better future.
To do this you and I must mobilise. 2026 is a decisive year for our movement.
To this end I invite you to join me, the Family First Federal and State Executives, candidates, volunteers, member, supporters and donors as we come together for our fourth annual Family First National Conference.
We have an incredible line up of international and national speakers for you, details below, plus much more from the Family First team. As always, Family First's conferences focus on what the other parties don't talk about starting with the rights of children to be born and to have their own married mother and father.
You are also invited to join us for the pre-conference dinner on Friday evening with guest speaker Hon Tony Abbott AC, who will speak about his new book Australia - a history. While not perfect, there is much from the success of the Australian story that can inspire us as we chart our way out of our present difficulties. We are honoured to host Mr Abbott. Please note, the dinner is ticketed separately.
This year's venue is once again the Epping Club, at 45-47 Rawson St, Epping. It is located close to both the Epping Metro and heavy rail stations and there is ample parking on site.
There are several accommodation options at nearby Macquarie Park and Chatswood, both on the rail lines and minutes from the Epping Club.
I hope to see you there.
Lyle Shelton
National Director
Family First Party
Meet our speakers
Hear from leading speakers across policy, culture, public life and advocacy.
Katy Faust (appearing via video link) is Founder and President of Them Before Us, a global movement defending children’s right to their mother and father. She publishes, speaks and testifies widely on why marriage and family are matters of justice for children. Her articles have appeared in Newsweek, USA Today, The Federalist, Public Discourse, WORLD Magazine, First Things, The Daily Signal, the Washington Examiner, the American Mind, and the American Conservative.
She is on the advisory board for the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship. Katy helped design the teen edition of CanaVox which studies sex, marriage and relationships from a natural law perspective.
She detailed her philosophy of worldview transmission in her book, Raising Conservative Kids in a Woke City. Her third book, Pro-Child Politics was published September 2024. She and her husband are raising their four children in Seattle.
Bob McCoskrie is the founder and National Director of Family First New Zealand, a leading advocacy organisation he established in 2006 to champion strong families, protect the sanctity of life from conception, and build safe communities across the nation.
With a Masters in Commerce (Hons) focusing on accounting and commercial law from the University of Auckland, alongside a Diploma of Teaching, McCoskrie brings decades of expertise to his role.
His earlier work directing Youth for Christ South Auckland and founding the Papatoetoe Adolescent Christian Trust equipped him to address family breakdown and youth challenges—issues central to Family First NZ's mission.
He is a prominent voice on radio and TV, where he fearlessly tackles abortion, euthanasia, gender ideology, and attacks on parental rights.
Bob is married to Tina with three children.
Kirralie Smith is the passionate spokeswoman for Binary Australia, fearlessly defending biological reality, women's rights, and children's safety against radical gender ideology.
A devoted wife and mother, she challenges political leaders to safeguard parents' rights, female-only spaces in sport, military, and education from the de-gendering agenda.
Her bold stance has meant that she has faced legal battles, including 2025 vilification findings and AVOs for calling out biological males in women's soccer. Kirralie's courage inspires family advocates nationwide.
Lyle Shelton serves as National Director of Family First Party Australia, leading the charge to build a political movement that will deliver parliamentarians of character and courage who will defend family, faith, freedom and life. A husband to Wendy, father of four, and grandfather, he draws from 25+ years in the culture wars, including as a Toowoomba City Councillor where he fought early battles to protect the dignity of young women in the face of the sex trade’s demands. Lyle was Managing Director of Australian Christian Lobby (2013–2018), a director and spokesperson for the Coalition for Marriage in the 2017 plebiscite fighting to preserve the definition of marriage. His first book, I Kid You Not, provided details of his experience in the ‘culture wars’, his second book, Turn the Tide - a letter to the Antipodean Church, is a call to action for the church and will be released in June. Lyle is Family First’s lead candidate for the NSW Legislative Council at the March 2027 election.
Michelle Pearse was appointed CEO of the Australian Christian Lobby in 2023. She leads a national team of State Directors and staff working to protect religious freedom, uphold human dignity, and advocate for the protection of life from conception until natural death. Under her leadership, ACL engages with policymakers across Australia’s nine parliaments through strategic relationships, policy expertise, and the mobilisation of a nationwide volunteer network.
Michelle and her team also equip and activate Christians through regular communications, campaign tools, and public advocacy. Prior to her role at the Australian Christian Lobby, Michelle served as a pastor alongside her husband in London and has held various roles in ministry and politics. She leads with conviction and grace, bringing Christ’s influence into the political sphere.
Jonathan Brohier is a dedicated South Australian solicitor, specialising in civil litigation, commercial advice, property, employment, and criminal law. Graduating with First Class Honours from the University of Adelaide Law School in 2015 and admitted in 2017, he honed his skills in civil litigation and criminal defence matters before joining his current firm in 2022. A fearless advocate, Jonathan is briefed for trials and tribunals, delivering pragmatic results for clients facing life's toughest challenges—from contractual disputes to criminal defence.
Jonathan is developing an expertise in human rights-based litigation and religious freedom and regularly speaks on the intersection of law, faith and culture.
Jonathan is developing an expertise in human rights-based litigation and religious freedom and regularly speaks on the intersection of law, faith and culture.
Monica Doumit is Chancellor of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, and previously Director of Public Affairs and Engagement. She served as Communications Director for the Coalition for Marriage during the 2017 plebiscite on same-sex marriage.
A sought-after columnist for The Catholic Weekly and adjunct senior lecturer in law at the University of Notre Dame Australia, Monica holds degrees in law (1st class honours) and medical science from UTS, a Diploma of Financial Services, and a Master's in Bioethics from Sydney University.
Before the Archdiocese, she spent 10 years as a corporate lawyer in Sydney and London.
Her bold voice aligns with Family First Australia's defence of faith, life, and family values.
Hon Tom Kenyon, former South Australian Labor MP for Newland is Chairman of the Family First Federal Executive, having co-founded Family First Mark II in 2021 with Jack Snelling. A devout Catholic and father of three, Tom held ministerial portfolios including Manufacturing, Innovation, Trade, Small Business, Environment, Water, and Government Whip. With degrees in Arts (Flinders) and Applied Science (UniSA), Tom rose from union organiser and advisor to advocate for the human rights of unborn babies in his maiden speech and push nuclear industry growth. Post-parliament, as CEO of Sporting Shooters' Association of Australia (SSAA), he advocates for fair gun laws to protect the freedoms of law-abiding shooters.
Deepa Mathew is a member of the Family First Federal Executive and was the party’s lead Legislative Council candidate for the 2026 South Australian election. She headed a record slate of 37 candidates championing families against cost-of-living pressures, housing unaffordability, and erosion of parental rights. Deepa migrated to South Australia 20 years ago from India with her husband and a three-month-old baby, embodying the migrant mum's resilience in raising a family amid everyday struggles. She has had a career in banking and finance and is a successful small business woman. During the campaign she fearlessly called out Liberal inaction on Labor-Green land grabs and sought to common sense, protect children from gender ideology in schools, and ease economic burdens.
