Member training

The Tribunal commences members’ appointment terms with an induction program which includes mentoring. The Tribunal’s induction program includes:

• a minimum of a two-day program which includes delivery of training on workplace health and safety, the administrative aspects of the Tribunal's functions, decision-making under the Act including the application of the Human Rights Act 2019, conduct of Tribunal proceedings and necessary professional skills such as communication.
• a mentoring program where each new member is paired with an experienced member for a minimum of two hearing days. The expectation is that each mentor will provide support and guidance to their mentee prior to and after each hearing day.

The Tribunal sees numerous benefits in investing in continuing professional learning and development. Some of these include:

• to improve performance, productivity, and efficiency
• improvement in members' subject-matter specific skills and knowledge
• increasing members' generic skills (e.g. teamwork, problem solving, communication)
• compliance with legal requirements
• talent management and succession planning
• member motivation.

The Tribunal recognises the various learning styles and existing levels of knowledge and experience of its members and therefore aims to employ numerous methods for building and sharing knowledge. The Tribunal must also accommodate the state-wide nature of its operations by making learning and development opportunities available to members across the State.

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The various delivery methods that the Tribunal aims to adopt in providing professional development and training for members can be accessed using the link below.

In addition to professional learning and development activities created and provided by the Tribunal, members are also directed to external resources that may be relevant. Examples of these resources include publications by the Queensland Human Rights Commission and journal articles written by expert clinicians, e-learning offered by the Judicial Council of Cultural Diversity and seminars presented by the Council of Australasian Tribunals (COAT).

The Tribunal also aims to provide members with access to a wide range of experts on topics relevant to Tribunal decision-making topics. The Tribunal is grateful for the time these experts have provided the Tribunal in the delivery of training for its members:

• Ms Rebekah Leong, Queensland Human Rights Commission
• Mr Scott James, Statewide Coordinator of the Independent Patient Rights Advisors
• Julie Wilson, Independent Patient Rights Advisor
• Dr Haydn Till, Clinical Neuropsychologist
• Mr Michael Power, Director Queensland Health Victim Support Service
• Professor Cathy Humphreys, Professor of Social Work, University of Melbourne
• Dr Frank Lambrick, Senior Practitioner, Victoria
• Dr Darren Nellie and Dr Ed Herrernan, Community Forensic Outreach Service
• Dr Warren Ward, Director Queensland Eating Disorder Service
• Elissa Waterson, Operations Director, Queensland Forensic Mental Health Services
• Tere Vaka, Penny Gordon & Associates, Psychologist
• Dr Richard Cash, Phoenix Australia Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health
• Leanne Burrowes, Psychologist/Senior Rehabilitation Consultant, EASEC
• Ms Michelle Combo, Way Forward, Psychologist, Metro South Hospital and Health Service
• Dragos Ileana, Statewide Transcultural Mental Health Practice Leader, Queensland Transcultural Mental Health Centre
• Cameron Dean, Partner, McCollough Robertson
• Professor Martine Powell, Professor at Griffith University and Director of the Centre for Investigative Interviewing
• Elizbeth Truong, manager, Transcultural Mental Health Centre
• Dr Geetha Kumaravelu, Senior Staff Specialist, Community Forensic Outreach Service
• Sheetal Deo and Renee Shike, LGBTI Legal Service
• Bronwyn Green, Manager, Guardianship (Legal), Office of the Public Guardian
• Professor Susan Rossell, Cognitive Neuropsychologist Swinburne Centre for Mental Health and Professor David Castle, Professor of Psychiatry, Centre for Mental Health Service Innovation
• Margaret Hornegold, Manager, First Nations Strategic Policy and Planning, Legal Aid Queensland
• Dr Jeremy Hayllar, Clinical Director, Alcohol and Drug Service, metro North Mental Health and Associate Professor Mark Daglish, Director of Addiction Psychiatry, Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital
• Dr Janet Bayley, Consultant Psychiatrist, Townsville Hospital and Health Service

To assist the Tribunal in designing a Professional Learning and Development Framework that is appropriate to the needs of the Tribunal's membership, the Tribunal has a Professional Learning and Development Committee. The Chair of the Committee is the Deputy President and the Committee is comprised of a number of Tribunal members. Membership of the committee is rotated to allow opportunities to vary participants.