REGISTRATION

WELCOME & OPENING ADDRESS

Delegate Welcome Professor Peter Dawkins AO, Vice-Chancellor & President, Victoria University

MC The Hon. Nicola Roxon Chair, Sir Zelman Cowen Centre, former Commonwealth Attorney-General & Minister for Health and Ageing

Welcome to Country Gheran Steel, Boonwurrung Traditional Owner

Musical Performance Cantor – Brett Kaye, Muezzin – Sheik Ala El Zokm, Didgeridoo player – Brent Watkins

Opening The Hon Robin Scott MP, Minister for Multicultural Affairs

PLENARY

Beyond the Royal Commissions: Best Practice for Faith-Based Organisations

Both the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and Royal Commission into Family Violence highlighted and recommended the need for faith-based organisations to improve their responses to vulnerable groups, through improved governance and decision-making practices.

Chair Elizabeth Proust AO Advisory Board Chairperson, Bank of Melbourne

Speakers

The Hon. Justice Jennifer Coate Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

The Hon. Marcia Neave AO Royal Commission into Family Violence (Victoria)

Responding to the Royal Commissions

Commentators from major faith-based communities discuss their individual responses and strategies.

Commentators

Francis Sullivan CEO, Truth, Justice and Healing Council

Rabbi Marcus Solomon SC Barrister, Western Australian Bar

MORNING TEA

PLENARY

When the Sh..candal Hits the Fan: Risk, Reputation and Relationship Management

A panel of ‘clients’ and ‘advisers’ consider a ‘super-scenario’ where everything that could go wrong, has gone wrong. Issues include rebuilding trust, managing risk and developing strategies to address past failures.

Moderator Emeritus Professor Arie Freiberg AM Chair, Sentencing Advisory Council (Vic & Tas)

Clients Religious leaders, religious school and complainant

Advisers

Regulatory perspective – Dr Sue-Anne Wallace 2014 Churchill Fellow

Mediator – Greg Rooney Mediator and Arbitrator

Lawyer – Tony Lang Barrister, Victorian Bar

PR Consultant – Carla De Campo Strategic Media Manager, Cbus Super  

Insurer – Warren Hutcheon CEO, Ansvar Insurance

LUNCH

CONCURRENT SESSION 1A

Meet the Regulators

Representatives from key regulatory bodies will discuss best practice from a regulatory perspective.

Chair Fiona McLeay, CEO, Justice Connect & incoming Victoria Legal Services Commissioner

Panellists

Murray Baird Assistant Commissioner, General Counsel, Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC)

Simon Cohen Deputy Secretary, Regulation & Director, Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV)

Tim Dyce Deputy Commissioner, Indirect Tax, Australian Taxation Office (ATO)

CONCURRENT SESSION 1B

Complaint Handling: For Better or for Worse

The main approaches to internal and external complaint handling and best practice approaches. 

Speaker Dr Sue-Anne Wallace AM 2014 Churchill Fellow & Vice-President, Humanitarian Quality Assurance Initiative (Geneva) – The Social & Economic Value of the Adoption of Complaints Handling Systems by Australian Charities

Commentator Dr Cassandra Mertono, Assistant Ombudsman, Victorian Ombudsman

Case study Michael Shand QC Barrister & Chancellor of the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne – Kooyoora Ltd Independent Professional Standards

CONCURRENT SESSION 1C

Betrayal of Trust – the New Child Safe Standards & Reportable Conduct

How do faith-based organisations and schools ensure they comply with Victoria’s new compulsory minimum standards for organisations that provide services for children?

Chair  Gill Callister Secretary, Department of Education and Training Victoria

Panellists

Liana Buchanan Principal Commissioner for Children and Young People

Dr Michelle Meyer CEO, Tzedek

Olivia Brown Executive Manager Governance & Child Safety, YMCA Australia

AFTERNOON TEA

CONCURRENT SESSION 2A

Back to School: Parents, Principals, Teachers & Governance 

Schools are the heart and soul of faith-based communities. How do we manage the tensions between the different roles and responsibilities of stakeholders?

Chair Frank Handy Chairperson, Independent Office for School Dispute Resolution

Panellists

Zeynep Sertel Dallas Secondary Girls Principal, Ilim College

Rabbi James Kennard Principal, Mt Scopus Memorial College

Maria Kirkwood Director of Catholic Education, Diocese of Sale

CONCURRENT SESSION 2B

Reframing Our History: Coming to Terms with Problematic Pasts

What to do with what we find and publicly rewriting history.

Chair Prof Kathy Laster, Director, Sir Zelman Cowen Centre

Speakers

Greg Rooney Mediator and Arbitrator – The role of the profound apology within abuse redress schemes

Dr Helen Light Foundation Director, Jewish Museum of Australia

Dr Kathy Landvogt Safeguarding Lead, Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand – Voicing the other side of history

Emeritus Prof Shurlee Swain Australian Catholic University – Writing Child Welfare History in a Post-Apology World

CONCURRENT SESSION 2C

Civility, Security and Safety

Balancing religious precepts and legal rights and obligations.

Chair Professor Lisa Webley Professor of Empirical Legal Studies, University of Westminster

Speakers

Bill Swannie Lecturer, Victoria University – Understanding Australia’s Religious Vilification Laws: A Guide for Religious Leaders

Ryan Green Program Manager, WorkSafe Victoria

Charles Allen Superintendent, Priority Communities Division, Victoria Police

CONFERENCE DAY 1 CLOSE

CONFERENCE BREAKFAST (SEPARATE TICKETED EVENT)

New Leadership: Women Up Front

Speakers Dr Susan Carland academic, author and social commentator and Kristen Hilton Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commissioner

Graduation of the Aspire Young Muslim Women’s Governance and Leadership Training Program

CONFERENCE DELEGATES ARRIVE – REGISTRATION DAY 2

WELCOME DAY 2

Delegate Welcome George Pappas AO, Chancellor, Victoria University

Opening Helen Kapalos Chairperson, Victorian Multicultural Commission

PLENARY

Between Religion & Democracy

How can religious law fit within a secular legal system?

Chair Damien Carrick Presenter, The Law Report, ABC RN

Speakers

Rabbi Prof Daniel Sinclair Professor of Law, Fordham University Law School

Revd Prof Dorothy Lee FAHA Trinity College Theological School, University of Divinity

MORNING TEA

CONCURRENT SESSION 3A

Conciliating Cultures

Family dispute resolution (FDR) in diverse faith communities

Chair Nussen Ainsworth Legal Academic and Mediator

Panellists

Imam Haisam Farache, FDR Practitioner & Lawyer – The successful combination of Islamic principles, cultural practices and Australian law in FDR

Lisa Zeleznikow, FDR Practitioner – The Melbourne Jewish Family Mediation Centre: A Case Study

Dr Ghena Krayem & Tamana Daqiq The University of Sydney – Reconciliation and FDR Processes in the Muslim Community

Thelma Austin, Coordinator, Aboriginal Dispute Resolution Training, Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria

CONCURRENT SESSION 3B

Oaths, Confessions & Death Bed Admissions

Faith-based rituals and Australian law.

Chair David Ranson, Deputy Director & Head of Forensic Services, Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine

Panellists

Ari Jenshel Lawyer & Consultant – The Bizarre History of Oaths: Ritual, Faith and Fantasy

Danielle Hutchinson ADR Specialist, Dispute Resolution Centre Victoria – Conflict and Death: Exploring Cultural, Faith-Based and Inter-Generational Funeral and Burial Disputes

Simon Fisher Barrister, Queensland Bar –  Religious Confessions under Australian Law: the Current State of Play and Reform Proposals

CONCURRENT SESSION 3C

Peeking into Peak Bodies

How to keep a broad and diverse membership base on side, influence change, manage funding, and other challenges faced by faith-based peak bodies.

Chair Zione Walker-Nthenda Social Entrepreneur and Human Rights Lawyer

Panellists

Nail Aykan, Executive Director, Islamic Council of Victoria

David Marlow, Executive Director, Jewish Community Council of Victoria

Rev Ian Smith, Executive Officer, Victorian Council of Churches

LUNCH

CONCURRENT SESSION 4A

Sacking God’s Messenger: Hiring, Firing and Disciplining Clergy

The unique challenges and strategic approaches for resolving employment disputes and managing renewal of clergy contracts.

Panellists

Nadav Prawer Partner, Mann Lawyers & Lecturer, Sir Zelman Cowen Centre

Dr Graeme Blackman AO Chancellor, University of Divinity

Graham Segal OAM, Barrister, NSW Bar – By whose law? The intersection of secular and religious law in relation to employment contracts – a case study

CONCURRENT SESSION 4B

Religion & Respectful Relationships

Family violence prevention in faith-based communities.

Chair The Hon. Marcia Neave AO former Commissioner, Royal Commission into Family Violence (Victoria)

Panellists

Scott Holmes Anglican Priest & Manager, Practice Leadership, Our Watch

Deborah Wiener Barrister & former Chair of the Jewish Taskforce Against Family Violence

Dr Nada Ibrahim Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Islamic Thought and Education, University of South Australia

Jasbir Singh Suropada Chairman, Sikh Interfaith Council Victoria & Director, Sikh Australian Support for Family Violence

CONCURRENT SESSION 4C

Keeping it Civil: Religious Commercial Arbitration & Resolution of Civil Disputes

Challenges and benefits of faith-based arbitration and dispute resolution.

Chair Rabbi Prof Daniel Sinclair Professor of Law, Fordham University Law School

Panellists

Rabbi Chaim Cowen PhD Candidate, Sir Zelman Cowen Centre, Victoria University – Commercial arbitration at the Australian and American Beth Dins

Prof Alperhan Babacan Associate Dean, Navitas College of Public Safety – The ineffectiveness of contemporary mediation practices in a multicultural society

Prof Lisa Webley Professor of Empirical Legal Studies, University of Westminster

AFTERNOON TEA

PLENARY

Servants to Many Masters: Managing Conflict of Interest in Small Communities 

An interfaith creative session discussing popular culture’s depiction of conflicting loyalties and duties in faith-based communities.

Chair Dick Gross Deputy Mayor, City of Port Phillip

Speakers

David Werdiger Community Activist, Social Commentator, Entrepreneur & Author

Revd Angus McLeay, Minister, Anglican Diocese of Melbourne

CONFERENCE DAY 2 CLOSE

MASTERCLASS 1

Financial Literacy

Facilitator Peter Hersh Director, Logicca Chartered Accountants

Topics to be covered include:

• essentials tools for financial due diligence
• examination of balance sheets
• auditing
• basic taxation rules for charities
• future planning and proofing your organisation.

MASTERCLASS 2

Follow the Money: Getting Grant-Ready

Facilitator Dr Michael Liffman Adjunct Associate Professor, Centre for Social Impact, and Founding Director, Asia Pacific Centre for Social Investment and Philanthropy, Swinburne University

Topics to be covered include:

• What makes an organisation attractive to public and private philanthropy?
• Partnerships and collaboration
• How to write a winning grant application.