As is ever the case, the DEA Conference program will get to the heart of the issues facing disability employment sector now and into the future.

To do that, we’re bringing together people who are prepared to engage with complexity rather than avoid it.

Thematically, we’ll reflect on what we’re seeing on the ground, explore the bigger policy and labour market forces shaping our work, and spend some time thinking seriously about how we improve the system — not in theory, but in practice.

Monday, 15 June 2026

Welcome Reception

5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Welcome Reception

Tuesday, 16 June 2026

Conference Day 1

7:00 am – 7:45 am

Yoga – sponsored by Populi

8:00 am – 9:00 am

Registration

9:00 am – 9:10 am

Welcome to Country

9:10 am – 9:30 am

Welcome

Wayne Herbert – LEAD Disability Services

Elly Desmarchelier – Speaker, writer, event facilitator and disability rights advocate

9:30 am – 10:00 am

Minister’s Address

Minister Tanya Plibersek – Minister for Social Services of Australia

10:00 am – 10:30 am

Address

Michael Lye – Secretary, Department of Social Services

10:30 am – 10:50 am

Morning Tea

10:50 am – 11:00 am

The case for reforming the Disability Support Pension

Matt Wright – Partner, Deloitte Access Economics

11:00 am – 11:10 am

What’s it like to deal with the DSP?

Damien Porter – Disability Advocate, Freelance Consultant, and Co-Host of the Ability Podcast

11:10 am – 12:00 pm

Panel Session: The case for reforming the Disability Support Pension

Michael Lye – Secretary, Department of Social Services

Matt Wright – Partner, Deloitte Access Economics

John Burn – Chief Executive Officer, DEInvestments

Damien Porter – Disability Advocate, Freelance Consultant, and Co-Host of the Ability Podcast

Catherine McAlpine – Inclusion Australia

12:00 pm – 12:30 pm

Transforming the Disability Employment Ecosystem

Peter Bacon – Chief Executive Officer, Disability Employment Australia

12:30 pm – 1:00 pm

Labour Market Update

Callam Pickering – APAC Senior Economist, Indeed

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Lunch

2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

BREAKOUT ROOM 1 – Co Designing the Future

Master of Ceremonies: Simon Rowberry (DEA)

2:00 pm – 2:45 pm

Report on DEA Members NDIS Co design Project

Renae Hartmann – Disability Employment Australia

Simon Rowberry – Deputy CEO, Disability Employment Australia

2:45 pm – 3:30 pm

Co-design re Fundamentals for Jobseekers

Dan Gavin – National Manager – Disability Employment, genU Training

BREAKOUT ROOM 2 – Neuro inclusion

Master of Ceremonies: Elly DeMarschlier

2:00 pm – 2:20 pm

“No One Sees the Effort”: The Hidden Cost of Identity Management for Neurodivergent Staff

Aron Mercer – Adjunct Industry Fellow | PhD Candidate | Griffith University, Griffith University

2:20 pm – 2:40 pm

Neurodiverse Safe Work: More Than Noise Cancelling Headphones

Catherine Lee – Director & Founder, The Neurodiverse Safe Work Initiative

2:40 pm – 3:00 pm

Building Employer Capability for Neuro inclusive Workplaces: Translating Evidence into Practice

Alex Lazarus-Priestley – Chief Change Officer, Amaze

3:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Panel Discussion: Neuro-inclusion

Elly Desmarchelier – Speaker, writer, event facilitator and disability rights advocate

Aron Mercer – Adjunct Industry Fellow | PhD Candidate | Griffith University, Griffith University

Catherine Lee – Director & Founder, The Neurodiverse Safe Work Initiative

Alex Lazarus-Priestley – Chief Change Officer, Amaze

BREAKOUT ROOM 3 – Evidence to Practice – Developing Sustainable Jobs for People with Disability

Jo Ingold –

Dr Elaine Nash –

Dr Shae Wissell – Director, re:think dyslexia

Dr June Alexander – Lecturer, Flinders University

3:30 pm – 4:00 pm

Afternoon Tea

4:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Presentation of Blended Transitions Findings

Ann Nevile – Hon Associate Professor, ANU

4:30 pm – 5:00 pm

Interview with 2025 DEA Hall of Fame honouree

Prof Alastair McEwin AM – Disability and human rights advocate

Sally Karandrews – IEA Policy Manager, Disability Employment Australia

6:30 pm – 10:30 pm

Gala Dinner
Including Hall of Fame Ceremony and DEA Awards presentations

Wednesday, 17 June 2026

Conference Day 2

8:00 am – 9:00 am

Registration

9:00 am – 9:10 am

Welcome & Acknowledgement of Country

Wayne Herbert – LEAD Disability Services

Elly Desmarchelier – Speaker, writer, event facilitator and disability rights advocate

9:10 am – 9:35 am

Lessons from the UK and an Introduction to the Supported Employment Quality Framework

Laura Davis – Chief Executive Officer, British Association of Supported Employment

9:35 am – 10:15 am

Panel – how could the Supported Employment Quality Framework apply to Australia?

Peter Bacon – Chief Executive Officer, Disability Employment Australia

Dr June Alexander – Lecturer, Flinders University

Laura Davis – Chief Executive Officer, British Association of Supported Employment

Dr Jenny Crosbie – Principal Industry Fellow, Centre for Social Impact, Swinburne University

10:15 am – 11:00 am

Lightning Panel Session: Providers on Inclusion

11:00 am – 11:30 am

Morning Tea

11:30 am – 12:00 pm

Creating a ‘pull’ in disability employment: a focus on the demand side

John Burn – Chief Executive Officer, DEInvestments

12:00 pm – 12:50 pm

Panel session: Future developments on the ‘demand side’

Amy Whalley – Chief Executive Officer, AusDN

Prof Alastair McEwin AM – Disability and human rights advocate

John Burn – Chief Executive Officer, DEInvestments

Don Intine – Programmed

Amanda Belz – Manager, Impact & Inclusion, McDonald’s Australia Limited

12:50 pm – 1:45 pm

Lunch

1:45 pm – 3:15 pm

BREAKOUT ROOM 1 – Getting Engagement Right

Master of Ceremonies: TBC

1:45 pm – 2:05 pm

The Evidence and Practice Settings for Relationship Building in Case-Managed Employment Assistance

Dr George Giuliani – Independent Consultant, Senior Facilitator with Prospert

2:05 pm – 2:25 pm

Supporting People with Mental Health Conditions: The Three Legged Stool for Successful Employment

Shannon Lang – Director, WISE IDEA, WISE

Ms Jessie Martins – State Manager, Inclusive Employment Australia, WISE, WISE, Australia

2:25 pm – 2:45 pm

Meaningful Engagement – Perspectives from Lived Experience

Adjunct Professor Ingrid Ozols AM – Director, Mental Health At Work (mh@work)

2:45 pm – 3:15 pm

Panel Discussion: Getting Engagement Right

Dr George Giuliani – Independent Consultant, Senior Facilitator with Prospert

Shannon Lang – Director, WISE IDEA, WISE

Adjunct Professor Ingrid Ozols AM – Director, Mental Health At Work (mh@work)

BREAKOUT ROOM 2 – Perspectives for Providers

Master of Ceremonies: Wayne Herbert

1:45 pm – 2:15 pm

The Supported Employment Quality Framework Model in Practice

Nerise Oldfield-Thompson –

2:15 pm – 2:45 pm

Getting More Employers to the Table Through Great Leadership

Paul Diviny – Founder and CEO, Prospert

2:45 pm – 3:15 pm

Turning Compliance into a Competitive Advantage

Graeme Gemmell – Recite Me

BREAKOUT ROOM 3 – Knowledge to Action: Building Responsive Practice

Dr Michael Healy – Research Fellow, Knowledge Mobilisation Lead, Swinburne University

Sue Olney –

Sam Cooms –

3:20 pm – 3:30 pm

Conference Summary

Wayne Herbert – LEAD Disability Services

Elly Desmarchelier – Speaker, writer, event facilitator and disability rights advocate

3:30 pm – 3:35 pm

Conference Wrap Up

Mat McIntyre – Chair, Disability Employment Australia

3:35 pm – 4:00 pm

Afternoon Tea

4:00 pm

Conference Close