Keynote Speakers
Dr Peter Cotton
Director of Psychology Services, Health Services Australia Group, VIC
Peter has held appointments with the National Occupational Health & Safety Commissions as a ‘subject matter expert’ in workplace mental health and with Comcare who sponsored him in conducting a three year psychological injury prevention project working with large agencies across the Commonwealth sector. He also established a clinical review panel for the Victorian WorkCover Authority and continues to consult with the VWA on a range of quality assurance issues in relation to treatment services provided to injured workers across Victoria. Peter currently holds the position of Director of Psychology Services with the Health Services Australia Group.
Professor Rob Guthrie
Workers Compensation and Workplace Law, Curtin University of Technology, WA
Rob Guthrie is the Professor of Workers Compensation and Workplace Law at Curtin University in Perth Western Australia. He was admitted to practice as Barrister and Solicitor in 1982 and practiced in the area of workers compensation for approximately 10 years before turning to academic research into the area. He was the author of reports to the WA Government on workers compensation in 1991, 1999 and 2001. He has been an advocate for injured workers for 25 years and a consultant to WorkCover WA and various Ministers responsible for workers compensation legislation. He holds B Juris, LLB LLM MCom and PhD. He is the author of LexisNexis Workers Compensation Western Australia.
Dr Rod Gutierrez
Managing Consultant, Injury Management Solutions, NSW
Dr. Gutierrez has worked in the injury management field for 11 years and holds degrees in clinical psychology and rehabilitation counselling. He has was awarded a PhD for his thesis entitled “Occupational Stress and Psychological Injury” undertaken at the University of Sydney, the end product of a 5 year project researching the predictors of psychological injury claims in NSW. The study’s novel methodology provides substantial insights into this growing social and workplace problem and forms the basis for a new framework for its management.
Associate Professor Greg Murphy
School of Public Health, La Trobe University, VIC
Dr. Greg Murphy is a nationally-recognized rehabilitation psychologist with an international reputation in the area of serious-injury rehabilitation. Greg is the Director of La Trobe University’s Rehabilitation Research and Training Unit, and is the author of over 100 technical and scientific papers, pre-dominantly in the areas of the psychology of work and of vocational rehabilitation. Greg is a member of the Technical Advisory Committee (Rehabilitation) for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. He has recently returned from an international study tour of injury rehabilitation centres of excellence, during which he presented to staff of the Shepherd Center – Atlanta’s world-renowned catastrophic-care hospital which specializes in traumatic spinal cord injury treatment and rehabilitation.
Associate Professor Michael Nicholas
Pain Management Research Institute, University Of Sydney At Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, NSW
Michael has over 25 years of clinical and research experience in the assessment and management of injured workers with persisting pain. He regularly advises on this area for workers compensation authorities and health professions across Australia and overseas. This work includes guidelines and training on managing people with soft tissue injuries, psychological management of injured workers, and decisionmaking for claims staff.
Professor Marius Olivier Director
Centre for International and Comparative Labour and Social Security Law (CICLASS), University of Johannesburg, South Africa
Marius specialises in labour law, social security and workers compensation. He is the director of the Centre for International and Comparative Labour and Social Security Law (CICLASS), University of Johannesburg, South Africa, and is currently assisting with the establishment of a similar centre and an electronic journal for workers compensation and social security at Curtin University of Technology, Perth. He is extensively involved in consultancy work.
Dr Jan White
Chief Executive, Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), New Zealand
Dr Jan White took over the ACC Chief Executive role at the end of October 2005 having previously been the Chief Executive of the Waikato District Health Board. Dr White is medically trained and has worked in medical and general management for over 20 years in both Australia and New Zealand.
