B. Public hearings

B. Public hearings

Friday 3 October 2025 – Canberra

Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

  • Dr Elizabeth Develin, Deputy Secretary, Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
  • Ms Lisha Jackman, Assistant Secretary, Foundational Supports and Childhood Reforms Branch, Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
  • Mr Luke Mansfield PSM, Acting Deputy Secretary, Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

Roundtable 1

  • Ms Michelle Moss, Chief Executive Officer, Queenslanders with Disability Network
  • Mr Jeremy Muir, Chief Executive Officer, Physical Disability Australia

Roundtable 2

  • Mrs Niki Lehmann, Executive Officer, Autism

Roundtable 3

  • Ms Jenny Karavolos, Chief Executive, Disability Advocacy and Complaints Service of South Australia; and Independent Co-Chair, Australian Autism Alliance
  • Professor Sharon Lawn, Executive Director, Lived Experience Australia

Roundtable 4

  • Ms Nicole Avery, Chief Executive Officer, South West Autism Network
  • Ms Carrie Clark, Chief Executive Officer, Kiind
  • Mrs Sophie Harrington, Chief Executive Officer, National Organisation for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Friday 10 October 2025 – Canberra

Department of Social Services

  • Ms Janaya Cox, Acting Branch Manager, Early Childhood and Parenting Wellbeing Branch, Family Wellbeing Group, Families and Communities Stream, Department of Social Services
  • Ms Jacqueline Hrast, Acting Group Manager, Family Wellbeing Group, Families and Communities Stream, Department of Social Services
  • Mr John Riley, Branch Manager, Child and Family Programs, Family Wellbeing Group, Families and Communities Stream, Department of Social Services

Roundtable 1

  • Ms Cassie Atchison, Chief Executive Officer, Broome Regional Aboriginal Medical Service
  • Mr Paul Gibson, Chief Operating Officer, Indigenous Allied Health Australia
  • Mr Damian Griffis, Chief Executive Officer, First Peoples Disability
  • Dr Sarah Hayton, Executive Director, Policy and Programs, National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation
  • Mr Rhys Howard, National Policy Manager, First Peoples Disability Network
  • Ms Tara Lewis, Knowledge Translation Lead, Indigenous Allied Health
  • Mr Oskar Stenseke, Senior Manager, Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services

Roundtable 2

  • Ms Rana Ebrahimi, National Manager, Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network Australia
  • Mr Ben Fioramonte, General Manager, Children, Families and Disability Support, Settlement Services International
  • Ms Priyanka Rai, Executive Director, Australian Multicultural Health Collaborative
  • Mrs Nicole Smith, Head, Disability Supports, Settlement Services International

Roundtable 3

  • Ms Sadikshya Dulal, Policy and Project Officer, National Ethnic Disability Alliance
  • Ms Caitlin McMurrow, NDIS and Aged Care Funding Specialist Lead, Vision Australia

Roundtable 4

  • Dr Sarah Chalmers, President Elect, Rural Doctors Association of Australia
  • Ms Catherine Maloney, Chief Executive Officer, Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health Ltd
  • Ms Susanne Tegen, Chief Executive, National Rural Health Alliance

Roundtable 5

  • Mx Priscilla Brice, Chief Executive Officer, National Mental Health Consumer Alliance
  • Mrs Rachel Green, Chief Executive Officer, SANE Australia
  • Associate Professor Clinton Schultz, Director, First Nations Strategy and Partnerships, Black Dog Institute

Roundtable 6

  • Ms Samantha Page, Chief Executive Officer, Early Childhood Australia
  • Mr David Tonge, Chief Executive Officer, Amaze

Department of Education

  • Dr Esmeralda Rocha, Assistant Secretary, Inclusion and Disability Branch
  • Ms Alana Winslow, Acting First Assistant Secretary, Early Learning, Programs and Youth Division

Monday 20 October 2025 – Melbourne

NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission

  • Ms Louise Glanville, Commissioner
  • Ms Natalie Wade, Associate Commissioner
  • Ms Alisa Chambers, Deputy Commissioner, Regulatory Policy, Insights and Review

Roundtable 1

  • Mrs Amanda Curran, Chief Psychologist, Australian Association of Psychologists
  • Mr Neil Turton-Lane, Australian Psychosocial Disability Collective
  • Dr Alexandra Murray, Head of Policy and Research, Australian Psychological Society
  • Dr Linda De George-Walker, Senior Policy Advisor, Australian Psychological Society

Roundtable 2

  • Ms Jessica Landers, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Orthotic Prosthetic Association
  • Ms Diana Poole, Board Chair, Australian Orthotic Prosthetic Association
  • Ms Katherine Utry, General Manager, Policy and Government Relations, Australian Physiotherapy Association
  • Mrs Nicole Pates, Australian Physiotherapy Association National Paediatric Chair, Australian Physiotherapy Association
  • Ms Lynette Brodie, Chief Executive Officer, Speech Pathology Australia
  • Mrs Michelle Oliver, Occupational Therapy Australia
  • Ms Samantha Hunter, Occupational Therapy Australia

Roundtable 3

  • Mrs Bronwyn Morris-Donovan, Chief Executive Officer, Allied Health Professionals Australia
  • Mr Philipp Herrmann, Policy and Advocacy, Allied Health Professionals Australia
  • Dr Michael Wright, President, Australian College of General Practitioners
  • Dr Timothy Jones, Chair, RACGP Specific Interests group - Child and Young Person's Health, Australian College of General Practitioners

Roundtable 4

  • Ms Skye Kakoschke-Moore, Chief Executive Officer, Children and Young People with Disability Australia
  • Mrs Catherine McAlpine, Chief Executive Officer, Inclusion Australia

Roundtable 5

  • Mr Ross Joyce, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Federation of Disability Organisations
  • Mr Jarrod Sandell-Hay, Specialist Advocate, Disability Resource Centre
  • Ms Heidi La Paglia, Steering Committee Member, National Disability and Carer Alliance
  • Ms Nicole Avery, Codesign Lead, National Disability and Carer Alliance

Roundtable 6

  • Mr Michael Perusco, Chief Executive Officer, National Disability Services
  • Ms Emily Forrest, Deputy CEO and Director of Policy and Advocacy, National Disability Services
  • Mr John Forster, Chief Executive Officer, Noah’s Ark, National Disability Services
  • Ms Cherry Baylosis, Director of Policy and Advocacy, Disability Advocacy Network Australia
  • Mr Liam Thatcher, Policy and Advocacy Advisor, Disability Advocacy Network Australia

Tuesday 21 October 2025 – Sydney

National Disability Insurance Agency

  • Ms Amity Durham, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Children, Specialised Services and Scheme Interfaces
  • Ms Janine Mohamed, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, First Nations
  • Ms Cassie Hammond, Branch Manager, Scheme Eligibility

Roundtable 1

  • Ms Karen Dimmock, CEO, Association for Children with Disability
  • Ms Stacey Touma, Co-chair/member, Disability, Child and Family Disability Alliance
  • Mr Edgar Julian Laurens, Senior Policy Officer, People with Disability Australia

Roundtable 2

  • Ms Melissa Webster, CEO, ADHD Australia
  • Mr Matthew Tice, Chair/Director, ADHD Australia
  • Ms Kelly Dargan, Non-Executive Director, ADHD Australia
  • Mr Christopher Ouizeman, Director, ADHD Foundation

Roundtable 3

  • Ms Denise Lyons, President, Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association
  • Ms Janice Finlayson, Director, Maternal, Child and Family Health Nurses Australia

Roundtable 4

  • Mrs Vicki Gibbs, Head of Research, Autism Spectrum Australia
  • Ms Nicole Rogerson, Chief Executive Officer, Autism Awareness Australia
  • Mrs Jacki Borland, Chair Australian Advisory Board on Autism
  • Ms Laurence Cobbaert, Chairperson, Autism and Eating Disorders Neurodiversity Australia
  • Ms Natasha Lane, Support person for Laurence Cobbaert, Autism and Eating Disorders Neurodiversity Australia

Roundtable 5

  • Professor Jenny Downs, National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health
  • Ms Sophie Howlett, National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health
  • Mr Julian Trollor, National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health,
  • Mr Darryl Steff, CEO, Down Syndrome Australia

Friday 7 November 2025 – Canberra

Roundtable 1

  • Ms Jacqueline Emery, CEO, Royal Far West
  • Ms Kylie Irvin, Portfolio Manager, NDIS Western, Marathon Health
  • Ms Kylie Falciani, General Manager – Operations, Marathon Health

Roundtable 2

  • Ms Jennifer Lewis, Social Policy and Advocacy Officer, Australian Association of Social Workers
  • Ms Sally Urquhart, Executive Manager of Strategy, HealthWISE
  • Ms Louise Ingall, Manager Research and Partnerships, HealthWISE

Roundtable 3

  • Mrs Margaritha Raxworthy, CEO, Dietitians Australia
  • Mrs Nicole Donnelly, Chair of Disability Sector Reference Group, Dietitians Australia
  • Mr Scot MacDonald, General Manager Policy and Advocacy, Exercise and Sports Science Australia
  • Mrs Elyse Hocking, Policy and Advocacy Manager, Exercise and Sports Science Australia
  • Ms Eliza Smith, Accredited Exercise Physiologist, Exercise and Sports Science Australia
  • Ms Jessica Paolini, Personal capacity, Exercise and Sports Science Australia

Roundtable 4

  • Ms Clare Lawrence, Principal Policy Officer, Uniting NSW.ACT
  • Mrs Lisa Kinsey-Smith, Head of Operations Disability and Child Youth and Families, Uniting NSW.ACT
  • Ms Wendy Field, Head of Evidence and Impact, The Smith Family
  • Ms Sulabha Pawar, Group Manager, Programs and Strategic Initiatives, The Smith Family

Monday 17 November 2025 – Canberra

Roundtable 1

  • Ms Angela Falkenberg, President, Australian Primary Principals Association
  • Mr Pat Murphy, President, Australian Government Primary Principals Association
  • Mr Matthew Johnson, President/CEO, Australian Special Education Principals Association

Roundtable 2

  • Mrs Kate Southward, Paediatric Speech Pathologist/Clinical Manager, Community Therapy
  • Mr Jordan McGuire, Head of Clinical Operations, Community Therapy
  • Mr Edward Birt, Senior Policy Specialist, Illawarra Disability Alliance

Roundtable 3

  • Mrs Cheryl Koch, President, Autistic Self Advocacy Network Australia and New Zealand
  • Ms Alexandra Bignell, Deputy Chair/Governance and Strategy Officer, Autistic Self Advocacy Network Australia and New Zealand
  • Ms Cheryl Mangan, Chief Innovation Officer, Autism CRC
  • Professor David Trembath, Project Lead, Autism CRC
  • Ms Heidi La Paglia, Vice President, Regional Autism Engagement Network Tasmania
  • Ms Nicole Moran, Board Member, Regional Autism Engagement Network Tasmania
  • Ms Sarah Langston, President, Australian Neurodivergent Parents Association

Roundtable 4

  • Ms Rachel Fishlock, Chief Executive Officer, Gayaa Dhuwi Australia
  • Professor Helen Milroy, Board Chair, Gayaa Dhuwi Australia
  • Ms Catherine Liddle, Chief Executive Officer, SNAICC
  • Mrs Emily Osborne, NDIS Operations Manager, Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation
  • Ms Kathryn Freeman, Chief Operating Officer, Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation

Roundtable 5

  • Ms Sylvana Mahmic, Chief Executive Officer, Plumtree
  • Mrs Clare Brennan, Director, First Steps Count Incorporated
  • Dr Roslyn Baxter, Chief Executive Officer, Goodstart Early Education
  • Ms Karen Weston, Chief Executive Office, Gowrie Victoria

Roundtable 6

  • Ms Sally Moore, Chief Executive Officer, Early Childhood Intervention Australia VIC/TAS
  • Mrs Jo Johnson, Early Interventionist/Key Worker, Bathurst Early Childhood Intervention Service
  • Ms Lucinda Jones, Key Worker; Early Interventionist; Sector Capacity Building Project Officer, Bathurst Early Childhood Intervention Service
  • Mrs Meredith Cox, Early Interventionist Key Worker, Bathurst Early Childhood Intervention Service

Roundtable 7

  • Dr Danielle McMullen, President, Australian Medical Association
  • Associate Professor David McDonald, Senior Member, Australian Paediatric Society
  • Mr Garth Hargreaves, Member, General Paediatrician, Australian Paediatric Society
  • Mr Peter Goss, Treasurer, Australian Paediatric Society

Friday 28 November 2025 – Canberra

Roundtable 1

  • Mr Paul Mondo, President, Australian Childcare Alliance
  • Ms Sally Maddison, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Early Learning and Care Council of Australia

Roundtable 2

  • Ms Jacinta Collins, Executive Director, National Catholic Education Commission
  • Dr Jacqueline Frost, Governance and Communications, National Catholic Education Commission
  • Mr Graham Catt, Chief Executive Officer, Independent Schools Australia
  • Mr Jacob Hanley, Assistant Director, Policy and Research, Independent Schools Australia
  • Ms Tracey Taylor, Executive Director, Association of Independent Schools of the ACT
  • Professor Elizabeth Labone, Chief Executive Officer, Victorian Catholic Education Authority
  • Ms Judy Connell, Manager, Education Programs and Support, Victorian Catholic Education Authority

Roundtable 3

  • Mrs Denise Luscombe, Chair, Professionals and Researchers in Early childhood Intervention
  • Ms Alice Lans, Member, ECI Best Practice Network
  • Ms Kerry Dominish, Co-Chair, ECI Best Practice Network
  • Associate Professor Kathy Cologon, Associate Director, Children’s Voices Centre, Charles Sturt University

Roundtable 4

  • Mrs Leanne Varga, Systemic Advocacy and Campaigns Manager, Family Advocacy
  • Mr Rob Ryan, Chief Executive Officer, Parenting Research Centre
  • Dr Catherine Wade, Member, Parenting and Families Research Alliance and Parenting Research Centre
  • Ms Erica Kelly, NDIS Action Circle Representative, Parenting and Families Research Alliance
  • Dr Jacqui Barfoot, NDIS Action Circle Representative, Parenting and Families Research Alliance

Roundtable 5

  • Ms Cara Nightingale, Vice President, Early Childhood Australian Education Union
  • Mr Jonathon Guy, Federal Strategic Research Officer, Australian Education Union
  • Ms Veronica Yewdall, Assistant Federal Secretary, Independent Education Union
  • Ms Lisa James, Early Childhood Organiser, Independent Education Union
  • Ms Lisa Judge, Public Sector Coordinator, United Workers Union
  • Mr Kevin Davey, Education Assistant, United Workers Union
  • Ms Claire Shellam, Centre Director, United Workers Union
  • Ms Bronwyn Kays, Member, United Workers Union

Roundtable 6

  • Dr Christine Johnston, School of Education, Western Sydney University
  • Dr Lisa McKay-Brown, Associate Dean, Diversity and Inclusion, University of Melbourne
  • Dr Matthew Harrison, Associate Professor (Learning Intervention), Co-Lead of the University of Melbourne Neurodiversity Project, University of Melbourne
  • Professor Sharon Goldfeld, Theme Director – Population Health and Director, Centre for Community Child Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute

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