National Symposium
In addition to an opening address by Deputy Prime Minister Gillard, the symposium will receive a report commissioned by the union conducted by the Edmund Rice Centre on the role on non-government schools in building social capital through Bonding, Bridging and Linking
The Symposium will also hear from a number of other preeminent speakers including:
Father Frank Brennan SJ AO – Jesuit priest; Professor of Law at the Australian Catholic University; visiting Professorial Fellow at the University of New South Wales; founding Director of the Uniya Jesuit Social Justice Centre in Sydney; has written extensively on aboriginal land rights; awarded an Order of Australia for his services to Indigenous Australians 1995; named a Living National Treasure 1998; Chair National Human Rights Consultation
Dr Patricia Hindmarsh –Director Catholic Education Office Hobart; member National Catholic Education Commission; previously Deputy Principal and REC Stella Maris Burnie; formerly Senior Educational Consultant Archdiocese of Sydney; experience teaching at the primary and secondary levels in Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia and Tasmania; involved in adult educational leadership in the Mission and Justice Education Program; taught at Warmun Aboriginal Community in Western Australia; house-parent in the Talamunde Youth Refuge for homeless youth (Sydney);former member of the Catholic Bishop’s Earthcare Advisory Committee
Osman Karolia – Principal Arkana College, Kingsgrove, southern Sydney; NSW representative Australian Council for Islamic Education in Schools; graduated from the University of Newcastle; Osman has worked at numerous schools ; passionate about innovative learning that is inclusive rather than exclusive; focus on celebrating Australia’s diversity by encouraging his students, staff and parent body to engage with students from many cultural and faith backgrounds.
Stephen O’Doherty – inaugural and current CEO of Christian Schools Australia; commenced in 2002; former broadcaster and journalist; Member of the NSW Parliament 1992-2002; served as Shadow Minister for Education and Training, Shadow Minister for Community Services, Disability Services and Ageing, Shadow Minister for Small Business and Shadow Treasurer; chaired NSW government%27s inquiry into Boys’ Education 1994; currently Board Chairman, FM 103.2 Sydney (Christian Broadcasting Association Ltd); Patron and Management Committee member, Studio ARTES (Northside) Inc (Prevocational training for people with disabilities)
Justice Stephen Rothman – Judge of the Supreme Court of NSW; employed as National Officer, Building Workers Industrial Union of Australia; practised principally, but not exclusively, in the Industrial Relations Commission; founding member of the International Centre on Trade Union Rights; selected by the ILO to advise the Soviet Union on attempts to establish free trade unions; elected Member of the Council of the New South Wales Board of Jewish Education 1979 and Executive 1982 serving as Honorary Secretary, and President until 1995;; Board of Moriah College1993-1998; Executive Member of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies 1998 and President 2000-2004
Barry Wallett – Deputy Executive Director Independent Schools Council of Australia; since 2001 engaged fulltime in education sector; previously Chief Executive Officer of Construction Industry Training and Employment Association (CITEA); General Manager, Australian National University College; and Divisional Manager for the ANU Education Centre