Conciliation CPD series with Justin Toohey & Shiv Martin
Starting Friday, 24 July 2026 | 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Sydney Time | Online
Building on the success of the CPD sessions we conducted in 2023, 2024 and 2025, we are reintroducing the set of six CPD sessions for our members and non-members.
We know that conciliators are busy people. This series of streamlined CPD sessions is quick, focused and energising. Leave with some new ideas and enjoy a boost to help get you through your week. Join in this six-part series, one per month.
These sessions are designed and run by Justin Toohey & Shiv Martin, conciliators and managers with more than a decade’s experience in leading fast-paced conciliator teams. This CPD series forms part of the Resolution Institute Conciliator Accreditation Policy and Framework in which accredited conciliators are required to complete 30 hours of CPD in a three year period.
Package pricing
PACKAGE 1: Bundle price for pool of 6 sessions:
(BUNDLE PRICING CLOSES On 22 July 2026 3:00pm) - Bundle tickets can't be reimbursed or transferred.
- Non Member - AUD $ 750.00
- Member- AUD $ 599.00
- PD Subscription- AUD $ 539.00
PACKAGE 2: Registration for single workshop:
- Non member - AUD $ 127.00
- Member - AUD $ 101.50
- PD Subscription - AUD $ 91.50
Culture: Cross-cultural challenges in conciliation with Shiv Martin
Friday 24 July, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Sydney Time | Online
Conciliation often turns on what’s not being said, and culture can shape how people express disagreement, trust authority, respond to apologies, and make decisions. This session builds practical skills for working with different communication norms (including silence, indirect language, and saving face) while avoiding stereotypes and keeping the process fair. Participants leave with simple prompts and process-language they can use immediately, including tips for interpreter-supported matters.
Here is a snapshot of what each session will cover:
|
Sl No
|
Date & Time
|
Topic
|
Speaker
|
|
1
|
Friday, 24 July
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM AEST
|
Culture: Cross-cultural challenges in conciliation
Conciliation often turns on what’s not being said, and culture can shape how people express disagreement, trust authority, respond to apologies, and make decisions. This session builds practical skills for working with different communication norms (including silence, indirect language, and saving face) while avoiding stereotypes and keeping the process fair. Participants leave with simple prompts and process-language they can use immediately, including tips for interpreter-supported matters.
|
Shiv Martin
|
|
2
|
Friday, 28 August
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM AEST
|
AI: What it’s changing in conciliation practice
AI is influencing how people arrive at conciliation, what they think the process is, and what outcomes they expect, which can increase misunderstandings and escalate emotions early. This session helps conciliators identify AI-driven misconceptions, reset expectations quickly, and communicate roles, limits, and pathways in a way that builds trust and procedural fairness. It also covers safe internal use of AI for teams (templates, quality checks, triage support) without compromising confidentiality or independence.
|
Shiv Martin
|
|
3
|
Friday, 18 September
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM AEST
|
The set up to settle: tools and tips for party preparation
We have all have experienced conciliations which fail or adjourn due to poor party preparation.
How do we best support parties to prepare for conciliation?
What are the most common preventable reasons for delay? Bring along your ideas for effective intake questions and party preparation essentials.
|
Justin Toohey
|
|
4
|
Friday, 16 October
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM AEDT
|
Managing expectations about conciliation processes
Mismanaged expectations are one of the biggest “time wasters” in conciliation and a major driver of frustration, disengagement, and complaints about the process. This session teaches a repeatable method to set and reset expectations at intake, opening, and closure, using language that is honest about limits without sounding dismissive. Participants leave with practical strategies for keeping parties oriented to purpose and options.
|
Shiv Martin
|
|
5
|
Friday, 13 November
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM AEDT
|
Safe landings: when to terminate conciliations and how to do this well
Sometimes we all have to make the hard call not to continue a conciliation. When we do have to terminate a conciliation, how we do this can make all the difference for the safety of the parties and progressing the issues. This session will focus on early warning signs, managing the process of terminating a conciliation, and being clear about the next steps.
|
Justin Toohey
|
|
6
|
Friday, 11 Dec
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM AEDT
|
Caring for conciliators: responding to occupational risks
Conflict resolution can be challenging, meaningful and rewarding.
What are the common occupational risks faced by conciliators and how can these be mitigated?
What protective factors apply and how can these maximised?
Join this session for an interactive discussion on occupational hazards and strategies to reduce harm and build resilience.
|
Justin Toohey
|
Terms and Conditions
Please view our terms and conditions here Read more
About The Trainers
Justin Toohey
Justin is a highly experienced conciliator, mediator, lawyer and manager. Justin has developed his dispute management skills in senior government roles for over 20 years. Justin was first accredited as a mediator in 2002. His key qualifications include Masters of Law, Bachelors of Law and Environmental Science (Hons), Graduate Certificate in Management and Certificates IV in Training and Assessment and Community Mediation.
Justin was the Director of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) for a decade before being appointed as a Member in the NDIS Division in 2024. Justin’s leadership in the ADR community was more recently recognised through his election to the board of the Resolution Institute in 2023. Along with Shiv Martin, Justin has been delivering the first Advanced Conciliation program leading to accreditation and a dedicated conciliation CPD series. Justin is dedicated to passing on his skills and knowledge in ADR and his trainer journey started in 2004 at the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC). Justin established the first national mediation and dispute resolution service for Indigenous Corporations with a strong focus on dispute capacity building and co-design. In 2011, Justin developed and delivered the two day Fast Track Negotiation Skills program for the Queensland Information Commissioner with Professor Tania Sourdin and Shiv Martin. Justin’s dispute resolution and management skills have been recognised through awards including:
- The Australian Disputes Centre Courts and Tribunals ADR Group of the Year 2019
- The ANU Pauline Griffin Prize for Managing People Organisations
- An Australia Day Achievement Award for negotiating major ICT Partnering Agreements
Shiv Martin
Shiv Martin is a nationally accredited mediator, practising lawyer, conciliator, independent decision-maker and certified vocational trainer and assessor. She has more than 15 years’ experience across dispute resolution, complaints management, administrative decision-making, stakeholder engagement and professional capability development.
As the Director and lead mediator of Shiv Martin Consulting, Shiv delivers mediation, conciliation, facilitated discussions, conflict coaching, reflective practice and customised training to government agencies, regulators, ombudsman organisations, tribunals, workplaces, healthcare providers and educational institutions across Australia and New Zealand.
Her key training areas include mediation and conciliation skills, managing challenging and unreasonable interactions, de-escalation, negotiation, complaints handling, conflict coaching, trauma-informed practice, cross-cultural dispute resolution and leadership through conflict. Her programs are practical, reflective and designed to help participants apply dispute resolution skills confidently in complex workplace and public sector environments.
Shiv has held senior roles including Assistant Information Commissioner and Acting Right to Information Commissioner in Queensland, as well as Conference Registrar and Assistant Director with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. She also serves as an Independent Examiner with the Australian National Contact Point for matters arising under the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
Shiv has trained, coached and assessed mediators for more than a decade and is a leading Resolution Institute trainer in mediation, conciliation and public sector dispute resolution.
Terms and Conditions
Please view our terms and conditions here