Friday, 14 August 2015 11.00am - 4.30pm Salamanca Inn, 10 Gladstone, Battery Point Workplace Relations Conference Workplace Relations - Legal Updates Unconscious Bias in the Workplace Negotiation Strategies / Interest Based Bargaining On-hired and Contingent Labour Managing Legal Risks Effective Witness Statements Ethics Hypothetical Speakers and Panellists Proud sponsor of the Law Society s CPD program Robin Banks Nick Harrington Michael Stewart Richard Heyward Charles Power Craig Green Audrey Mills William Ash Michael O Farrell SC
Programme Registration Opens 10.40am 11.00am Open and Welcome 11.05am - 11.50am (45min) Negotiation Strategies / Interest Based Bargaining Speakers: Michael Stewart, Principal, Resolve Dispute and Richard Heyward, Manager, Human Resources and Risk, Glenorchy City Council and Law Society Employment & Equal Opportunities. Chair: Kate Tongs, Legislation Officer, Department of Health and Human Services, Law Society Employment & Equal Opportunities 11.50am - 12.50pm (1 hour) Session A: Unconscious Bias in the Workplace This session will explore the nature of unconscious bias and its impact in the workplace. It will identify key events that can be influenced by unconscious bias and the risks this poses for employers under discrimination (and other workplace laws). It will propose approaches that can minimise the risk of unconscious bias affecting employment relationships and employer liability. Session B: Recent Decisions of the Anti-Discrimination Tribunal Speaker: Robin Banks, Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Chair: Audrey Mills, Director, M+K Dobson, Mitchell & Allport, Law Society Employment & Equal Opportunities 12.50pm - 1.35pm Lunch (45 min) 1.35pm - 2.20pm (45 min) Effective Witness Statements Speaker: Nick Harrington, Barrister, Victorian Bar Chair: Crystal Garwood, Associate, Doolan and Brothers Barristers & Solicitors, Law Society Employment & Equal Opportunities 2.20pm - 3.05pm (45 min)
Using On-Hired and Contingent Labour: Managing Legal Risks Work health & safety Workers compensation Redundancy and other dismissal protections Industrial relations Migration law Speaker: Charles Power, Partner, Holding Redlich Chair: Kate Tongs, Legislation Officer, Department of Health and Human Services, Law Society Employment & Equal Opportunities 3.05pm - 3.20pm - Afternoon Tea (15min) 3.20pm - 4.20pm (15 min) Panel Session Ethics Hypothetical During this session Craig Green will facilitate a highly interactive discussion around ethical dilemmas pertinent to workplace relations practice Panellists: Michael O Farrell SC, Solicitor-General, Office of the Solicitor-General Audrey Mills, Director, M+K Dobson, Mitchell & Allport, Law Society Employment & Equal Opportunities Committee member William Ash, Associate, Hall Payne Lawyers, Law Society Employment & Equal Opportunities Chair: Craig Green, Senior Associate, M+K Dobson, Mitchell & Allport, Law Society Employment & Equal Opportunities 4.20pm - 4.30pm Closing Remarks, Close CPD GUIDE: 4.5 (1 PS, 1 E, 1 PM and 1.5 SL)
About The Presenters Michael Stewart, Principal, Resolve Dispute Michael practiced as a commercial litigation lawyer for 25 years before retiring from the law and setting up a workplace conflict-resolution and training practice based in Hobart, in 2007. Michael s practice includes the full suite of workplace conflict-management services, from HR and IR advice to mediation and group training. His passion is in assisting employers to get the best out of their workforce, delivering a unique, individuallyfocused, practical coaching model that helps people develop their management and interpersonal skills. Michael s ambition is to change the world, one person at a time. Richard Heyward, Manager, Human Resources and Risk, Glenorchy City Council After graduating from the University of Tasmania with degrees in Law and Commerce, Richard practiced in NSW and Tasmania. His practice has encompassed both private and across all government areas and today he is solely involved in the industrial space. Regularly appearing in the various tribunals and courts across the employment practice area, his pursuit in is assisting clients to understand the human condition and create the space for the evolution of the human interaction. A qualified mediator who expects his clients to evolve into higher order enterprises has created the reputation he wears. Robin Banks, Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Robin is Tasmania s Anti-Discrimination Commissioner, an appointment she took up in July 2010 and which was renewed in July 2015. As Commissioner, Robin is responsible for a number of functions under Tasmania s Anti-Discrimination Act. Before that, Robin had worked in the community, government and private sector in advocacy, legal, public policy and management roles, and in Canada at the Canadian Human Rights Commission. Before returning to Tasmania to take up her current appointment, Robin had lived and worked in Victoria, Queensland, the Northern Territory and New South Wales. In private legal practice, Robin worked in employment and industrial law in mid-tier Sydney firm, Henry Davis York. Since becoming Commissioner, Robin: has worked to improve the complaint processes under the Act including through the implementation of procedural changes to the legislation, has promoted compliance through participation the delivery of education and training, use of media opportunity and presenting at public events and working with key sector bodies to identify risk issues and how to avoid these; and has sought to identify and address historic and continuing areas of discrimination for government and sector reform.
Nick Harrington, Barrister, Victoria Bar Nick Harrington has significant experience in all areas of industrial law, employment law and discrimination and human rights law. Further, he has been involved in a number of federal judicial review applications, including most recently James Hird v ASADA Nick appears regularly in the Federal Court, the Federal Circuit Court, the Fair Work Commission and Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Nick has consulted to some of Australia s largest companies, providing occupational health and safety training services. He is presently retained by ANZ Bank to advice on an on-line platform. Nick was a founding member and inaugural president (2001-2007) of Reprieve Australia, an anti-death penalty NGO Charles Power, Partner, Holding Redlich Charles Power is a partner practising in workplace relations & safety at the Melbourne office of Holding Redlich. Charles was accredited by the Law Institute of Victoria in 2006 as a workplace relations specialist. He is Editor-in-Chief of the Employment Law Practical Handbook, with over 4,000 subscribers nationally. Since 2013 he has been listed in the publication Best Lawyers in Australia in the field of Labour and Employment. About the Panellists William Ash- Associate, Hall Payne Lawyers Having commenced with Hall Payne Lawyers in 2014, Will regularly appears in the various Courts and Tribunals that deal with Employment and Industrial proceedings. Prior to this he was Director, Legal and Bargaining, in the National Office of United Voice, one the largest unions in Australia. Will most often practises in the Fair Work Commission, the Fair Work Division of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia, and the Federal Court of Australia. He has also appeared in the Industrial Relations Commission of NSW, the Chief Industrial Magistrates Court in NSW, the Industrial Court of NSW, the Supreme Court of NSW, and the Court of Appeal in NSW. Over his career, Will has been involved in a number of important industrial cases, including the first and only successful low-paid authorisation application under the Fair Work Act 2009. Will was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 2008. He is also admitted in the High Court of Australia. Craig Green, Senior Associate, Dobson, Mitchell & Allport Craig Green is a Senior Associate with Dobson, Mitchell & Allport. He practices in the area of Workplace Relations and Employment Law, is a member of the Industrial Relations Committee of the Law Council of Australia, a member of the Law Society s Employment and Equal Opportunities Committee and President of the Industrial Relations Society of Tasmania. Audrey Mills, Principal, Dosbon, Mitchell & Allport Audrey is a Principal with Dobson Mitchell & Allport. Audrey specialises in Workplace Relations and Insurance Law. Audrey chairs the Law Society s Employment and Equal Opportunities Committee and represents Tasmania on the Law Council s Equalising Opportunities in the Law Committee. Audrey is a panel member of the Anti-Discrimination Tribunal. Michael O Farrell SC, Solicitor -General, Office of the Solicitor-General Michael O Farrell SC was admitted to practice in 1984 and signed the Bar Roll in 2002. He was appointed silk in 2009 and has been Solicitor-General since September 2014. Whilst at the Tasmanian Bar he specialised in industrial relations and employment; environment and planning, trade practices, equity, general and commercial litigation, local government; administrative law and judicial review.
The Venue: The Law Society of Tasmania is proud to present the Workplace Relations Conference. The conference will be held at the Salamanca Inn, 10 Gladstone Street, Battery Point, Hobart. This venue offers excellent conference facilities as well as spacious hotel rooms to cater for all needs. Registration: Registration includes: Attendance at conference sessions Light lunch and afternoon tea Papers Delegates with special requirements: Please indicate on your registration form or via telephone or email to the Law Society of Tasmania. Venue and Car Parking: Salamanca Inn is a 5 minute walk from the CBD. Salamanca Square Car Park provides undercover voucher parking. Vehicle entry from Montpelier Retreat. Free private parking is available for staying/inhouse Salamanca Inn guests tel: 1800 030 944 CPD Points: The Workplace Relations Conference 4.5 CPD points in total in Substantive Law, Professional Skill, Ethics and Practice Managment. Dress Code: Convention Smart Casual or work suit Accommodation Suggestions: Somerset on the Pier Elizabeth Street Pier, Hobart - Phone (03) 6220 6600 Special Rates: Contact the hotel direct for special Law Society of Tasmania corporate rates Hadleys Hotel - 34 Murray Street, Hobart - Phone (03) 6237 2999 Special Rates: Superior Queen Room Bed & Breakfast $185 per night (1 person) (please quote Law Society of Tasmania corporate rates) RACV Hobart Apartment Hotel (behind Hadley s Hotel) 154-156 Collins Street, Hobart - Phone (03) 6270 8600 Special Rates: Contact the hotel direct for special Law Society of Tasmania corporate rates For RACV, RACT or Auto Club members, special discount apply. (please quote Law Society of Tasmania corporate rates)