Small Steps | Safe Workplaces: Sexual Harassment Conference 2026

The Program

• 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm

  18 November 2026 | Welcome Reception

  Hosted at RACV Hobart Hotel (Level 1/154-156 Collins St, Hobart TAS 7000) 5:00pm | Registrations Open 5:30pm | Welcome to Small Steps 2026, Acknowledgment & House Keeping Susan Price, Principal Solicitor, Civil Practice, Women's Legal Centre ACT as MC And Address from Rachel Watson, CEO, Hydro Tasmania 5:45pm | Our Silence is not for Sale | Non Disclosure Agreement Reform Abbey Kendall, CEO, Working Women's Centre Australia Jennifer Jones, Principal Solicitor and Legal Director, Workers’ Rights, Westjustice 6:30pm | Welcome Reception Sponsored by Hydro Tasmania 7:30pm | Session Concludes

• 8:00 am - 5:30 pm

  19 November 2026 | Conference Day 1

  Hosted at RACV Hobart Hotel (Level 1/154-156 Collins St, Hobart TAS 7000) 8:00am | Registrations Open 8:30am | Welcome, House Keeping & Address from Yvette Cehtel, CEO, Women's Legal Service Tasmania Susan Price, Principal Solicitor, Civil Practice, Women's Legal Centre ACT as MC 8:45am | Welcome to Country Nala Mansell, Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre 9:30am | Delegate Grounding Activity Sharon King, Social Worker, Working Women's Centre Tasmania 9:40am | The Hon. Chief Justice Debbie Mortimer, Federal Court of Australia in Conversation with Ms Kate Eastman AM SC 10:40am | Morning tea & Trade Stall Exhibition 11:00am Concurrent Session | Topic to be Announced Ms Emily Latif and Mr James Cameron, of Counsel 11:00am Concurrent Session | Topic to be Announced Ms Sally Sievers AO, Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Tasmania 12:00pm | Social Work in Action: Social Workers Roles in Litigation | A Value Add or Integrated Imperative A panel discussion convened by Sharon King, Social Worker, Working Women's Centre Tasmania. Further speakers to be announced. 1:00pm | Lunch & Trade Stall Exhibition 1:45pm | Rights in Practice: Human Rights Law a a Tool for Sexual Harassment Litigation & Advocacy Ms Kate Eastman AM SC 2:45pm Concurrent Session | Beyond the Complaint: Barriers to Justice for Victim-Survivors Dr Sarah Ailwood, Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Wollongong Dominique Allen, Professor, Director of Research, Department of Business Law and Taxation, Monash Business School, Monash University 2:45pm Concurrent Session | Innovating Compliance | The Positive Duty in Action: A deep dive into the positive duty Tanaya Roy, Senior Advisor, Intersection Georgie Langford, Employment Counsel, Workplace Integrity 3:45pm | Afternoon Tea & Trade Stall Exhibition 4:10pm Concurrent Session | The Positive Duty & the Burden on the Individual - Are we there yet? The introduction of Part IIA of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) promised an evolution of Australia's complaints-based discrimination law, shifting the burden of equality from the individual to the institution. Has Part IIA delivered as promised, or does the burden of equality remain with the individual? Ms Sarah McCarthy of Counsel 4:10pm Concurrent Session | Collective Wisdom, lets consolidate A reflective & restorative art workshop helping participants consolidate their learnings and connection. Ana Gilet, Social Worker, Working Women's Centre QLD. 5:10pm | Sessions Conclude Further details to be announced.

• 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm

  19 November 2026 | Conference Dinner

  Hosted at RACV Hobart Hotel (Level 1/154-156 Collins St, Hobart TAS 7000) A formal dinner including a two course meal (main and dessert). 6:30pm | Formal Conference Dinner 6:45pm | The Positive Duty | Leading by Example The Hon Justice Jacqueline Gleeson, High Court of Australia 9:30pm Session Concludes

• 8:00 am - 3:30 pm

  20 November 2026 | Conference Day 2

  Hosted at RACV Hobart Hotel (Level 1/154-156 Collins St, Hobart TAS 7000) 8:00am | Registrations Open 8:30am | Welcome, Acknowledgment & House Keeping Susan Price, Principal Solicitor, Civil Practice, Women's Legal Centre ACT as MC 8:45am | Persuasive Court Advocacy | What Persuades the Bench The Honourable Justice Jacqueline Gleeson in Conversation with Ms Sarah Wright of Counsel 9:45am Concurrent Session | From Prevention to Practice: Building Safer Workplaces Maddie Bowen, Community Educator, Working Women's Centre Tasmania Kate Johnstone, Primary Prevention Manager, SASS Prabha Nandagopal, Founder, Elevate Consulting Partners Carolyn Self, Engender Equality 9:45am Concurrent Session | Systemic Remedies Outcomes Project Catherine Hemingway, Victoria Legal Aid Megan Pearce, Managing Lawyer, Victoria Legal Aid Melanie Schleiger 10:45am | Morning tea & Trade Stall Exhibition 11:05am | Topice to be Announced Ms Cathy Dowsett SC 12:05pm | A Social Workers Secrets to Trauma Informed Practice A panel discussion convened by Natalie Ryan, Senior Social Worker, Women's Legal Service Tasmania Further speakers to be announced 1:05pm | Lunch & Final Trade Stall Exhibition 1:35pm | Collective Wisdom, lets consolidate A reflective & restorative art workshop helping participants consolidate their learnings and connection. Ana Gilet, Social Worker, Working Women's Centre QLD. 2:05pm Concurrent Session | Remedies for Sexual Harassment: Changing Paradigms Examination of the current trend towards 'medicalisation' of loss and the prospect of advancing different conceptualisation of loss that may be available drawing on overseas examples. Ms Prue Bindon of Counsel 2:05pm Concurrent Session | Sessions To Be Announced 3:05pm | Close with Susan Price, including Prize Draw 3:25pm | Conference Concludes Further details to be announced.