![](\"https:\/\/escope.ages.com.au\/february-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/06\/NZICC.avif\")
The newly opened NZICC in Auckland, New Zealand.<\/p>\n
After over 20 years working in the United Kingdom and Australia, I returned to my homeland, Aotearoa New Zealand, in\u00a02020\u00a0to practice in both public and private sectors in Auckland. Although Australia’s and New Zealand’s health systems seem similar-sharing training pathways, professional colleges, and close trans-Tasman ties-the reality is more complex. Significant differences exist in governance, consent, patient advocacy, and cultural factors that influence how we practice and how patients experience care. Many of these differences may not be immediately evident to our Australian colleagues, which makes T\u0101maki Makaurau, Auckland an ideal host city for the 2026 Australasian Gynaecological Endoscopy & Surgery Society (AGES) Annual Scientific Meeting.<\/p>\n
From March 12-14, 2026, AGES will meet for the first time in New Zealand at the newly opened\u00a0New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) in Auckland. I am proud that this inaugural New Zealand ASM will be held in T\u0101maki Makaurau, with views of Waitemat\u0101 Harbour and amid the volcanic landscapes and culture that characterise Aotearoa.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
The newly opened NZICC in Auckland, New Zealand.<\/p>\n
Our theme, ‘Bridging the Divide – Surgical Experience vs Scientific Evidence,’ reflects a challenge that every modern surgeon recognises. We carry the wisdom of experience-judgement refined in the operating theatre, lessons learned through both complications and successes. Simultaneously, we operate in an era of rapidly growing evidence, evolving technology, and greater scrutiny. This meeting is not about choosing sides, but about blending the two to strengthen our profession, enhance patient outcomes, and maintain professional satisfaction.<\/p>\n
The scientific program embodies this goal. We start by establishing our location and intent with a P\u014dwhiri\u00a0welcoming delegates to Aotearoa. Our international keynote speakers, Dr. Cara King\u00a0and\u00a0Associate Professor Sony Singh, will prompt us to reconsider how we train, perform, lead, and manage our roles as surgeons. Over three days, sessions cover topics like complex pelvic surgery, endometriosis, pain, fertility, innovation, robotics, surgical data, trauma-informed care, and access equity-always emphasising the translation of evidence into practical clinical application.<\/p>\n
There will be a welcome return of AGES favourites, including\u00a0“Not\u2011so Live Surgery”\u00a0and the\u00a0Surgical Performance M&M, which provide a rare and honest space to reflect on real cases and real outcomes. These sessions exemplify the spirit of our theme: experience openly examined through the lens of evidence, in a collegial environment focused on learning rather than judgment.<\/p>\n
A key focus of this ASM is on consent, communication, and patient advocacy, areas where practices in New Zealand and Australia can vary widely. The session on surgical consent will feature Morag McDowell, the New Zealand Health and Disability Commissioner, and Dr Rachelle Love, an ENT Surgeon and Chair of the New Zealand Medical Council. They will provide valuable insights into New Zealand’s patient-centred medico-legal and ethical framework. I expect this session will be both informative and challenging for many delegates and likely to be a highlight of the meeting.<\/p>\n
A standout moment in the program will be the\u00a0prestigious Dan O’Connor Lecture, delivered by\u00a0Professor Cindy Farquhar\u00a0from the University of Auckland. Professor Farquhar is one of New Zealand’s most respected academic gynaecologists and an internationally recognised leader in women’s health research. As Postgraduate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and a long-standing leader within the Cochrane Collaboration, Cindy has dedicated her career to ensuring that high-quality evidence meaningfully informs clinical care. Her contributions to research, guideline development, and health system leadership make her an ideal speaker for a lecture at the heart of our theme.<\/p>\n
Friday’s program also features what promises to be a lively and thought-provoking\u00a0debate:\u00a0“Old Dogs, New Tricksters: My Experience is Better than Your Gadgets.”\u00a0This session captures the essence of modern surgical discourse-experience versus technology, instinct versus innovation-and reminds us that progress lies not in opposition, but in integration.<\/p>\n
Leadership and professional growth are strong threads throughout the meeting, culminating in the final session,\u00a0“From Clinician to Leader: Unlocking Your Potential.”\u00a0As surgeons, we are increasingly called upon to lead teams, services, and systems, often without formal leadership training. This session is designed to inspire clinicians at all stages of their careers to recognise their influence and step into leadership roles with confidence and purpose.<\/p>\n
Thursday evening will also see the\u00a0AATP Graduation Ceremony, a moment to celebrate the next generation of surgical educators and leaders. These milestones remind us that investment in training, mentorship, and community is essential to the future of our specialty.<\/p>\n
Auckland in March offers long, warm days and a welcoming energy. I encourage delegates to explore what New Zealand’s largest city has to offer-from its vibrant dining scene and cultural institutions to volcanic landscapes and nearby islands.<\/p>\n
No event of this scale could happen without an exceptional team working behind the scenes. I sincerely thank our\u00a0local organising committee-Keryn Harlow, Simon Schnek, Pip Walker, Tarek Saleh, Sarah Corbett, Prathima Chowdary, and Elliot Mackenzie-for their dedication, creativity, and tireless effort in making this meeting possible. None of this would be achievable without the AGES secretariat, led by Mary Sparksman and her YRD team.<\/p>\n
There is a whakatauk\u012b (M\u0101ori proverb) that beautifully captures the spirit of this meeting:\u00a0“Ki te k\u0101puia e kore e whati.”\u00a0Alone we can be broken, but standing together we are invincible. AGES has always been at its strongest when it brings people together across borders, disciplines, and perspectives.<\/p>\n
I hope that this first AGES ASM in Auckland will be the beginning of a long and enduring relationship between AGES and New Zealand. I very much look forward to welcoming you in March 2026 for a meeting that will be as stimulating as it is enjoyable, and as challenging as it is rewarding.<\/p>\n\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/escope.ages.com.au\/february-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2026\/02\/Untitled-design-2025-10-21T165254.733.png\")
\nWarm regards,
\nDr Michael Wynn-Williams
\nPresident, AGES\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
AGES 2026 heads to Auckland for its first-ever New Zealand ASM, bringing surgeons together to bridge experience and evidence in modern gynaecological practice. Set at the new NZICC, the meeting promises robust debate, practical insight and a strong focus on consent, leadership and innovation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":72,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"full-width-container","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-115","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/escope.ages.com.au\/february-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/escope.ages.com.au\/february-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/escope.ages.com.au\/february-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/escope.ages.com.au\/february-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/escope.ages.com.au\/february-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=115"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/escope.ages.com.au\/february-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":208,"href":"https:\/\/escope.ages.com.au\/february-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115\/revisions\/208"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/escope.ages.com.au\/february-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/72"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/escope.ages.com.au\/february-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=115"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/escope.ages.com.au\/february-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=115"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/escope.ages.com.au\/february-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=115"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}