Background Information on Contributing Speakers Senator Connie Fierravanti-Wells Senator for NSW Liberal Party of Australia Sen. Connie Fierravanti-Wells was elected to the Senate for New South Wales in 2004. She has held party positions as Delegate of the Liberal Party State Council (NSW), President of the Liberal Party NSW Italian Special Branch, Metropolitan Representative for the Liberal Party State Executive (NSW), Member for the Liberal Party Constitutional Standing Committee, Delegate of the Liberal Party Federal Council, and Urban Representative of the Liberal Party State Executive (NSW). Sen. Fierravanti-Wells completed a BA, LLB (ANU). She has held positions as an Articled Clerk/Solicitor, an Australian Government Solicitor, a Senior Legal Officer, Acting Principal Legal Officer for the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service, a Policy Adviser to the Hon. JJ Carlton MP, Senior Private Secretary to the State Premier (NSW), the Hon. JJ Fahey MLA and a Senior Lawyer and a Consultant for Minter Ellison Lawyers. Other positions she has held include Assistant Secretary for the Marco Polo Association, Founding Board Member of the Unanderra Retirement Village, Representative for Australia to General Council of Italians Abroad, Member of the Red Cross Fundraising Committee, Member of the Zonta International in the East Sydney Region, Member of the Co.As.It. and Member of the Fundraising Committee. She has also been a Coalition Nominee of the Sydney Organising Committee Olympic Games Multicultural Advisory Committee, and a Member of the Ministerial Advisory Council on the Global Cultural Diversity Conference, a Chairman of the Australians for Constitutional Monarchy, Multicultural Committee and President of Com.It.Es (NSW). She was elected President of the Newport Progress Association and participated as a Board member for 'Youth Off The Streets'. She has been awarded Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 1998 and received a Community Service Award by Pittwater City Council in 2002. Jennie George MP Member for Throsby (NSW) Delegate, ALP State and Federal Conferences Jennie George has been elected to the House of Representatives for Throsby, New South Wales, in both 2001 and 2004. She has held positions in Environment and Heritage, Family and Community Services and Family and Human Services. Her parliamentary party position is as Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Environment and Heritage. Ms. George completed a BA (Syd), and a DipEd at Sydney Teachers College before going on to teach as a secondary school teacher. She later became the General Secretary of the NSW Teachers' Federation in 1980. Ms. George was the first woman to be elected Vice President for the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) in 1987, and later became President of the NSW Teachers' Federation. She went on to become Assistant National Director of the Trade Union Training Authority, and Assistant Secretary of the ACTU from 1991-1996. Ms. George was elected President of the Australia C1 Trade Unions for the ACTU and a Board Member for Delta Electricity before entering Federal Parliament in 2001. Jonathan Doyle M.Ed Founder of Choicez.com.au Jonathan Doyle is the founder of the Australian media, seminar and training business, CHOICEZ.COM.AU. He holds an Undergraduate Degree in Education, a Master's Degree in Leadership and Management in Education and is currently completing a second Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Studies. He will soon embark on his PhD in the area of human sexuality. Jonathan has spent his early professional life working in Boy's Education as a teacher, boarding coordinator, campus minister and coach. Jonathan is a gifted communicator with great passion and skill. His business CHOICEZ.COM.AU is the vision of both Jonathan and his wife Karen who seek to empower and equip young people with the knowledge and motivation to make great choices in life. Jonathan and Karen have a wealth of experience in working with young people. They have seen up close the devastating effect on lives when young people lack the necessary information and support needed to navigate those critical years that so powerfully shape their future. They have a particular interest in Values Based Sexuality Education, leadership training and staff development. In all they do they seek to present the material in a dynamic and cutting edge way. Their passion and their warm, down to earth personalities make them popular speakers at events throughout Australia. Richard Egan Executive Australian Family Association WA Richard Egan is the WA State President of the National Civic Council and serves on the WA Executive of the Australian Family Association. Richard has actively engaged in discussion on public policy relating to pornography, film classification and internet filtering. He has written articles proposing a national mandatory filtering system to deal with pornography, suicide promotion and other harmful material on the internet. Richard is married with two children. Dr. Michael Flood Postdoctoral Fellow Australian Research Centre Dr. Michael Flood is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society at La Trobe University. He has also held positions as a Research Fellow at the Australia Institute (a public interest think-tank), a Lecturer in Gender Studies at the Australian National University, and a Sexual Health Promotion Coordinator at Sexual Health and Family Planning ACT. Michael's research and activist interests include men and masculinities, sexualities and especially male heterosexuality, interpersonal violence, and sexual and reproductive health. Michael has co-authored two reports on children's exposure to pornography: the extent of this exposure, its likely effects, and what to do in response. Dr. Sue Packer AM FRACP Paediatrician Child at Risk Assessment Unit Canberra Hospital Dr. Sue Packer has been a paediatrician since 1972 and has worked as a Community Paediatrician with a special interest in Child Abuse and Abuse Prevention since 1990. She now works in a health-funded child at risk assessment unit in ACT and is one of three doctors employed by the Unit.  There is also a paediatric registrar on 6 monthly rotation in a training position which she supervises.  The service includes different health, police, legal and child protection systems. Each year she assesses at least 100 children for concerns of physical and/or sexual abuse and also concerns about emotional abuse and neglect. Over her 16 years in the Unit she would have participated in some 2000 to 3000 assessments for suspected child sexual abuse, at a conservative estimate. These assessments sometimes, but rarely, proceed to court. In addition, she consults with, and supports, health professionals, teachers, families and community workers in case management. Dr. Sue Packer works closely with the statutory child protection authority for ACT (Office of Child, Youth & Family Support) and the police child abuse service (Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Team). She was the ACT representative on the Commonwealth National Council for the Prevention of Child Abuse from 1997-2000 and subsequently was the ACT community representative on the Ministerial Advisory Council - the Australian Council for Children and Parenting - from 2000-2002. She  was  chairperson   for  the  Royal  Australasian  College  of  Physicians'  working   party  which developed a policy on child abuse, published in 2000 - 'Protecting Children is Everyone's Business'. She is also closely involved with a number of community organisations concerning the wellbeing of children- National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse & Neglect, Kidsafe, Association for the Welfare of Child Health and Defence for Children International. In 1999 she was awarded an Order of Australia for services to Paediatrics, Child Protection and the Community. Paul MacRae Director of Business Developments MessageLabs (Asia Pacific) and CEO, Security Principles Pty Ltd Paul established the MessageLabs business in Australia which specialises in scanning e-Mails for inappropriate material at the Internet level before they arrive on a computer. The MessageLabs solution stops SPAM, Viruses, Content and inappropriate images. He has been an active lobbyist and was involved in providing information used in the formulisation of the Anti-Spam legislation in Australia. He is well qualified to understand the issues associated with the feasibility of whole of country internet filtering. Paul has a strong business background which has included various senior management roles. He has spent many years as a Consultant in the Government and Corporate sectors across Australia. He has appeared frequently in the Australian Media. His clients include government departments, banks, airlines, logistics companies, major professional services firms and International consulting firms. He is active in several Australian IT&T companies at a board or partner level and has significant experience in public speaking. David Ramsay Chief Executive Officer and Director Internet Sheriff David has over 20 years experience in the IT industry. He was responsible for setting up the Unisys Network Enable Communications group in Australia in 1992-1995. He then took the position of Country Manager for US Networking start-up, Xylan Corp. David was responsible for all areas of the business, including sales & marketing, technical support and channel development, and financial responsibility for the region. In 1999 Xylan was acquired by Alcatel France. David then took on the role of Telco Marketing Director, predominantly delivering seminars and public speaking engagements. In 2000 he left to form his own start-up in the broadband market, and took the company from conception to a public listing. David assumed the role of CEO of Internet Sheriff Technology in January 2005, and has quickly redefined the organization both from a sales and financial perspective and has been responsible for a complete turn-around of the business in less than 6 months. Duties range from a corporate restructure, financial responsibility, sales & marketing business planning and execution, through to global expansion and he has now positioned the company for significant growth. Shirley Woods Employee Project Respect Shirley Woods has been working for Project Respect full-time for the last two and a half years. She regularly speaks to the public about the important work of Project Respect. Project Respect is an Australian non-government organisation which challenges exploitation of and violence against women in the sex industry. Project Respect was established in late 1998 to work with women and girls in the sex industry, and began direct service work in March 2000. It conducts outreach and offers services to women in brothels especially where there is a high concentration of women from non-English speaking backgrounds. It has a particular focus on women trafficked to Australia for prostitution, and other women experiencing harm and violence within the sex industry. It is also involved with complementing direct services, such as advocacy and public education, and collaborate closely with partners in trafficking 'sending countries', particularly in the Asia-Pacific. Project Respect is committed to global solutions to the problem of violence against women in the sex industry, and works closely with regional and international organisations and networks addressing sexual exploitation. Shirley is the outreach coordinator / social worker of Project Respect and her work takes her into brothels and also to work with women who have been victims of sexual trafficking. Shirley is standing in for the founder of Project Respect- Kathleen Maltzahn who has been called as a support person for an important case in Sydney involving a victim of trafficking. Linda Watson Founder House of Hope Linda Watson is the founder of Linda's House of Hope in Western Australia. The main objective of this organisation is to put dignity back into women's lives. Linda has spent many years as a prostitute and later as a madam. One day she decided she had had enough and needed to start a new life. Easier said than done, but with great strength of character, and to her credit, she did it! Now she helps others make that change through the establishment of Linda's House of Hope. Because of Linda's amazing work, she was named 'Australia's Most Inspirational Woman 2003' by the Australian Women's Weekly. Bronwen Healy Author Bronwen Healy wants to help to change the nation of Australia for good and by sharing her story. Bronwen, 30 years old, has spent almost six of those years as an active drug addict and one of those years as a working prostitute.  She has also spent time as a stripper.  So she comes to us, an 'expert' in the field.  She is now a wife, mother, speaker and author of a book "Trophy of Grace" that details her life so far.  She is very bold and active in helping to change the world for good.  Melinda Tankard Reist Director Woman's Forum Australia Melinda Tankard Reist is a Canberra-based writer and researcher with a special interest in women's health and bioethics. She is author of 'Giving Sorrow Words: Women's Stories of Grief After Abortion' (Duffy & Snellgrove 2000/2002) and 'Defiant Birth: Women Who Give Birth Against Medical Expectations' (forthcoming Spinifex Press). Melinda has freelanced for the ABC and contributed chapters on issues affecting women to a number of books. Her work has been published in newspapers and journals in Australia and overseas. Melinda has been involved in advocacy and support for pregnant women and helped found a supported accommodation and outreach program to pregnant women in need. She is also a founding director of Women's Forum Australia: an independent women's think tank. Jack Sonnemann Federation for the Family Jack Sonnemann of the Australian Federation for the Family has successfully completed a 17-year campaign against Playboy magazine in Australia, with the Australian version of the magazine finally closing its doors. He has a passion to eradicate pornography from our country. The Federation for the Family has successfully lobbied legislators to raise the age in which girls could appear nude in pornography - from 16 to 18 years old. AFF also convinced legislators to pass laws restricting children's access to pornography in stores which sell such materials. Jack is renowned for his dynamic, encouraging, no-holds-barred style of presentation that incorporates some fantastic and fascinating anecdotes from his encounters with advertisers, politicians and pornographers. Don Craill Transnational Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking Team Australian Federal Police Don Craill is a member of the Australian Federal Police. He is involved in the Transnational Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking Team working towards eradicating Sexual Trafficking. He is an agent of considerable experience and will be a great source of information for those who are interested in this important subject. We greatly appreciate Don's involvement in the SIF and we look forward to his contribution. Warwick & Alison Marsh Fatherhood Foundation Warwick has been married to Alison for 29 years.  In May 2002 they established the non-profit organisation, the Fatherhood Foundation. The goal of the Fatherhood Foundation is to inspire men to a greater level of excellence as fathers for the benefit of their children. Warwick & Alison have five children.  They are also on the board of Australian Heart Ministries (AHM) also a non-profit, charitable organisation.  Warwick is a public speaker, singer, songwriter, producer and TV director. Alison is a teacher, singer, musician and public speaker. Warwick is also on the board of Music-oz (a national annual song writing competition) and a member of ACAN and the Australian Independent Record Association.  He was formerly national coordinator for the Praise Corroboree 1996-98, vice president of FGBMFI 1981-1991 and received the FOL Fatherhood of the Year Award 1998.  Warwick has worked in the non-profit sector for the last 15 years. He was a recipient of a Centenary medal for his work in the community in 2003.