Is your school across the latest new wave of legislation introduced in Queensland? The legal risks facing schools today are real and numerous, and so too are the consequences. Let the legal experts walk you through and ensure your compliance. Your duty to your school, its students and its staff is absolute so don’t miss this unique opportunity to get across your rights and obligations.
10.00am to 11.00am Navigating the New Enterprise Agreement in Queensland
Consider the practical application of the following in your school:
- Sunsetting of Zombie Agreements
- Initiating the bargaining process
- The new approval process for enterprise agreements
- Changes to the Better Off Overall Test (BOOT)
- Understanding new union rights, bargaining dispute procedures and the risks of industrial action
- Terminating an enterprise agreement
- What Schools should be doing to prepare for the changes
- Discussion of relevant case studies
Prepared by Jonathon Hadley, Partner, Gadens and Blade Atton, Associate, Gadens
Presented by Blade Atton, Associate, Gadens
12.15pm to 1.15pm Child Protection: Your Duties and What You Need to Know
- Legislative obligations for schools and staff
- Mandatory reporting
- Legislative obligations and who is a mandatory reporter
- Defining reasonable suspicion and significant harm
- Who reports should be made to and reporting to the QCT
- Non-mandatory reporting
- Policies and written processes you must have in place
- Who is in charge? The necessity of appointing someone in charge of child protection
- Practical real-world takeaways from examples and case studies
Presented by Louise Hogg, Partner, Moray & Agnew
Chair:
Anne Rebgetz, Principal, St James College
9.00am to 10.00am Psychosocial Hazards: Managing Risk Under the New WHS Act
Recent amendments to the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Qld) now mean that from 1 April 2023, employers will have a positive obligation to ensure that employees are protected from psychosocial risks and hazards in the workplace.
Much like any other large employer, it is important for schools to understand how to navigate the new legislation to ensure that it is meeting its legislative requirements.
George will guide you through the key risks for schools and what they should be doing to manage psychosocial hazards to keep employees safe.
Presented by Chelsea Salter, Solicitor, McInnes Wilson Lawyers
11.15am to 12.15pm Queensland Anti-Discrimination Act: Human Rights and Discrimination in Your School
In mid-2022, the Queensland Human Rights Commission (QHRC) released its report ‘Building belonging: Review of Queensland’s Anti-Discrimination Act 1991’ which recommended significant changes to the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (Qld) (AD Act). Some key recommendations include:
- Refining the tests for direct and indirect discrimination
- Shifting the focus to taking proactive steps to prevent discrimination and sexual harassment in the first place
- Introducing an express, positive duty to make reasonable accommodations;
- Changes to the dispute resolution process to ensure it is flexible, efficient, and enhances access to justice
- Expanding the coverage of discrimination law to all contexts and settings where unfair discrimination occurs
The Queensland Government is expected to make a detailed response to the Report in 2023 setting out what amendments it proposes to make to the AD Act.
- Examine the Report’s recommendations to help your school understand what their new obligations and duties will likely be once amendments to the AD Act have been made and what changes schools may need to make to their current approach to managing discrimination.
Presented by Bianca Mendelson, Barrister, Inns of Court
Description
For Teachers:
Attend and earn 4 CPD Points (QLD)
Attending this conference will contribute 4 hours of CPD addressing the standards as listed from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining teacher registration 7.2 Comply with legislative, administrative and organisational requirements: understand the implications of, and comply with, relevant legislative, administrative, organisational and professional requirements, policies and processes.
For Lawyers:
Attend and earn 4 CPD units in Legal Knowledge
This program is based on QLD legislation
11.00am to 11.15am Morning Tea
Presenters
Ms. Chelsea Salter, Solicitor, McInnes Wilson Lawyers
Chelsea is a solicitor in McInnes Wilson Lawyer’s Education, Employment and Industrial Relations Team. Chelsea advises education clients in relation to a broad scope of employment issues, including employment disputes, allegations of misconduct, workplace investigations, claims brought under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), discrimination complaints, breach of contract claims and other general work health and safety matters. Chelsea also has expertise regarding matters specific to schools, including best practice regarding child safety obligations and school governance.
Ms. Bianca Mendelson, Barrister, Inns of Court
Bianca is a barrister who predominantly practises in employment, industrial, and work health and safety law. She acts for employees, employers, insurers, and government clients. Bianca also practises in regulatory proceedings, inquests and inquiries, administrative law, and commercial disputes. Before joining the Bar, Bianca was a Senior Associate at Clayton Utz in its Workplace Relations, Employment and Safety group.
Ms. Louise Hogg, Partner, Moray & Agnew
Louise is a highly experienced employment and industrial relations lawyer who has practised in this area of law for over a decade. She has a detailed knowledge of all matters affecting the employment life cycle and works collaboratively with clients to achieve best outcomes. Louise has an in depth knowledge of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) and its application to the employment relationship, including enterprise bargaining, industrial disputes, right of entry, interpretation of industrial instruments, general protections claims and litigation relating to termination of employment. She is also experienced in interpreting and applying the Industrial Relations Act 2016 (Qld) and other legislation regulating to public service employment in Queensland, particularly in the health sector.
Ms. Anne Rebgetz, Principal, St James College
Currently, Principal of St James College, Spring Hill EREA, previously Principal, StColumban's College (7-12) at Caboolture (10 years) and Co Principal ofBiIingual School at Wadeye in NT with over 700 Indigenous students (3 years). A Recipient of Association of Women Educators Award for Leadership, National Excellence in Teaching State Award. Member of Australian GovernmentInaugral National VET Alumni/School Pathways Finalist and Winner. Currently President ofCaSPAQ (Catholic Secondary Principals of Qld), Member of National Board ofCaSPA(Catholic Secondary Principals Australia), V-P ACSSQ, President QISS Netball. RepresentedCaSPAQ on the 2016 - 2020 Senior Secondary Assessment Review Task Force in Qld. Member of theAustralian Catholic Technical & Vocational Colleges Association, andNational Schools Strategy Advisory Committee for Rugby Australia.
Mr. Jonathon Hadley, Partner, Gadens
Jonathon Hadley is a partner in the corporate advisory group at Gadens and has over 19 years’ experience in employment, industrial relations and workplace health and safety law. Jonathon has represented clients in a wide range of industries including oil and gas, construction, labour hire, traffic management, retail, government agencies, and medium to large private enterprises. Jonathon has advised and acted for employers in the defence of claims for unfair dismissal, unlawful terminations, unpaid entitlements, bullying, harassment and discrimination. He has lead matters involving restraint of trade enforcement and actions for breach of employment contracts. Jonathon has also conducted reviews and appeals of statutory workers’ compensation claims and has defended common law claims for damages by employees. He has substantial experience in providing advice in relation to the National Employment Standards, injunctive relief on industrial relations issues, and advising and implementing workplace agreements as well as advising on EBA’s. Jonathon regularly participates in workplace health and safety investigations, advises regarding Australian Building and Construction Commission matters and code compliance, and lectures and gives formal presentations to clients regarding changes in Employment and WHS legislation.
Mr. Blade Atton, Associate, Gadens
Blade is an Associate in the Corporate Advisory Group at Gadens and sits within Gadens' employment team. Blade has extensive experience as an employment lawyer and industrial relations expert, as well as a workplace investigator. His expertise includes all areas of employment, industrial relations, discrimination and labour-related privacy law. He regularly advises on all aspects of the employment lifecycle and is a skilled litigator in the workplace relations space.
