Events

Prison Network is a not-for-profit organisation that has been supporting women in and beyond prison for nearly 80 years. Its vision is to create dignity, hope and purpose for women as they navigate pathways beyond the justice system.

The organisation works both inside prison and in the community, providing programs that build connection, strengthen family relationships, and support women as they transition back into everyday life. This includes in-prison programs, post-release support, and assistance with housing, employment, and community reintegration.

Prison Network takes a relational, trauma-informed approach, recognising the complex challenges many women face, and works alongside them to support long-term positive change for themselves and their families

Pattie Phillips is part of Prison Network, working in community and stakeholder engagement.

She works across partnerships, events, and initiatives that help connect the broader community to the organisation’s work. She also supports conversations that raise awareness of the challenges women face in and beyond prison, and the importance of strong, connected support systems.

Pattie will be speaking about the work of Prison Network, the impact of that work, and why supporting women through and beyond the justice system is critical to building stronger communities.

M.C.: Min Bell

Graphic and Words: Prison Network

M.C. Dorothy Gilmour

Photo: COTA Victoria 

George Hulse and Jimmy Thomson are the authors of The First ANZACS

'This is the unknown story of the combat engineers who kept World War I running. Although it has been repeatedly denied by the army, they were the first Australians and New Zealanders to land at Anzac Cove: in any combat, even today, sappers are always the first in and last out.

Samantha Clarke is an Ambassador for Mercy Ships Australia and is passionate about connecting people to meaningful impact. With a background spanning business, community engagement and national politics, she now shares the story of Mercy Ships and the life changing work taking place through the world’s largest civilian hospital ships, bringing free surgery, training and hope to people in need.

M.C.: TBC

Photo Credit: Supplied

Laraine sets her Reggie da Costa Mysteries in the Melbourne of the early twentieth century, in the aftermath of the Great War and during the heady days of the 1920s, when gangs, sly-grog and gambling dens inhabited the back streets of Melbourne. 

In her talk, Laraine will discuss how she combined her love of crime fiction and history to depict historically accurate and lively settings for her Reggie da Costa Mysteries.

M.C: TBA

Photo: Supplied by speaker

Hon Consul?

M.C. Doug McLean

'David is an Associate Professor and Principal research fellow at the Bionics Institute. 

He is the founding head of the Balance Disorders & Ataxia Service (BDAS) at the Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital, the Fragile X-Associated Tremor Ataxia (FXTAS) Clinic. He consults in the Monash Health Friedreich Ataxia clinic and the Machado-Joseph Disease Foundation Ataxia Clinic (Northern Territory), an honorary neurologist at St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne and a lecturer at Melbourne University.

David regularly travels to remote regions in Australia to provide clinical care for first nations people with balance disorders, many of whom are much more prone to developing disorders due to genetics'.

M.C. Dorothy Gilmour

Photo Credit: Bionics Institute 

Hon Consul?