Speakers
Keynote Speakers
Professor Marie R Bashir AC CVO
Is currently Governor of New South Wales and has an outstanding professional and personal background to commend her as our Keynote Medical speaker. Born in Narrandera, New South Wales, she is a medical graduate of the University of Sydney, and a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. After completing her post graduate studies in psychiatry, she was appointed to establish the Rivendell Child, Adolescent and Family Service to provide comprehensive specialist consultative services for young people with emotional and psychiatric problems. Her key interests have included child and adolescent depression, mental health issues affecting refugee and immigrant children, juvenile justice and Aboriginal health.
Of her great many commendations just a few include appointment as Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Sydney (1993), where she is now University Chancellor, Clinical Director of Mental Health Services for the Central Sydney Area (1994), and Mother of the Year in 1971.
She was awarded The Writers' Council Award in Beirut, Lebanon, and was invested as a Commander of the Order of the Cedars by His Excellency General Emile Lahoud, President of the Republic of Lebanon, in addition to being appointed an Honorary Member of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) in 2004.In 2006 she was invested by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) and also she has been elected as one of Australia's Living National Treasures.
Professor Bashir is married to Sir Nicholas Shehadie. They have two daughters and a son, and six grandchildren.
The Hon John Winneke AO QC RFD
Formerly a Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria, was President of the Court of Appeal for 10 years prior to his retirement. He was educated at Scotch College and graduated in Law from the University of Melbourne in 1960. He practiced as a member of the Victorian Bar for 33 years,19 of them as a Queens Counsel. Described as a man blessed with boundless energy, common sense and judgment, John Winneke brought to his office a vast and intimate knowledge of humanity, legal principle, and of the operation of the law in all its various jurisdictions. Midst his long and varied career, in 1981 he was appointed Royal Commissioner by the Commonwealth and State of Victoria to inquire into the affairs of the Builders Labourers Federation, and appeared as senior counsel for Mr and Mrs Chamberlain in the Royal Commission into their convictions for the murder of their infant daughter, Azaria, the result of which was the quashing of their convictions. For many years he was also an offi cer in the Royal Australian Naval Reserve.
His interests have not been limited to law, he has been an outstanding sportsman, playing football, cricket, tennis and golf, playing 50 senior games of football for Hawthorn, he was a member of the 1961 premiership side. His wife, Sue, is a retired member of the Victorian Bar. John has two sons and a daughter. He has fi ve grandchildren.
Lord Alec Broers FRS
Is immediate past President of the Royal Academy of Engineering and has been Chairman of the House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee (2004 - 2007) and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge (1996-2003).
He was born in India of English parents, but the family moved to Australia after the second world war and he grew up in Melbourne attending Geelong Grammar School and Melbourne University. He continued his university education at the University of Cambridge and then worked in the Research & Development laboratories of IBM in the USA for nineteen years becoming an IBM Fellow and ultimately holding responsibility for the development of chip technologies. His personal research concerned electron microscopes and the fabrication of nanoelectronic devices but his interests cover most aspects of the development of technology.
He returned to the UK in 1984 as Head of Electrical Engineering at Cambridge University and Fellow of Trinity College. He subsequently became Head of the Department of Engineering and Master of Churchill College before becoming Vice-Chancellor. He was a Director of Vodafone for nine years and has served on the Boards of several high technology start-up companies.
He is married with two children and he enjoys music, sailing, and skiing.
He brings great international perspective as a keynote speaker.
Conference Speakers
Prof James Angus
Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at the University of Melbourne since 2003, he was previously Professor and Head of the Department of Pharmacology. In recognition of his contributions, he has been awarded the Australia's Centenary Medal and the Gottschalk Medal of the Australian Academy of Science. Currently he is a Council member and Fellow of the Academy (FAA), Chair Australian Health Information Council, Honorary Secretary the Rhodes Trust, Oxford and a director of the Walter & Eliza Hall Institute, Bionic Ear Institute, Mental Health Research Institute, and the Victorian Institute for Forensic Medicine
Hon Austin Asche AC
Was the first Judge appointed to the Family Court of Australia prior to moving to the Northern Territory where amongst other significant community contributions he served as Administrator of the Northern Territory and Chancellor of the Northern Territory University. He is married to Dr Valerie Asche AM and together they have been regular attendees of our Conferences.
Dr John Best AO
Established and operates Diagnosis Pty Ltd, to provide advice and consultancy services in the health sector, working in areas such as public policy formulation, rural and remote health service planning, management and health education. Previously he was Deputy Secretary General of the Australian Medical Association, Principal Private Secretary to the Leader of the Federal Opposition. He has held a number of Committee roles in health management and medical research including Chair of the Strategic Research Development.
George Beaumont QC
An eminent Queens Counsel, George Beaumont has been a member of the Victorian Bar since 1969 taking silk in 1985. He has specialist skills in many fields including commercial, taxation, media and entertainment law. With a penchant for international travel, French wine and good food George and his wife Jayne have been enthusiastic supporters of the Conference since its inception.
Dr Nicholas Bett
Worked as a cardiologist in the Monash Department of Medicine before moving to Brisbane. He has been the Director of Cardiology at the Royal Brisbane Hospital and at the Prince Charles Hospital and is now Clinical Professor and a Senior Cardiologist at Prince Charles. He has a particular interest in coronary heart disease and interventional cardiology.
Dr Lanny Bochsler
Is the Winner of the 2009 Professor Anastasios Dontas Travelling Fellowship - Medical. Born in South Africa, Lanny completed his medical qualifications at The University of Melbourne, including a Masters in Psychological Medicine. He is currently the Principle Registrar, in the Professorial Mood and Eating Disorders Unit at the Austin Hospital, Melbourne
Prof Ian Hickie AM
Is Executive Director, Brain & Mind Research Institute (BMRI), University of Sydney. Formerly Ian was CEO and subsequently Clinical advisor to Beyond Blue: the national depression initiative. He is one of the new NHMRC 2008 Australian Fellows. In July 2008 he was appointed to the Federal Health's Minister's new National Advisory Council on Mental Health.
Dr John Carnie
Graduated in medicine from the University of Colombo, (Sri Lanka) and has post graduate qualifications in paediatrics (Royal College of Physicians, UK), epidemiology (University of Melbourne) and public health (Harvard University). A Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, and Past President of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, he is currently Chief Health Officer, Victoria, and a member of the National Health Committee and the National Health and Medical Research Council.
Prof Ian Frazer
Trained as a renal physician in Edinburgh, and emigrated to Australia in 1981. After 4 years at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, he moved to the University of Queensland and is director of the Diamantina Institute of Cancer Immunology and Molecular Medicine. Ian is the inaugural holder of the Queensland government Smart State Premier's fellowship, and president of The Cancer Council Australia. His research is focused on development of vaccines for virus associated cancers. In 1990, with his then postdoctoral scientist, Dr Jian Zhou, developed the technology that is the basis of vaccines now available, to prevent cervical cancer. In 2006 he was named Australian of the Year.
Mr Terry Karydas
Is a Litigation partner in the Queensland firm MacDonnells Law, specializing in Building and Construction Law, Commercial and Property Litigation, Insurance, and Alternative Dispute Resolution. As a first generation Greek Australian whose paternal family originated in Samos, Terry is well placed to address the conference on the challenges that faced migrants from Samos to Australia.
Prof Chris Goddard
Starting at the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne he undertook some of the earliest work connecting child abuse and other forms of family violence and research into child deaths. Head of Social Work at Monash University from 1998-2007, he established Child Abuse Research Australia, a joint initiative with the Australian Childhood Foundation and Monash University, and is full-time Director. He has published on issues including children in detention centres and abuse in churches. With Dr Neerosh Mudaly he wrote The Truth is Longer than a Lie: Children's experiences of abuse and intervention and with Linda Briskman and Susie Latham, Human Rights Overboard: Seeking asylum in Australia.
Ms Anne Goldsbrough SM
Is State Supervising Magistrate for Family Violence and Family Law in Victoria. Her professional experience includes serving as Deputy Registrar of the Family Court of Australia Melbourne and she was a founding member of the Fitzroy Legal Service. She is a member of a number of committees and working groups related to Family Violence and Family Law inside and outside the Court and has a wide range of other interests, including travel, her family and a garden in which she wishes to spend much more time with a book.
Mr Maurice Neil QC
Is a member of the Sydney Bar. He practices in a number of fields of litigation including defamation, with appearances for plaintiffs and media organizations and for politicians of different political persuasions. In prior careers he has served in the Regular and Reserve Army including in South Vietnam and as a Federal Member of Parliament.
Prof Ian Gust AO
Is a Professorial Fellow in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Melbourne. He was Foundation Director of the Macfarlane Burnet Centre for Medical Research and a member of the team that developed the world's first hepatitis A vaccine. As Director of Research and Development of CSL he was responsible for investing in the technology which formed the basis of the world's first vaccine against cervical carcinoma.
Prof Andrew Kaye AM
Is Professor of Surgery at The University of Melbourne, Head of the Department of Neurosurgery and Director of The Melbourne Comprehensive Cancer Centre, The Royal Melbourne Hospital. Trained in Melbourne, he undertook neurosurgery training in Oxford, and The Cleveland Clinic in the USA. He is involved in neuro-oncology research at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research. Amongst his numerous professional recognition awards are the Commonwealth of Australia Centenary Medal in 2003 and Order of Australia in 2004.
Ms Ronli Sifris
Is the Winner of the 2009 John Harber Phillips - Dontas Family Travelling Fellowships - Legal. She is currently Constitutional Law Tutor at Monash University, in Melbourne where she is also working on her doctorate In Law. Her professional experiences to date include research assistant to The Victoria Law Reform Commission, internship at the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague and a Consultancy to the International Centrer for Transitional Justice, New York.
Dr Brenda McGivern
Is Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Western Australia and Consultant at Sparke Helmore Lawyers, specialising in health law including civil actions, disciplinary proceedings, coronial inquiries and professional indemnity insurance. An inaugural member of the Clinical Ethics Service for Princess Margaret Hospital and King Edward Memorial Hospital and a member on the Reproductive Technology Council of Western Australia, her primary research interests are in health, insurance and tort law with emphasis on risk management and bioethics.
Prof Bernadette McSherry
Is an Australian Research Council Federation Fellow and Professor of Law at Monash University currently supervising a team of researchers working on a five year Australian Research Council project entitled Rethinking Mental Health Laws. With an honours degrees in Arts and Law and a Masters of Law degree from the University of Melbourne, a PhD from York University, Canada and a Graduate Diploma in Psychology from Monash University, she has written widely on mental health laws and criminal laws and a legal member of the Mental Health Review Board of Victoria and the Psychosurgery Review Board of Victoria.
Ms Irena Morris
Is a senior consultant and Executive Coach, for over 22 years assisting organisations to leverage their human capital, working with executives and organisational Human Resources Directors and Managers to develop and implement strategies to optimise development and other people-based functions. She holds a BSc in Management Information Systems, International University, Nairobi and San Diego, and an MBA from University of Western Australia Graduate School of Management.
Mr John Tripidakis
Is a lawyer and managing partner of his own firm in Athens. Educated in Greece and the UK, he holds qualifications in accounting in addition to extensive legal qualifications. Greek born, John has successfully represented hundreds of expatriates and individuals from the United States, Europe, Australia and South Africa on legal matters in Greece. He specializes in estate planning and administration, as well as overseeing real property transactions.
Dr John Mathews
Is a graduate of Science and Medicine from the University of Melbourne, with a significant career in epidemiological research and public health. After early work in PNG, the Walter & Eliza Hall Institute and in Oxford, he established genetic epidemiology in Melbourne before moving to Darwin as Foundation Director of the Menzies School of Health Research and the CRC for Aboriginal Health and has been a senior adviser in public health to the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. As a Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne, he leads NHMRC-supported research on pandemic influenza, ionizing radiation and computerised linkage of de-identified medical records.
Dr Owen Powell OAM
Has over 32 years experience as a medical practitioner, including 15 years as Medical Superintendent of Princess Alexandra Hospital and 10 years as Director Research and Planning, Queensland Department of Health. His service to Medicine was recognized with an OAM in 2007. Since his retirement Owen has completed a BA with Honours and an MA, and with his wife Glenda has been a regular Conference supporter.
Ms Pamela Michael
Is a solicitor TressCox Lawyers, Sydney, with experience in corporate law, commercial law and medical defence litigation. In addition to her law degree, Pamela holds a Bachelor of Health Science. With experience in intellectual property licensing arrangements, operational agreements and R&D investment, her current practice includes disciplinary and administrative law matters involving investigations by the NSW Medical Board, Medicare Australia, the Health Care Complaints Commission and the NSW Medical Tribunal.
Dr Hadia Haikal-Mukhtar
Born in Beirut, Lebanon, she graduated in Medicine, Science, and Law, admitted as a legal practitioner in the Supreme Courts of NSW and Victoria. A medical general practitioner for 25 years she is a consultant medical educator with the Sydney Institute of General Practice Education and Training, the University of Notre Dame, School of Medicine and the University of Melbourne, Department of General Practice. A former member of the Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria she is currently a member of the Health Professions Registration Panels in Victoria and the Professional Services Review Panel. She was awarded "Doctor of the year", GP award by Australian Doctor, for her community work in aged care and is a member of the Medical Association for the Prevention of War.
Mr Christopher Lonergan
Is a member of the New South Wales Bar. His practice includes Coroners Court, Victims Compensation and Tort Law and was involved in applications for reviews of conviction made by Ivan Milat. Coronial briefs have included the NSW Police, Fire Brigade and Origin Energy. Christopher and his wife Christine have three adult children.
Mr John Paolacci
A partner of PKF and heads the Enterprise Advisers Division, John has practiced as a Chartered Accountant for over 20 years including the position of Senior Tax Manager for a big 4 firm prior to joining PKF Melbourne. He has focused on providing business and taxation advice with specialist skills in salary packaging, Superannuation, Litigation support, business valuations and loss of profits, Business Succession Planning and exit strategies.
Mr David J. Russell SC
A Senior Counsel in NSW David's practice has been common and commercial law, with appearance experience in the Dust Diseases Tribunal of NSW, and on appeal to the NSW Court of Appeal in asbestos related matters. He has served on the Professional Conduct Committee of the NSW Bar Association and is currently a member of the Common Law Committee of the NSW Bar Association. He has also served as an Acting Judge of the District Court of NSW.
The Hon Justice Anthony Whealy
A Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, he was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1984. He has practised widely in both the Civil and Criminal jurisdictions of the Supreme Court, presiding in a number of significant trials including that of stockbroker Mr Rene Rivkin and the conspiracy to defraud the Income Tax Commissioner trial of Ronen & Ors. In 2006, he presided over the first major "terrorism" trial in New South Wales (R v Lodhi), that resulted in the accused being convicted. Presently he is hearing a trial against a number of men accused of conspiracy to do acts in preparation for a terrorist act.
Prof Gregory Whelan
Is Professor Addiction Medicine University of Melbourne, Consultant, Drug and Alcohol Project, Monash University and Medical Director, Victorian Addiction Centre. A graduate of University of Sydney, with post graduate training in internal medicine, gastroenterology and public health in Australia, USA, UK and Canada. He has consulted in public health in the Asian Pacific area and his research interests include management of alcohol and drug dependence.
Prof David Williams
Is a graduate of the University of Glasgow and has worked in the area of Forensic Pathology for over 30 years. Practising in Queensland he worked at John Tonge Centre in Brisbane prior to moving to Townsville where he is currently Director of Forensic Pathology and Anatomical Pathology, at the Townsville Hospital. Well published in professional journals he is also the author of "Colour Guide: Forensic Pathology".
Ass Prof Yannis Zervas
Was born and educated in Greece. On completing medicine, he trained in Psychiatry at the State University of New York and specialized in consultation-Liaison psychiatry, psychosomatic medicine, and psychotherapy in NY. He then returned to Greece to join the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Athens, and currently directs the Women's Mental Health Clinic and the Interpersonal Psychotherapy Unit.