Our MCs

Professor Daryl Higgins is Director of the Institute of Child Protection Studies at Australian Catholic University and one of Australia’s leading experts in child protection, child safety and wellbeing. For more than 30 years, his research has advanced understanding of the prevalence, impacts and prevention of child abuse and neglect, helping to inform policy and practice nationally. Daryl was a Chief Investigator on the Australian Child Maltreatment Study, the first national study to examine the prevalence of child abuse and neglect in Australia and its health outcomes. He previously served as Deputy Director (Research) at the Australian Institute of Family Studies.

Fiona is a lived and living experience advocate, peer worker and researcher whose work sits at the intersection of research, policy and youth engagement. Fiona works to address barriers to help-seeking, raise awareness and create pathways for young people, families and communities to thrive. Passionate about creating culturally safe spaces, Fiona champions opportunities for young people to be heard and meaningfully engaged in decisions that affect their lives. Through collaboration across government and community sectors in Australia and internationally, Fiona works to advance more responsive, inclusive and evidence-informed approaches to youth wellbeing, disability justice and systems change.

Alison Scott is a proud Noongar yorga and the Founding Director of Kwobap Consultancy. With more than 25 years’ experience in the human services sector, Alison works nationally to strengthen responses to domestic, family and sexual violence through culturally grounded approaches that centre lived experience. She is a passionate advocate for ensuring Aboriginal voices, ways of being, knowing and doing are at the heart of reform. Alison was the inaugural Co-Chair of the National Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Lived Experience Advisory Council and continues to serve as a member. She also contributes to national Closing the Gap reform efforts.

Nick Tebbey is National Executive Officer of the Relationships Australia Federation, one of Australia’s leading providers of family and relationship services. After more than a decade in private legal practice, Nick moved into the community sector and has worked with Relationships Australia since 2016. He leads the Federation’s national policy, advocacy and research agenda, helping to shape conversations on family wellbeing, social connection and community resilience. Nick also oversees the Neighbours Every Day campaign, which promotes social connection and belonging. He serves on a range of national advisory bodies, including the Family Law Council and Ending Loneliness Together.

Dr Gabriele (Gabi) Byrne is the Lived and Living Experience Lead for Gambling Harm at the Victorian Department of Health and a recognised advocate for embedding lived experience in policy and system reform. One of the first people in Australia to publicly share her experience of gambling harm, Gabi has combined lived expertise with leadership across research, advocacy and social enterprise. She is the author of the best-selling The Free Yourself Program and founded and chaired Chrysalis Insight Inc. for 17 years. Her work continues to drive more responsive, person-centred approaches to preventing and addressing gambling harm.

Conor (he/him) is a nationally recognised advocate working to transform Australia’s response to children and young people impacted by family violence. As Lead of Youth Engagement and Advocacy at the Australian Childhood Foundation, Conor’s work challenges systems to recognise children and young people as victim-survivors in their own right - not as extensions of adults. His advocacy has helped drive legislative and systems change, including reform in Victoria to stop young people 'ageing out' of family violence intervention orders when they turn 18. This work was shaped by his own experience of losing protection as a young person and his determination that no other young person should be left unsafe because a system decided childhood had ended.