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Conference Agenda
25 March
Brisbane Conference Agenda | 25 March 2026
Top 3 employment law shifts on the horizon
Meghan De Pinto Smith, Senior Associate, McKay's Solicitors
A discussion with a Fair Work Commission representative on the employment law developments shaping 2026 and what HR practitioners must prepare for.
Explore the most pressing Fair Work and legislative reforms impacting HR and workplace compliance.
Understand the Commission’s expectations and common employer missteps that continue to trigger complaints and litigation.
Hear practical recommendations from the Deputy President on how to approach investigations, dismissals, and dispute resolution.
Nicholas Lake, Commissioner, Fair Work Commission
This practical, scenario-based session places delegates in the decision-maker’s seat to explore the legal and procedural nuances that define compliant and defensible employment outcomes.
Work through a detailed case study from both employer and employee perspectives to uncover where processes can break down, how to identify genuine redundancy, and when termination becomes high risk.
Discover how Fair Work requirements, contractual obligations, and psychological safety considerations intersect in real-world decision-making.
Understand how proactive communication, documentation, and classification practices can prevent disputes and ensure fair, compliant outcomes.
Format: Guided group discussion and problem-solving with expert facilitation, live feedback, and take-home guidance documents.
Delegates will unpack how discrimination, invisible illnesses, and neurodiversity are present in real workplace contexts and how HR can respond with empathy, structure, and accountability.
Recognise psychosocial risks through patterns of behaviour, workload, and culture.
Apply inclusive communication and leadership strategies that reduce harm and build trust.
Develop practical frameworks for early intervention before issues escalate to legal risk.
Bernie Scully, Director, Yes Psychology
Following the cultural foundations, this session turns to the Regulator’s lens on psychosocial safety. A Workplace Health and Safety Queensland inspector will outline how physical and psychological hazards are assessed in real investigations and what employers must demonstrate to prove compliance. Understand what inspectors evaluate during psychosocial safety audits.
Learn the documentation, reporting, and consultation records required for defensibility.
Review case examples of recent rulings and prosecutions what passed, what failed, and why.
Build a practical risk management profile integrating both cultural and legal best practice.
As Australia moves from awareness to action on workplace equality, employers are facing new expectations under the Respect@Work reforms and the strengthened positive duty to prevent workplace sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation.
In this address, Dr Anna Cody, Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner, will outline how organisations can meet their legal and cultural responsibilities to create safer, more inclusive, and respectful environments.
Gain clarity on what compliance looks like in practice and how HR leaders can embed on prevention, respect, and inclusion at every level of their organisation.
Dr Anna Cody, Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission
Wage compliance remains under intense regulatory and public scrutiny. Recent high-profile cases including Woolworths, Coles, and UTS highlight the significant financial, legal, and reputational consequences of underpayment and systemic payroll issues.
In this session, these cases will be explored as practical case studies, providing delegates with a real-world lens on how organisations can prevent wage claims and strengthen compliance.
Participants will:
Analyse key lessons from recent Federal Court and Fair Work decisions.
Identify common payroll pitfalls that can trigger wage theft claims.
Explore practical auditing, monitoring, and governance strategies to ensure compliance.
Develop proactive frameworks that protect both the organisation and its workforce.
Format: Case study discussion with expert insights, facilitated problem-solving, and take-home resources.
Dawna Wright, Senior Managing Director, FTI Consulting + Kingston Reid Representative
This panel session exposes real-world scenarios where misclassifying issues or mishandling communications lead to employee claims, costly disputes, and regulatory action, showing HR leaders exactly how to act decisively to reduce risk.
Critical distinctions between conduct (behavioural breaches) vs performance (capability or output issues) and why mismanagement of either can trigger legal exposure.
Practical frameworks for early intervention, defensible investigations, and structured performance feedback to protect your organisation.
Amanda Wu, Senior Associate, Ashurst
Andrew Rich, Partner, Gadens
Alexander Millman, Special Counsel, Mills Oakley
AI and workplace data practices are reshaping HR, but breaches can expose organisations to serious privacy, safety, and Fair Work liabilities. This session explores real-world scenarios, helping HR leaders anticipate risks, respond effectively to breaches, and implement practical safeguards that keep AI use compliant and accountable.
Understand AI, ChatGPT, and workplace data use risks across different frameworks
Prepare for Privacy Act updates, regulatory scrutiny, and respond effectively to incidents
Learn from a real-world example where AI and employee monitoring created compliance challenges
The minimum viable AI policy & controls to withstand regulatory scrutiny
Implement actionable steps to protect employee privacy and ensure accountability
Shannon Chapman, Partner, Lander & Rogers
As flexibility reshapes the modern workplace, HR teams are navigating new challenges in managing illness, RTW, mental health, burnout and excessive leave. This practical session explores how to support employees while staying compliant under Fair Work and WHS laws. Featuring real-world examples, delegates will learn how to balance compassion with compliance, build sustainable return-to-work pathways, and avoid costly missteps.
Laura Hillman, Special Counsel, Clayton Utz