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vota 2007 |
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ContentsConference a success!VOTA 2007, which took place in late November 2007, was a great event. Several hundred delegates attended and were treated to a variety of presentations that encompassed practical workshops, theoretical and position papers, symposiums and discussions. As chairperson of VOTA, I was privileged to be able to mingle with and meet most of the attendees during the conference. I received many messages conveying their pleasure at what VOTA 2007 had to offer. Our keynote speakers did a spectacular job and highlighted advances in theory and practice, the human elements of the work that we do and policy directions currently being considered. All of our presenters gave varied and interesting sessions. Additionally, the book store did great business and all professional display stands were well received. Jason Freeland, the conference committee and the Meeting Planners are to be congratulated on this very successful event. I would take this opportunity to thank all who were involved, whether as speakers, presenters, organisers or attendees. I look forward to seeing you all at VOTA 2009. Russell Pratt Conference themesThe VOTA 2007 Conference reflected four interacting themes: VOTAAssisting community protection by...
Conference Presentations
To view the Conference program, please click here Invited speakers
Barbara Biggs Barbara Biggs was sold by her grandmother to a 42-year-old paedophile barrister when she was fourteen. For nine months she lived with him, ostensibly as a nanny to his two young children, experiencing bizarre sexuality and an intense and isolated emotional relationship. Biggs' subsequent young life reflected the consequences of a self image she adopted as a result of her abuse. At 15 she became a topless barmaid, nude model and eventually a sex worker. By the time she was 20 she had attempted suicide four times. Biggs has written two books about her story. The first, In Moral Danger, discusses with confronting honesty, the most damaging aspect of her abuse - emotional attachment to her abuser. While many victims feel ashamed and guilty discussing it and judiciary, the public and professionals often misunderstand it, emotional attachment is one of the most common responses and consequences of child sexual abuse, particularly where the perpetrator is a family member or known to the child. Biggs' second book tells the story of her discovery, then recovery, from this dysfunction, which impacted all her partner choices. The books are used in the empathy component of one of the world's leading treatment programs at Kia Marama prison in New Zealand. Biggs went on to become a journalist, author of five books and child protection campaigner.
Bruce Perry Bruce D. Perry, is a child psychiatrist and the Senior Fellow of The Child Trauma Academy, an American organisation that works collaboratively with multiple sectors of the community and promotes innovations in service, research and education in child maltreatment and trauma. He is the author of over 300 journal articles and book chapters and is the recipient of numerous professional awards, His basic neurosciences research focuses on the neurobiology of human neuropsychiatric disorders and the neurophysiology of traumatic life events. His clinical research with high-risk children has been instrumental in describing how neglect and traumatic stress alter brain biology. As an expert in trauma he has consulted on many high-profile incidents involving traumatized children including the Columbine school shootings, the September 11th terrorist attacks and the Katrina and Rita hurricanes.
Moshe Perl, PhD Dr. Moshe Perl, PhD received his BS in Physics from the University of Tel Aviv, his MS in Psychology from the University of Texas at Tyler, and his PhD in Clinical Psychology with a minor in Behavioural Medicine from the University of North Texas, in 1982. Since that time, he has worked as a consultant to schools, Departments of Juvenile Justice, and the Children's Court, both in the United States and in Australia. Since 1998 Dr. Perl has been involved in Neurofeedback, and its integration into his work with ADHD, Behaviour and Anxiety Disorders. He has presented his work at a variety of professional conferences, and regularly runs seminars for parents and teachers. Dr. Perl currently runs a private practice clinic in Melbourne, which focuses on ADHD, Behaviour Management, Individual and Family Psychotherapy. He has been coordinating and running professional trainings in Neurofeedback since 2000.
Penny Armytage Penny Armytage is Secretary of the Department of Justice, one of ten government departments in the State of Victoria, Australia. She is responsible for overseeing and administering the Department, which comprises in excess of 5,000 directly employed staff, and combined with its 60 related agencies, has an annual budget of $3.15 billion. The Department of Justice is a multi-disciplinary system, delivering direct services to the community and providing policy and advice across six ministerial portfolios. The Department covers all government activities concerned with reform, administration and enforcement of the law, including police; courts; prisons; emergency services; regulation of gaming, racing, liquor licensing and trade measurement; the drafting of legislation; and the administration of various tribunals and programs to protect citizens' rights. As Secretary, Ms Armytage has broad leadership responsibilities across a politically sensitive portfolio. She has a strong leadership style characterised by active consultation, trust in those she leads, and a frank and fearless approach to advice and guidance within government. She has led numerous high-profile projects at the Department of Justice. These include a successful change program of State level strategic significance to align departmental operations with a whole-of-government perspective; a historic joint budget bid between criminal justice system partners in response to organised criminal activity in Victoria; an unprecedented technology systems integration project across the criminal justice system; and a current cross-government strategy to address the systemic disadvantage experienced by Indigenous Victorians. Ms Armytage commenced her appointment as Secretary in March 2003 after 16 years as a senior executive in the Victorian Public Service. She previously served in a variety of leadership roles, including Executive Director, Operations, for the Department of Human Services; Commissioner, Correctional Services for the Department of Justice; and Assistant Director, Protection and Care for the Department of Human Services. Ms Armytage graduated from Preston Institute of Technology in 1976 with a Bachelor of Social Work, and is a Victorian Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Kelvin Anderson Kelvin Anderson was appointed the Commissioner, Corrections Victoria in October 2002. He is responsible for 2,400 staff, an annual budget of $400 million, 13 prisons (including two private prisons), 4,100 prisoners and 7,600 offenders. During his time as Commissioner, Kelvin has overseen the successful implementation of the Corrections Long Term Management Strategy (CLTMS) which includes the re-development of Community Correctional Services, the upgrade of prison infrastructure and the introduction of a number of innovative programs focused on diversion, rehabilitation, and transition back into the community for all offenders. The focus for Corrections Victoria over the next five years is on the continued improvement of prison infrastructure, the implementation of the recommendations from the Victorian Aboriginal Justice Agreement Phase 2, an increased focus on the needs of challenging groups of prisoners and offenders such as women, those with an intellectually disability, the mentally ill, and young adults. There is also an over-riding aim to continue the ground-breaking work of the CLTMS in driving down the rate of re-offending and enhancing community protection. 
Commander Ashley Dickinson Commander Ashley Dickinson has broad experience in both operational and administrative areas of the Victoria Police serving at a range of country and metropolitan locations. As a Commissioned Officer he has worked in a variety of staffing positions from Commander to the Chief Commissioner. He served as a patrol officer, acted as the Force's liaison officer to a former Minister of Police and Emergency Services, and managed review and implementation teams during various phases of the Project Arbiter Reviews. He has held numerous positions including Officer in Charge of the Legal Research & Review Division, and Manager of the Planning Division. He also spent a period on secondment to the Department of Premier and Cabinet, and the Department of Treasury and Finance. Following this, he took up the position in charge of the Strategic Services Division in Victoria Police Region One. He is presently Commander - Operations Coordination Department.
John 'Darcy' Dugan Retired Chief Magistrate of Victoria. Began career as a Clerk of Courts in 1950. Appointed Inspecting Clerk of Courts and in 1973 appointed a Stipenduary Magistrate. Appointments to Deputy Chief and Chief Magistrate followed in 1982 and 1985. Appointed Special Magistrate of the Children's Court in 1969. Retired from the Bench in 1990 and in the same year appointed as member of the Adult Parole Board. Consultant/advisor to Aid Projects in Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Cambodia and East Timor from 1993 to 2003. Appointed a member of the Order of Australia (General Division) in June 1990.
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