[HS] School Law: Governance Considerations for Maintaining Safe, Respectful and Inclusive Workplaces and Learning Environments
Your role in maintaining safe, respectful, and inclusive school environments is paramount. With consequences for non-compliance, get across the Respect@Work reforms and their specific implications for school leaders. Understand your obligations towards staff, students and parents and how to navigate the stringent regulatory expectations and governance aspects. Leave with a practical framework for compliance in your school. WEB248N05C
Description
Teachers attending earn 1 Professional Development Hour (NSW, VIC) / CPD Point (QLD, WA, SA)
Lawyers attending earn 1 CPD unit in Substantive Law
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
Chair: Ann Rebgetz, Principal, St James College
1.00pm to 2.00pm Governance Considerations for Maintaining Safe, Respectful and Inclusive Workplaces and Learning Environments
- Overview of the emerging Australian system to prevent sexual harassment and related unlawful behaviours, including understanding the Respect@Work reforms and their application to a school context (including obligations with respect to third parties, such as students and their parents)
- Understanding regulator expectations for complying with legal obligations, with a focus on the leadership, culture and governance aspects of the Respect@Work reforms most relevant to Principals
- A framework for practical compliance, including how to approach the various legal obligations, including sequencing in relation to WHS obligations and the positive duty under the Sex Discrimimation Act
- Insights into the approach of regulators and what other organisations are doing and learning
Presented by Jennifer Bourke, Senior Associate, MinterEllison; Employment Team
Presenters
Ann Rebgetz
Currently, Principal of St James College, Spring Hill EREA, previously Principal, St Columban's College (7-12) at Caboolture (10 years) and Co Principal of BiIingual School at Wadeye in NT with over 700 Indigenous students (3 years). A Recipient of Association of Women Educators Award for Leadership, National Excellence in Teaching State Award. Member of Australian Government Inaugral National VET Alumni/School Pathways Finalist and Winner. Currently President of CaSPAQ (Catholic Secondary Principals of Qld), Member of National Board of CaSPA (Catholic Secondary Principals Australia), V-P ACSSQ, President QISS Netball. Represented CaSPAQ on the 2016 - 2020 Senior Secondary Assessment Review Task Force in Qld. Member of the Australian Catholic Technical & Vocational Colleges Association, and National Schools Strategy Advisory Committee for Rugby Australia.
Jennifer Bourke
Jennifer provides strategic advice to public and private sector clients on the full spectrum of employment and industrial relations issues, including discrimination, unfair dismissal, adverse action, the application and operation of enterprise agreements, policies and contracts, and compliance with the Fair Work Act 2009. Jennifer's work includes advising in relation to the management of reports of sexual harm, including the investigation of such reports and the conduct of related disciplinary processes. This includes advising employers in relation to reports made in respect of their employees, as well as universities in relation to reports made in respect of students (which has also included advising a university in relation to the redesign of its student misconduct processes, which involved preparing guidance material for students, staff and the student conduct board). In early 2023, Jennifer undertook a secondment at the Australian Human Rights Commission in the positive duty compliance and enforcement team. Jennifer was integral in the preparation of the Commission's guidance for organisations and businesses on how to comply with the positive duty under the Sex Discrimination Act to take reasonable and proportionate measures to eliminate, as far as possible, sexual harassment and related behaviours. Jennifer regularly advises employers on how to manage reports of sexual harassment in a person-centred and trauma-informed way, whilst ensuring the health and safety of workers and protection of the organisation's interests.