By Robert Horton, Partner of Hicksons Lawyers and President, NSW Chapter, ANZELA

For readers unfamiliar with the Australia and New Zealand Education Law Association (ANZELA), I would like to describe the organisation and its activities.  It is a unique organisation whose members derive from differing disciplines and backgrounds but who share a common interest in how law impacts on the delivery of, and outcomes from, education.

Formed in 1991, ANZELA’s disparate membership includes teachers, university academics, lawyers in both private practice and the public sector, administrators, those involved in policy formulation or delivery, union officers and representatives of employer bodies.  In addition, many members are institutional, facilitating inclusion of schools, regional education organisations, universities and other bodies.

The organisation consists of a National Board and Chapters in each of New South Wales, Victoria/Tasmania, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and New Zealand.

Our National Conference, hosted by the chapters in turn, is the main event of the year.  Recent conferences have been held in Adelaide, Hobart, Rotorua, Darwin, Melbourne and Christchurch and this year the conference will be held in Brisbane from 28 to 30 September 2015.  The conferences attract up to 180 delegates and feature a pre-conference day for special interest groups and two days of valuable and informative papers with speakers at various times attending from, amongst other countries, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa, Canada, and the United States.  Hence, the conferences provide a marvellous opportunity for examining education law issues on a comparative basis as well as for remaining up to date on what is happening in one’s own backyard.

The theme for this year’s conference, featuring approximately 30 speakers and a panel discussion as well, is Through the Looking Glass – Implications of Changes in Education Law.  The constantly evolving matrix of legislation and regulation impacting on the delivery of education constitutes a challenge for us all.  This year’s conference will examine topical issues and their implications for education providers.  Individual topics will cover a broad range of topics including Dispute Resolution, Child Protection and update on the Royal Commission, Disability Issues, Cyber Safety, Management of Disciplinary Issues, Issues in Indigenous Education, developments in Human Rights law and many more.

The opening event will be a cocktail party at Old Government House with the Conference Dinner the following night at the Brisbane Lookout Summit Restaurant with its spectacular night-time view of Brisbane.

In addition to the Annual Conference, each Chapter during the year conducts its own programme of seminars with distinguished speakers providing information of value to members and visitors on a local basis.

ANZELA also publishes the prestigious International Journal of Law and Education, providing a valuable contribution to the literature in the vital area of Law and Education.

For more information go to www.anzela.edu.au