Our speakers include the following:
Chief Constable Paul Anderson has been a police officer for 31 years, starting his career in Tilbury, Essex. He has experience across the ranks, from community and investigative posts, through to specialist operations. Paul is a graduate of London University Southbank with a Master’s Degree. Married with two children; he is also a keen and active sportsman and coach, with an interest in staff engagement and wellbeing.Paul has experience in organised crime, community cohesion and command of specialist operations around firearms and public order, as well as leading performance and partnerships portfolios. He is an experienced Gold Commander for Firearms, Public Order and CBRN and is accredited as a multi-agency Strategic Commander, where he has led a number of significant high profile policing operations. He also has previous experience at Silver and Bronze levels within these areas, with UK wide experience.Appointed as Commander for Tayside Division (Police Scotland) in 2015, Paul led over 1,100 officers and staff across the region. During 2018 he held the position of Assistant Chief Constable, leading operational policing for the East of Scotland, with additional responsibility for National Criminal Justice and was also operational lead for several Specialist Operations.Paul became Chief Constable of Humberside Police in 2023 having previously served as the Deputy Chief Constable and Assistant Chief Constable (Local Policing). As Chief Constable he will continue to have responsibility for Leadership, Development and Wellbeing.
Jared Brown is Manager of Toxicity Response, Epidemiology and Surveillance within the Centre for Alcohol and Other Drugs at the NSW Ministry of Health. His team is responsible for investigating public health incidents and collaborative responses, including issue of drug warnings. He is an Advanced Practice Pharmacist in Clinical Toxicology and held multiple roles within the NSW Poisons Information Centre, with a focus on public health. He is passionate about drug safety and improving the evidence base to inform timely public health responses.
Felicity Cox has been an Occupational Therapist and Mental Health Clinician for over 20 years. Having been instrumental in the development and success of the Pilot PACER (Police, Ambulance, Clinical Early Response) Program in Sydney, she now works as a Clinician on the PACER program in the ACT. This unique program operates as an emergency tri-service with 2 crews (comprised of an AFP member, Paramedic, and Mental Health Clinician) on the road daily between 8am and midnight. Felicity also sits as a member of the Mental Health Review Tribunal in NSW, regularly sitting on both civil and forensic panels.
Hugh Dillon is an Adjunct Professor at the UNSW Law School. He retired as a Deputy State Coroner and magistrate at the end of 2016. He was a NSW magistrate (1996-2017) and a Deputy State Coroner (2008-2016). He was a part-time Deputy President of the Mental Health Tribunal (2018-2023). He is a member of the NSW Bar Association’s Inquests and Inquiries committee. He is co-author of Waller’s Coronial Law and Practice in New South Wales and The Australasian Coroner’s Manual. Since leaving the Coroners Court in 2017 he has been advocating reform of the coronial system in NSW and elsewhere. He has nearly completed his doctoral thesis concerning the NSW coronial system.
Lorraine is the Chief Forensic Pathologist and Clinical Director of Forensic Medicine, NSWHP, with several years of experience as a forensic pathologist, having conducted numerous post-mortem examinations, testified in courts and provided several expert opinions. She trained at the University of Pretoria in South Africa and is a fellow College of Medicine of South Africa and the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia. She has extensive experience across her career in the management of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, course coordinator, examiner and trainee supervisor at a number of educational and forensic institutions in Australia and abroad. She is committed to continue improving on the contribution of Forensic Medicine in the Coronial death investigation.
Peggy Dwyer was admitted to the Bar in 2010, after more than 10 years work as a solicitor, specialising firstly in criminal and later coronial law. Over the last 13 years, she has had a busy practice in criminal defence, appeals and coronial proceedings. Peggy appears regularly as Counsel Assisting the Coroner (in the NT and NSW) and counsel for interested parties, including medical practitioners, police and Government agencies. She has a significant interest in medical law and appears in disciplinary tribunals, for both prosecution and defence.
From 2005 to 2008, Peggy was the Managing Criminal Lawyer for the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA), the largest criminal law practice in the Northern Territory. In addition to managing the service, she appeared in jury trials and appeals in the Northern Territory Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal.
In 2000, Peggy was awarded a doctorate from the University of Edinburgh. Her Ph.D focused on drug trafficking and the regulation of new synthetic drugs of abuse and their precursor chemicals.
Dr Kerri Eagle is Clinical Director of the NSW Community Forensic Mental Health Service for Justice Health NSW. She is also a consultant forensic psychiatrist in private practice. She also has undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications in law and has practised as a solicitor. Dr Eagle has provided expert evidence in criminal trials involving a range of issues. She has been a Court appointed psychiatrist for the Supreme Court to assist in the management of high-risk offenders and forensic patients, and provided expert evidence for the Coroner during Inquests.
Kirsten is a barrister at Forbes Chambers in Sydney and has extensive experience in the conduct of inquests and inquiries. She appears as Counsel assisting the Coroner and on behalf of families, government departments and private parties, particularly medical professionals and sporting groups. Kirsten’s inquest practice has included cases in Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria and the Northern Territory. Kirsten recently appeared for the NT Attorney-General in the NT Supreme Court and Court of Appeal in Bauwens & Rolfe (a case relating to penalty privilege and self-incrimination) and was junior counsel in the High Court in the self-incrimination decision of DCT v Shi [2021] HCA 22. Kirsten is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at the School of Law at UNSW where she co-teaches a course involving advocacy, evidence and ethics and has lectured in evidence law at the University of Sydney Law School and UTS Law School.
Vanessa Edwige is a Ngarabal woman from Emmaville, NSW. Vanessa is a registered psychologist and the Chair of the Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association. Vanessa is a Director on the Board of Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia. Vanessa has worked in Redfern, NSW for most of her career working predominantly with Aboriginal children, young people, families and community providing culturally responsive psychological support for adverse childhood experiences, intergenerational trauma and supporting cultural resilience. Vanessa currently works privately writing psychological reports for people involved in the judicial system, for the NSW and Victorian Coroners Court and medicolegal reports. Vanessa has been writing these reports for over 15 years. Vanessa has also worked as a Senior Psychologist Education for the NSW Department of Education for five years. Prior to this, Vanessa worked as a school counsellor, a consultant and trainer for the NSW Institute of Psychiatry, NSW Co-ordinator for Aboriginal victims of crime with the NSW Attorney General’s Department and as the Senior Researcher for the NSW Aboriginal Child Sexual assault report with NSW Attorney Generals Department. Vanessa is a member of the independent advisory panel for the NSW Public Defenders Bugmy Bar Book project and is a co-author on the Significance of Culture to Wellbeing, Healing and Rehabilitation which was commissioned for the Bugmy Bar Book Project.
Coroner Tracey Fitzgibbon was appointed to the Coroners Court in 2019 and sits in Auckland, New Zealand. She has experience in a wide range of coronial inquiries and brings a diverse range of experience to her role. She was a police officer, private investigator, legal and research counsel for the Office of the Chief Coroner and criminal barrister. She has represented families at inquest hearings and is an Executive Coroner.
Ian Freckelton is an experienced King's Counsel practising throughout Australia, including in many of Australia's best known coronial cases over the last 30 years. He is also a Professor of Law and Professorial Fellow in Psychiatry at the University of Melbourne and an Honorary Professor of Forensic Medicine at Monash University. He is founding member of Victoria's Coronial Council, the author of 50 books and some 800 published articles and chapters. He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2021 for distinguished contributions to law, medicine and technology.
Andrew Gissing is the CEO of Natural Hazards Research Australia. He works with government, business and not-for-profits to make our communities safer and more resilient.Andrew has over 20 years disaster management experience, including in senior executive roles. He previously held the position of Deputy Chief Officer / Director Emergency Management and Communication with the Victoria State Emergency Service and, before joining Natural Hazards Research Australia was a General Manager at Risk Frontiers.Andrew holds Masters (Hons) of Science and Bachelor of Economics degrees and has published in leading international journals.
Harriet Grahame is a NSW Magistrate and Deputy State Coroner. She has a particular interest in the prevention of drug related deaths. Harriet has held inquests into deaths caused by opiates, MDMA, PIEDs and other drugs. She is particularly interested in identifying ways to lower the rates of drug related deaths in NSW. Prior to her appointment as a magistrate she worked as a barrister in criminal law. She has worked for NSW Legal Aid, Redfern Legal Centre and the Western Aboriginal Legal Service as well as teaching law at various universities. Before becoming a lawyer Harriet worked in health education on an early Needle and Syringe Exchange program and in HIV education in Thailand.
Sage Green has been working with the Mid North Coast Local Health District for 3 years as the Suicide Prevention Coordinator. Sage has a career in mental health spanning more than 20 years and has worked in both NGO and government roles across service delivery, policy and reform roles. She brings a passion for quality improvement through use of both professional and personal experiences of mental health and suicide.
Ollie is Director of the Heat and Health Research Incubator in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney, and currently holds a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator grant.
He has led several large-scale projects that have directly influenced international public health heatwave policies in the United States (CDC) and Europe (WHO). He has also led extreme heat policy development for Sports Medicine Australia, Tennis Australia (Australian Open), and Cricket Australia. In 2021, he was first thermoregulatory physiologist to be profiled by The Lancet.
To date, Ollie has published >180 peer-reviewed publications in journals such as Lancet, JAMA, Annals of Internal Medicine, Lancet Planetary Health, and Nature Communications. He has received >$14M in funding as chief investigator from organisations such as the NHMRC, Wellcome Trust (UK), and the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, as well as various industry partners.
Anina has degrees in law and sociology from Murdoch University and a Masters (Research) in Law from the Australian National University, which she completed with the help of a Lionel Murphy Scholarship.
She was appointed as Commissioner of the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission of NSW in May 2022.
From 2012 to 2022, Anina held the position of Deputy President (Forensic) at the NSW Mental Health Review Tribunal, where she sat in both the Forensic and Civil Divisions of the Tribunal. She was also involved in strategic issues in relation to forensic mental health, including significant legislative reform.
Prior to her appointment to the Tribunal, Anina was a Senior Solicitor and Solicitor Advocate in the NSW Crown Solicitor’s Office for 12 years, where she appeared in complex matters, before a range of courts and tribunals. She acted as counsel assisting the Administrative Decisions Tribunal and the Coroner.
Anina is an Adjunct Associate Professor with the University of NSW and has published and presented in the areas of mental health, criminal law and administrative law.
Professor Fay Johnston is public health physician and environmental epidemiologist with a focus on airborne hazards like air pollution. She has made major contributions to the global knowledge about the health impacts of bushfire smoke and evidence for policy interventions during extreme pollution episodes. She leads the Centre for Safe Air, a national NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence. In 2019 she received the Public Health Association of Australia Tony McMichael Award for Ecology, Environment and Health and was named Air Quality Champion of year by the Clean Air Society of Australia and New Zealand.
Kelvin feels extremely lucky to be in a wonderful life surrounded by all he loves. He is an experienced Surgeon with a demonstrated history of working across the health industry. Involved in clinical research, medical education, medicine, surgery, paediatrics, health policy and Indigenous education. He is now practising in Newcastle on Awabakal and Worimi Country, as a Surgeon specializing in Paediatric & Adult Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head & Neck Surgery (Ear, Nose & Throat Surgery). He has a very broad adult and paediatric practice, whilst having special interests in Paediatric Airway, Adult and Paediatric Cochlear Implantation, and Voice + Swallow disorders.Throughout his career, Professor Kong has been dedicated to researching the causes of ear diseases and finding effective interventions. He has been a vocal advocate for improving Indigenous Australians' ear health. Kelvin hails from the Worimi people of Port Stephens, NSW, Australia. Being surrounded by health, he has always championed for the improvement of health and education. Complementing his practice as a surgeon, he is kept grounded by his family, who are the strength and inspiration to him, remaining involved in numerous projects and committees to help give back to the community.
Nicolle Lowe is a proud Kamilaroi woman who has grown up in the community of Mt Druitt on Darug Country throughout her life. She has a Bachelor of Social Work and has experience in a number of roles including time as a Child Protection and Joint Child Protection and Response Caseworker at DCJ, the Aboriginal Witness Assistance Officer at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution and as Defence Social Worker with the Australian Defence Force at Holsworthy Army Barracks. Nicolle commenced in the role of the Aboriginal Coronial Information and Support Officer when these roles were first established in October 2021.
Thomas Mayo is a Kaurareg Aboriginal and Kalkalgal, Erubamle Torres Strait Islander man. He is the Assistant National Secretary of the MUA. Thomas is a signatory of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and has been a leading advocate since its inception in May 2017. He is the Chairperson of the Northern Territory Indigenous Labor Network and a director on the Australians for Indigenous Constitutional Recognition board.
Thomas is the author of six books published by Hardie Grant and has many articles and essays published across the major media providers.His latest book is co-authored with well-respected journalist, Kerry O’Brien: The Voice to Parliament Handbook - All the details you need; published 17 May 2023.
Tony McAvoy SC is a Wirdi man, from the Clermont area of Central Queensland, he specialises in native title, treaties, commissions of inquiry, administrative law, discrimination law and criminal law. He is also an ADR practitioner. In 2011-2013 he held an appointment as an Acting Part Time Commissioner of NSW Land and Environment Court. He was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2015. In 2016/17 he was Co-Senior Counsel assisting Royal Commission into Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory (Don Dale). In 2018 he was recognised as QUT Alumnus of the Year. In 2021/2022 he held an appointment as Acting Treaty Commissioner for the Northern Territory. In 2022 he was awarded a Doctorate of Laws (Honoris Causa) by UTS, and in 2023 he was recognised by the Australian Disputes Centre as National Indigenous Mediator of the Year. He currently holds positions as Commissioner on the NSW Independent Planning Commission, Co-Senior Counsel assisting the Yoorrook Justice Commission, member of the Voice Referendum Working Group, member of the NSW Bar Council, Director of NSW Aboriginal Legal Service, founding member First Nations Clean Energy Network, interim director of the Queensland First Nations Tourism Council, and membership of various other committees and advisory bodies.
Lindsay is a proud Aboriginal woman, and PhD candidate at the University of Sydney. Her upcoming thesis is the first study to critically examine the experiences of Aboriginal families' experiences with the coronial system in New South Wales.
Raina MacIntyre (MBBS Hons 1, M App Epid, PhD, FRACP, FAFPHM) is Professor of Global Biosecurity, NHMRC Principal Research Fellow and Head of the Biosecurity Program at the Kirby Institute, UNSW, Australia. She leads a research program in control and prevention of infectious diseases, spanning vaccinology, pandemics, bioterrorism and emerging infections, and personal protective equipment. She is a graduate of Australia’s field epidemiology training program and has extensive field experience of outbreak investigation and control. She has led a large body of clinical trial, modelling and experimental research on face masks and respirators for prevention of respiratory transmissible infections. Her area of vaccine expertise is vaccination of older adults and immunosuppressed people and vaccines for biodefense. She has done several clinical trials of vaccines in adults and immunosuppressed populations such as transplant patients. She has also done research on the role of influenza and other infections on triggering cardiovascular events, and how these can be prevented by vaccines, and a body of work on smallpox vaccines. She has led the development of EPIWATCH, an AI-driven epidemic observatory that has proven capability in early detection of serious outbreaks. She has over 400 peer reviewed publications. She has received many awards including the 2022 Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science and Innovation, The Sir Henry Wellcome Medal and Prize from the Association of Military Surgeons of the US, the Public Health Association of Australia’s National Immunisation Award (for her research on adult vaccination), and the Frank Fenner Award for Research in Infectious Diseases. She is on the editorial boards of Vaccine, BMJ Open and Epidemiology & Infection. In 2021 she was on a US National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine pandemic consensus committee, and is currently a member of the WHO COVID-19 Vaccine Composition Technical Advisory group, and The WHO SAGE working group on smallpox and Mpox. Her first book, Dark Winter – and insider’s guide to pandemics and biosecurity was published in 2022
Superintendent Chris Nicholson is the Commander, Crime Prevention Command, NSW Police Force. He has been with the NSW Police Force for 28 years. The NSWPF Mental Health Team, Aboriginal Strategy & Coordination Team, Field Support, Crime Prevention and Corporate Sponsorships fall under his command. Throughout his career he has performed a range of front line and specialist duties including within Counter Terrorism & Special Tactics Command, Professional Standards Command, State Crime Command, State Intelligence Command and within the Central Metropolitan Region. In addition to policing and intelligence qualifications he has a Bachelor of Nursing pre-dating employment with the NSWPF.
Kerry O’Brien is one of Australia’s most respected journalists with six Walkley Awards including the Gold Walkley and the Walkley for outstanding leadership.
In his decades at the ABC he reported for the trail-blazing current affairs programs This Day Tonight and Four Corners, presented Lateline for six years, 7.30 for fifteen years and Four Corners for five. In 2019 he was inducted into the television industry hall of fame.
In a 50-year career, Kerry has covered all the big political milestone events and interviewed world leaders including Mandela, Thatcher, Obama, Blair and Gorbachev.
He was a member of the Eminent Panel advising the Queensland Government on a path to treaty with Indigenous Queenslanders.
Jen Ross-King is the mother of Alex Ross-King who died of MDMA toxicity in January 2019. (Inquest into the death of six patrons of NSW music festival) After Alex’s death Jen has spoken at a variety of public forums about the importance of harm reduction strategies. She established ARK insights to provide parents and young people a safe, credible and non judgemental space to locate information about alcohol and other drugs.
Glendra is a proud Wiradjuri women from the Mudgee/Dubbo and Narrandera area. She has been the UTS Elder in Residence since 2020 and is trained counsellor with 30 years experience providing advice and practical assistance to survivors of trauma. She has been the Aunty in Residence at the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence providing support to staff, members, visitors and community. Glendra has worked with a number of state and national bodies including as an Aboriginal Advisor for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, the National Stolen Generations Alliance, and Metro Migrant Resource Centre. She was the former CEO of Link-Up (NSW) Aboriginal Corporation. Glendra is also currently a member of the advisory group of the NSW Government child protection and wellbeing program, "Their Futures Matter". She has very long experience as a foster carer of Aboriginal children.
E ngā mana e ngā reo e ngā tini karanga o ngā hau e whā tēnā koutou
Ki te hunga mate kuawheturangitia, moe mai rā
Ki te manawhenua, tēnā koutou
Nō reira tēnā koutou tēnā koutou tēnā tātou katoa
Coroner Tania Tetitaha is based in Whangārei New Zealand. She was a member of Ministerial advisory groups on Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy and Indigenous intellectual property rights. She was counsel in cases involving indigenous rights to land, flora, fauna, fishing, te reo Māori/Broadcasting assets and intellectual property rights. She has a Masters degree specialising in Māori and Pasifika laws.
Dr Vazquez has more than 25 years of research and forensic experience. He has worked in the United States as a scientist including on ophthalmic drug development Pfizer Inc. (California).
As Operations Director, Forensic & Environmental Toxicology, Dr Vazquez leads laboratories which perform toxicology testing in coronial, custodial, drug and alcohol treatment, and driving cases within NSW. He also leads laboratories which monitor for Legionella and drinking water for the presence of bacteria, metals and pesticides from regional areas across NSW.
Dr Vazquez is passionate about science and furthering scientific services which contribute to better health and justice systems for NSW communities.
Donna Ward SC is a Sydney based barrister with specific recent expertise as one of the Counsel Assisting the State Coroner of New South Wales in the conduct of a large number of coronial inquests and inquiries arising from the events of the 2019-2020 Bushfire Season. This involved working with a large team of lawyers, police, fire investigators, medical experts and other scientists to review evidence of unusual fire behaviour and other factors contributing to fire related deaths. Donna has broad general expertise in the preparation and conduct of complex coronial hearings, whether assisting the coroner or appearing for sufficient interest parties. She is the co-chair of the Inquest and Inquiries Committee of the New South Wales Bar Association and a regular presenter at forums discussing developments in coronial law and practice