National Disability Summit
19-20 September 2024
Crown Promenade MelbourneRegister Interest BOOK NOW DOWNLOAD BROCHURE
The 15th Annual National Disability Summit will return to Melbourne on 19-20 September 2024. This is a key event on the calendar of disability service providers and industry leaders. Not only for discussion on the NDIS but also critically, for addressing the wider range of issues and considerations for the disability sector in Australia. At the heart questioning how can we better support people with disability, and their families. As well as maximising independence and participation by creating greater choice.
The National Disability Summit bring together an extremely passionate audience broken down into NDIS, and wider disability services providers, high-level executives, policy makers, community care organisations, support coordinators, people with disability, carers, intermediaries, state & federal government agencies, council organisations nationwide, NDIS representatives, aged care facilities, and aged care providers.
Each year we grow and evolve the event in line with the needs and feedback from the industry ensuring an objective platform for discussion and networking. We pride ourselves on listening to our audience and building a non-biased agenda from suggestions, requests, and submissions.
This year the agenda will seek to understand the sector post Royal Commission and the NDIS Review. Delving into pertinent topics around disability workforce, sustainable disability employment, housing, health, and sports, the role of government bodies, and building inclusive communities.
We will explore strategies and initiatives for improving quality, person-centered care. Providing tangible takeaway actions for delegates, we will include data-driven insights, thought leadership to challenge how we think about support and services, and lived experiences that articulate not only the challenges but also the potential solutions and discuss quality improvement.
Find out more about the National Disability Summit
2024 Sponsors
Silver Sponsor
Lanyard Sponsor
2024 Exhibitors
2024 Supporting Partner
Sponsorship & Exhibition Opportunities
Don’t miss this opportunity to get involved early in next year’s National Disability Summit!
There are many opportunities for networking including social events such as networking drinks, lunch and refreshments breaks making this not just a conference… but an all-encompassing industry experience.
Sponsorship or exhibiting will allow your organisation to:
- Build relationships with potential & existing clients
- Network with the industry
- Generate leads from a targeted audience
- Demonstrate your product/service in person
- Build brand awareness
To see what we have available please contact;
Danielle Newman
Senior Business Development Manager
P: 02 9080 4318
E: Danielle.newman@informa.com
Speakers
Myron Mann
CEO,
Bedford Group
Carol Berry
CEO,
The Disability Trust
Pauline Luchetta
Founder & CEO,
Custodia
Emma Gierschick OAM
Woman of the Year 2019, Nominee Victorian Woman of Honour 2019 & 2020
Simone Austin
Chief Health Officer and Chair of the Advisory Board, healthylife, Accredited, Practising Dietitian
Stu Schonell
CEO,
Advocacy WA
Professor Christine Bigby
Director, Living with Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University
Jethro Hepton
Board Chairperson,
Advocacy WA
David Swain
CEO,
Endeavour Foundation
Cat Lancaster
Life Without Barriers
Catherine Pollaers
Emerging Leader, Queensland Disability Network
Jess Harpers
CEO, Disability Intermediaries Australia
Briar Harte
Inclusive Design Principal, NAB, Disability Inclusion Changemaker of the Year 2024
Perrin Abbas
Project Lead – Disability Inclusion, Multicultural Communities Council of SA
Ellen Hester
Advocacy Officer, Down Syndrome NSW, WAFL Training Assistant, Sydney Swans
Jessica Lane
Innovation Manager,
Community Lifestyle Agenda
Belinda Kochanowska
Principal & Founder, Intrepidus Law
Jeff Smith
CEO, DANA
Jeswynn Yogaratnam
Commissioner,
NT Anti-Discrimination Commission
Robyne Burridge OAM
Graeme Innes AM
Rosemary Kayess
Disability Discrimination Commissioner
Dr Alex Harrison
Senior Veterinarian, Eastside Veterinary Clinic, Treasurer, The Veterinary Kaleidoscope
Dr Jennie Hutton
Emergency Physician, Senior Research Fellow La Trobe and Melbourne University. Priority Population Lead VVED, Northern Health
The Hon Michael Sukkar MP
Federal Member for Deakin, Shadow Minister for Social Services, Shadow Minister for the NDIS, Shadow Minister for Housing, Shadow Minister for Homelessness
Daniel Valiente-Riedl
General Manager, JobAccess
Kylie van Luyn
Founder, DEIAB Practitioner, Psychotherapist and Human Rights Consultant, Elevated Coaching & Consulting Global
Pre-conference Workshop
13:00 – 13:30 Registration | Arrival Tea & Coffee
14:00 – 16:30 Including Afternoon Tea 14:45 – 15:00
PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP | Creating an Elevated Workplace: Why Psychological Safety Matters in Disability Employment
This comprehensive session is designed to help participants develop an in-depth understanding of disability inclusion, awareness, belonging and cultivating a psychologically safe workplace.
- Tools to identify and address harmful workplace situations, as well as develop practices to ensure the well-being of all employees, which directly impacts revenue, retention, productivity, and overall morale
- Explore concepts to foster a culture of inclusion, belonging, respect, and safety that supports employee well-being and organisational success
- Defining and identifying psychosocial hazards and workplace psychological safety and explore effective disability awareness and inclusion initiatives and the role of intersectionality
- Participants will develop strategies for creating a more inclusive workplace culture and identifying microaggressions and bias
This session is a great opportunity for service providers supporting participants in the workforce, organisational leaders who are just getting started on their disability awareness and inclusion journey, those who have already committed to maintaining an inclusive workplace culture, and people with disability who want to arm themselves with the correct knowledge on workplace rights and fairness.
Workshop Leader
Kylie van Luyn, Founder, DEIAB Practitioner, Psychotherapist and Human Rights Consultant, Elevated Coaching & Consulting Global
Agenda
08:15
Registration & Morning Coffee
09:00
DAY ONE OPENING
09:00
Opening remarks from the Chair
Emma Gierschick OAM
09:10
OPENING ADDRESS | Changing Peoples Perspectives
Robyne Burridge OAM
09:40
PANEL | The Future of Home and Living
- SIL
- How does this process work?
- Where do you start for a PWD?
- How to make your own home?
- Other important considerations, diet, friendship, community, and avoiding homelessness
Simone Austin, Chief Health Officer and Chair of the Advisory Board, healthylife, Accredited, Practising Dietitian
Cat Lancaster, Director, Professional Practice Center for Practice Excellence Disability and Mental Health, Life Without Barriers
Moderated by Stuart Schonell, CEO, Advocacy WA
10:20
The Legislative Impact of Disability Policy Reform: NDIS Provider and Worker Registration Taskforce
Jeff Smith, CEO, DANA
10:50
Networking Break & Morning Tea
11:20
PANEL | Surviving to Thriving
Catherine Pollaers, Emerging Leader, Queensland Disability Network
Nina Crumpton, Participant and Founder/CEO, The Hand Up Space
Dr Alex Harrison, Senior Veterinarian, Eastside Veterinary Clinic, Treasurer, The Veterinary Kaleidoscope
Ellen Hester, Advocacy Officer, Down Syndrome NSW, WAFL Training Assistant, Sydney Swans
Modareted by Emma Gierschick OAM
12:00
SESSION SPOTLIGHT | Streamlined Client Care
Senior Representative, Shiftcare
12:20
EXECUTIVE PANEL | Setting up Your Organisation for Success and Ensuring People with Disability are at the Heart of Your Organisation
- Are we stronger together?
- How can qualified and registered providers distinguish themselves from the inexperienced provider?
- Ensuring person-centred care is at the heart of the organisation
- Are mergers and acquisitions the way forward?
- Tangible takeaways from some of Australia’s larger disability service providers
Myron Mann, CEO, Bedford Group
Carol Berry, CEO, The Disability Trust
David Swain, CEO, Endeavour Foundation
Cat Lancaster, Director, Professional Practice Center for Practice Excellence Disability and Mental Health, Life Without Barriers
Moderated by Pauline Luchetta, Founder & CEO, Custodia
13:00
Networking Lunch
13:20
LUNCHTIME BUSINESS CLINIC | How to be Innovative in the Current Climate
It is not an easy time to run a service provision organisation within the current climate, and Pauline has had her fair share in running, selling and building them. Join Pauline in this informal setting (over the latter part of the lunchtime period) and discuss in roundtables how to be innovative when running a company.
Discussion points will include:
- Hiring and gig economy
- Merges and acquisitions
- How do you get clients, and how do you market yourself?
- What is your point of difference?
Pauline Luchetta, Founder & CEO, Custodia
14:00
KEYNOTE ADDRESS |
Rosemary Kayess, Disability Discrimination Commissioner
14:30
Quality Person Centred Care Means Something Different to Every Person with a Disability, Including Those with the Same Disability
- Our needs are dependent on many factors including personality and motivation. This means:
- Funding needs to fit with the life choices of a person with disability as well as their changing life circumstances
- Diversity of needs is not considered in the regions
- Clearer budgets and spending areas to make plans easier to manage
- Disability awareness training by people with disability to all providers, NDIA/S staff, disability related ministers and department heads
- As a sector what we can do as a whole to improve this
Jethro Hepton, Board Chairperson, Advocacy WA
Stu Schonell, CEO, Advocacy WA
15:00
Person Centred Active Support: What You Should be Aware of
Professor Christine Bigby, Director, Living with Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University
15:30
Afternoon Tea & Networking Break
16:00
Foundational Supports 101
- How will this affect us?
- How will this be implemented?
- What does the eligibility look like?
Jess Harpers, CEO, Disability Intermediaries Australia
Samantha Connor, Project Management Consultant, Disability Activist, PWDA
16:30
PANEL |It’s Not ‘Too Hard’: Creating Better Employment Opportunities for People with Disability
- Preparing clients and participants for greater employment opportunities
- Beyond the gaps, what can we really do to assist?
- Organisational funding supports, existing policies and procedures
Perrin Abbas, Project Lead – Disability Inclusion, Multicultural Communities Council of SA
Daniel Valiente-Riedl, General Manager, JobAccess
17:15
Closing Remarks from Chair
17:20
Networking Drinks
18:30
Conference Dinner
08:15
Registration & Morning Coffee
09:00
DAY TWO OPENING
09:00
Opening remarks from the Chair
Briar Harte, Inclusive Design Principal, NAB, Disability Inclusion Changemaker of the Year 2024
09:10
KEYNOTE ADDRESS |
Graeme Innes AM
09:40
KEYNOTE ADDRESS |
What is the plan? And what will happen?
10:15
KEYNOTE ADDRESS | From Housing to the NDIS, What Can We Do?
The Hon Michael Sukkar MP, Federal Member for Deakin, Shadow Minister for Social Services, Shadow Minister for the NDIS, Shadow Minister for Housing, Shadow Minister for Homelessness
10:45
PANEL | The Role of an Unpaid Carer
11:00
Networking Break & Morning Tea
11:15
SESSION SPOTLIGHT |
11:35
NDIS Trends, Developments and Changes
- Current Trends in NDIS Appeals
- The Impact on NDIS Appeals & Supports
- Proposed changes & what is happening within the Scheme
Belinda Kochanowska, Principal Solicitor, Intrepidus Law
12:05
PANEL | Engaging Staff in the Safe Delivery of Care
- Homegrown innovations
- Software solutions, such as the power of AI
- Changes in training
- Key takeaways and learnings
Jessica Lane, Innovation Manager, Community Lifestyle Agenda
Pauline Luchetta, Founder & CEO, Custodia
13:00
Networking Lunch
13:20
LUNCHTIME BUSINESS CLINIC | Reputation Management Training
14:00
Accessing Accessible Healthcare: Virtual ED and Beyond
- Benefits of Virtual ED
- Regional, Rural and Remote Access to Disability Service Providers
- Access to Healthcare in a Metropolitan Emergency Department
Dr Jennie Hutton, Emergency Physician, Senior
14:30
KEYNOTE ADDRESS | Positive Duty in the NT
Jeswynn Yogaratnam, Commissioner, NT Anti-Discrimination Commission
15:00
CLOSING ADDRESS | NDIS is There Another Way? What’s Next for All Those Involved?
- The Disability Sector Post Royal Commission and NDIS Review
Jess Harpers, CEO, Disability Intermediaries Australia
15:30
Closing Remarks from Chair
15:35
Conference Concludes
Insights
The one question people who work with NDIS participants should always ask
What does fun look like for you? It’s not a question that comes up frequently in a professional context; but it is one that Peer Mentor and disability advocate Adrian O’Malley has begun asking a lot in recent years…
Nothing about us without us – are we there yet with disability rights?
“Nothing about us without us” – the idea that policy shouldn’t be designed without first consulting the people it targets – has become a prominent mantra in the disability rights space in recent years…
The right way to treat people with disabilities at school
When Matthew De Gruchy was diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease, a rare genetic eye condition, at the age of nine, he did not know that his difficulties with blindness would pale in comparison to the social challenges he later experienced…
Photos From 2023 Event
Testimonials
Anonymous
“The National Disability Summit was invaluable for connecting with many passionate leaders and speakers in the NDIS, disability and mental health space. I felt recharged from attending and motivated to keep improving the systems and services we provide to persons with a disability and most of all, ensuring that persons with a disability are at the core of everything we do. What a fantastic event!”
Anonymous
“A valuable opportunity to learn about challenges and discuss solutions for people with disability, and to connect with key individuals and organisations in the sector.”
Louise Bugeja, Internode
“Attending the National Disability Summit was a great experience. There was a wide variety of speakers and the Informa staff were amazing and accommodating to meeting everybody’s needs.”
Stephen Odusa, CatholiccareNT
“You need to be there, to learn more.”
Venue
Crown Promenade Melbourne
8 Whiteman Street
SOUTHBANK VIC 3006
(Queensbridge St end of Crown Complex)
(03) 9292 8888
SPECIAL ACCOMMODATION RATE
We have secured a special accommodation rate from $255* per room per night, room only, for conference attendees at the Crown Promenade for the nights of the 18-19 September 2024 inclusive.
To book this rate, click here.
* Room availability and rates are subject to availability and valid until 7 days prior to the event, unless sold out prior.
Book early to avoid disappointment.
Contact
Still have a question?
Katrina Bowns
Conference Producer
Katrina.Bowns@informa.com.au
Danielle Newman
Senior Business Development Manager
+61 2 9080 4318
Danielle.Newman@informa.com