With the NDIS legal space evolving, get up to speed with the latest Legislative changes, recent cases from the AAT, instruments for protecting participants legally, the Government Agencies involved when issues arise, and so much more! This intensive conference is not to be missed by everyone involved with participants, service provision and legal representation & advisory services.

Presenters

Kylie Hyde, Senior Solicitor, Disability Law, Mid North Coast Legal Centre
Kylie Hyde is the Senior Solicitor, Disability Law, with the Mid North Coast Legal Centre. Kylie’s position is funded through Disability Advocacy NSW (DANSW) and she provides advice, assistance and in some instances representation on a wide variety of matters to DANSW clients throughout NSW. Kylie also provides education sessions to medical and allied health professionals and members of the community, particularly in relation to the NDIS and DSP. Prior to joining the Mid North Coast Legal Centre Kylie was with Legal Aid in the Government Law NDIS team. Kylie has an extensive background in litigation, starting in private practice in a regional firm, and then working overseas as a Legal Officer for two London Boroughs, before returning to work in Sydney and then back to Coffs Harbour. Kylie has a particular interest in systemic issues impacting on individuals living with a disability. Kylie recently appeared as a witness before the Senate Inquiry into the Purpose, Intent and Adequacy of the DSP.


Rebecca Anderson, Solicitor, ADA Law
Rebecca Anderson is a human rights advocate for Aged and Disability Advocacy (ADA) Australia. She completed her undergraduate degree in law at the Queensland University of Technology, and postgraduate degree in law at the Australian National University, Canberra. Her special interest is adults with questionable capacity, and the intersection of health and justice.


Matthew Goessler, Lawyer, Russell Kennedy Lawyers
Matt practices in the areas of administrative law, litigation, regulatory compliance and risk management, with a focus on health, government and aged care. He assists aged care providers to comply with their responsibilities under the Aged Care Act 1997 and in responding to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. Matt also represents clients in coronial inquests and Royal Commissions. Matt's expertise includes advising clients on legal compliance, risk management and policy and procedure development, drafting policies and procedures for providers and conducting policy reviews to ensure compliance with legislative frameworks, advising aged care providers of their obligations under the Aged Care Act 1997, assisting aged care providers in responding to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, advising and acting on behalf of government clients and statutory authorities, and representing clients in coronial inquests.


Luke Geary, Partner, Mills Oakley
Luke is a Partner in the Mills Oakley Not-For-Profit & Social Enterprise team in Brisbane and has extensive experience in the Not-For-Profit sector. Luke has a particular expertise assisting institutions in responding to claims of child sexual abuse under a restorative justice framework and in accordance with best practice principles identified by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. In this regard, Luke appeared as a legal advisor in a number of public hearings before the Royal Commission, he participated in many of the Royal Commission’s roundtables (both public and private) for the development of policy positions and has appeared before the Australian Senate Committee and worked with the Commonwealth Redress Taskforce in its design of the National Redress Bill (which is anticipated to provide assistance in justice outcomes for approximately 60,000 Australians). Luke is regularly briefed by major institutions in the most sensitive and significant common law abuse claims and assists in their delicate resolution in a trauma-informed way. Additionally, Luke acts for survivors of abuse in claims against State government institutions, assisting them to obtain either common law or redress justice outcomes compassionately and giving them assistance in finding healing in their lives.


Victoria Athanasiou, Associate, Kennedys
Victoria is an Associate at Kennedys in the Employment team, with a focus on workplace relations, health and safety. Victoria assists in a range of employment law matters including, workplace disputes, workplace investigations, unfair dismissals, general protections claims, and discrimination and sexual harassment. She also assists corporations and individuals in Worksafe prosecutions, providing advice on employer or occupier duties and incident management. She has experience in various jurisdictions including, Fair Work, the Federal Court of Australia, the County Court of Victoria and the Supreme Court of Victoria. Victoria obtained her Bachelor of Laws from La Trobe University, and also holds a Bachelor of Journalism from La Trobe University.


The Honourable Michael Mischin, Deputy President and Division Head, National Disability Insurance Scheme Division
Deputy President the Hon Michael Mischin is Division Head of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Division. Mr Mischin was appointed as a Deputy President of the Tribunal and as Division Head from 9 May 2022. Prior to his appointment to the Tribunal, Mr Mischin served as the Attorney-General from 2012 to 2017 and as the Minister for Commerce from 2013 to 2017 for the Government of Western Australia. He was also a member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia from 2009 to 2021. Before entering the Parliament of Western Australia, Mr Mischin was a senior state prosecutor with the Director of Public Prosecutions of Western Australia.


Sheetal Balakrishnan, Senior Solicitor, Public Interest Advocacy Centre
Sheetal has practiced as a lawyer for over 9 years, specialising in social justice issues. She has practiced in NSW, the Northern Territory, the Netherlands and England across criminal law, public international law, administrative law and human rights law. Sheetal co-leads PIAC’s A Fairer NDIS project, using her experience of NDIA matters to represent clients in the AAT seeking review of NDIA decisions and advocate for systemic change to the NDIS through submissions and other law and policy reform.


Erin Turner Manners, Senior Solicitor, Public Interest Advocacy Centre
Erin is an experienced public interest lawyer who has worked in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. She has worked on major test cases involving disability discrimination, police misconduct and negligence by government agencies. Erin co-leads PIAC’s A Fairer NDIS project and has built strong relationships with advocates and peak disability organisations to address systemic issues impeding the effectiveness of the NDIS and improve outcomes for people with disability.


Tanya Chapman, Senior Associate Solicitor, Delaney Roberts
Tanya has worked exclusively in the area of estate planning, estate administration and estate litigation and elder law. She specialises in estate planning encompassing succession planning, wealth and asset protection, testamentary trusts, taxation planning and superannuation law.


Naomi Anderson, Principal Solicitor, Villamanta Disability Rights Legal Service Inc
Naomi represent’s Villamanta Disability Rights Legal Service Inc. Villamanta is a Victoria-wide community legal service for disability related justice issues. Villamanta has represented clients in NDIS appeals matters since 2019. It provides support through the ADR process and to final hearings, if required. Naomi is the legal practice manager with a wealth of experience in the disability space.