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National Disability Summit
19-20 September 2024
Crown Promenade MelbourneRegister Interest BOOK NOW DOWNLOAD PDF AGENDA
The 16th Annual National Disability Summit will return in 2025! Register your interest to find our where & when.
This is a key event for disability service providers and industry leaders to address a wide range of issues and considerations, headlined by crucial discussions of the NDIS. Additionally, the program will delve into the progress and initiatives that support people with disability and their families to maximise independence and participation.
The Summit brings together a passionate audience consisting of NDIS services providers, high-level executives, community care organisations, state & federal government agencies, council organisations, NDIS representatives, independent carers, aged care facilities, aged care providers, and technology providers.
What you can expect from the 2025 event:
- Understanding the sector post Royal Commission and NDIS Review
- Key topics to be covered across two full days of conference sessions, discussing:
- Disability workforce
- Sustainable disability employment
- Housing
- Health
- Sports
- Role of government bodies
- Building inclusive communities, and more.
- Strategies and initiatives for improving quality and person-centred care
- Lived experiences highlighting the challenges and potential solutions.
- Quality improvement discussions
- Conference networking dinner to continue your discussions in a more relaxed and informal setting.
The conference is not too far away! Review the program below and book your tickets today.
2024 Sponsors
Silver Sponsor
Lanyard Sponsor
Lunch Business Clinic 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
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
The Hon Bill Shorten MP
Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme
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
Rosemary Kayess
Disability Discrimination Commissioner
Graeme Innes AM
Robyne Burridge OAM
Jeswynn Yogaratnam
Commissioner,
NT Anti-Discrimination Commission
Speakers
Myron Mann
CEO,
Bedford Group
Carol Berry
CEO,
The Disability Trust
Pauline Luchetta
Founder & CEO,
Custodia Plan Management
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 and Member, Queensland With Disability Network
Jess Harper
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
Luke Wilson
Director, Paylos Adventures
Jessica Lane
Innovation Manager,
Community Lifestyle Agenda
A/Professor Dinesh Palipana OAM LLB MD
Doctor, Lawyer, Researcher, Disability Advocate, 2021 QLD Australian of the Year
Jeff Smith
CEO, DANA
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
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
Daniel Valiente-Riedl
General Manager, JobAccess
Kylie van Luyn
Founder, DEIAB Practitioner, Psychotherapist and Human Rights Consultant, Elevated Coaching & Consulting Global
Samantha Connor
Disability Activist
Chris Campbell
Business Development Manager, Shiftcare
Luke Wilson
Director, Paylos Adventures
Elizabeth O’Shannessy
Disability Access and Inclusion Lead, Allied Health Executive, Alfred Health
Tony Nicholls
CEO & Founder, Good Talent Media
Primal Fernando
International Disability Inclusion Advocate
Bianca Stern
General Manager, All Things Equal
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
Kairsty Wilson, Principal Legal Practitioner, and CEO, AED Legal Centre
Beck Marriott, Executive General Manager – Shared Living, Aruma
Moderated by Stuart Schonell, CEO, Advocacy WA
10:30
IN CONVERSATION | Foundational Supports 101
- How will this affect us?
- How will this be implemented?
- What does the eligibility look like?
Jess Harper, CEO, Disability Intermediaries Australia
Samantha Connor, Disability Activist
11:00
Networking Break & Morning Tea
11:30
KEYNOTE ADDRESS |
The Hon Bill Shorten MP, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme
12:10
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 Plan Management
12:55
SESSION SPOTLIGHT | Streamlined Client Care – Delivering Highly Personalised Care While Growing Your Business
Chris Campbell, Business Development Manager, Shiftcare
13:15
Networking Lunch
13:35
LUNCHTIME BUSINESS CLINIC | Reputation Management / Crisis Media Management
When a crisis hits your organisation, no news is good news. Effective Reputation Management is staying out of the media altogether and when this isn’t possible – mitigating and removing the impact of devastating press is key. Join Tony in this informal setting (over the latter part of the lunchtime period).
Discussion points will include:
- Building your reputation and protecting your organisation
- Formulate crisis communications strategy
- Preparing your team
Tony Nicholls, CEO & Founder, Good Talent Media
14:15
Person Centred Active Support: What You Should be Aware of
Professor Christine Bigby, Director, Living with Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University
14:45
KEYNOTE ADDRESS |
Rosemary Kayess, Disability Discrimination Commissioner
15:15
PANEL | Surviving to Thriving
Wherever it’s utilising your NDIS plan, overcoming trying situations and other triumphs in your journey. This panel will bring together an expert panel of people living with disability sharing their stories from surviving to thriving.
Catherine Pollaers, Emerging Leader and Member, Queensland With Disability Network
Nina Crumpton, Participant and Founder/CEO, The Hand Up Space
Dr Alex Harrison, Senior Veterinarian, Eastside Veterinary Clinic, Treasurer, The Veterinary Kaleidoscope
Modareted by Emma Gierschick OAM
16:00
Afternoon Tea & Networking Break
16:30
The Legislative Impact of Disability Policy Reform: NDIS Provider and Worker Registration Taskforce
Jeff Smith, CEO, DANA
17:00
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
Stephanie Agnew, Senior Consultant, Get Skilled Access, Disability Inclusion Advocate
Jeff Smith, CEO, DANA
Primal Fernando, International Disability Inclusion Advocate
Moderated by Bianca Stern, General Manager, All Things Equal
17:45
Closing Remarks from Chair
17:45
Networking Drinks
19:00
Conference Dinner | M1-M2 Rooms, level 1, The Crown Promenade Hotel
A true highlight of the event. Continue your discussions of the day and network with speakers, delegates and sponsors in a more relaxed and informal setting.
Numbers to the dinner are limited, book early to avoid disappointment.
The conference dinner will be held in the meetings rooms next door to the main conference room.
7pm – 9:30pm
08:15
Registration & Morning Coffee
08:50
DAY TWO OPENING
08:50
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 | 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
10:10
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
- Developing strategies for creating a more inclusive workplace culture and identifying microaggressions and bias
Kylie van Luyn Founder, DEIAB Practitioner, Psychotherapist and Human Rights Consultant, Elevated Coaching & Consulting Global
10:40
Networking Break & Morning Tea
11:10
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
11:40
KEYNOTE ADDRESS | Positive Duty in the NT
Jeswynn Yogaratnam, Commissioner, NT Anti-Discrimination Commission
12:10
IN CONVERSATION | 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, CEO, Life Choice Wide Bay Burnett
Pauline Luchetta, Founder & CEO, Custodia Plan Management
Luke Wilson, Director, Paylos Adventures
Moderated by Briar Harte, Inclusive Design Principal, NAB, Disability Inclusion Changemaker of the Year 2024
12:55
Networking Lunch
13:15
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 Plan Management
13:55
IN CONVERSATION | Accessing Accessible Healthcare
- Virtual ED, Projects, Sunflowers, and Disability Liaison Officers
- Regional, Rural and Remote Access to Disability Service Providers
- Access to Healthcare in a Metropolitan Emergency Department
A/Professor Jennie Hutton, Emergency Physician, Senior Research Fellow La Trobe and Melbourne University. Priority Population Lead VVED, Northern Health
Elizabeth O’Shannessy, Disability Access and Inclusion Lead, Allied Health Executive, Alfred Health
Bianca Bassett, Senior Consultant, Get Skilled Access, Disability Inclusion Advocate
A/Professor Dinesh Palipana OAM LLB MD, Doctor, Lawyer, Researcher, Disability Advocate, 2021 QLD Australian of the Year
Moderated by Julie Fisher, Author, Keynote Speaker, Disability Advocate
14:40
CLOSING ADDRESS | NDIS is There Another Way? What’s Next for All Those Involved?
- The Disability Sector Post Royal Commission and NDIS Review
Jess Harper, CEO, Disability Intermediaries Australia
15:10
Closing Remarks from Chair
15:15
Conference Concludes
Insights
How this Senior Territorian is seeking justice for people with disability
At birth, the parents of disability advocate Dr Robyne Burridge OAM were told her diagnosis of cerebral palsy was so severe that she would struggle to hit milestones like sitting up, let alone walking and talking…
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 2024 Event
Testimonials
Elizabeth O’Shannessy, Alfred Health
“It was a wonderful event and I really enjoyed being part of it. It had some really important conversations with many participants around challenges accessing healthcare and it has me back to work feeling buoyed with enthusiasm to keep educating our staff. As a speaker I was kept to date and informed along the way. I was so impressed by how inclusive the event was.”
Anonymous
“It’s good to be involved in events with a strong focus on improving the quality of care and service to people we serve (in this case people living with disability).”
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.”
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
Event Code Of Conduct
We want everyone who comes to our events to have a great experience. This code explains our expectations and rules, which includes general good practice behaviour, and how to report anything witnessed or experienced that goes against them. Read our Event Code of Conduct here.