MEET OUR PANELLISTS
Dr Anne Pattel-Gray Ph.D.; D.D.- Key Note Speaker
Professor Anne Pattel-Gray is the Head of the School of Indigenous Studies at the University of Divinity, Melbourne Australia, and a member of the Uniting Church in Australia. She previously held the position of Executive Secretary and founded the establishment of the Aboriginal and Islander Commission with the Australian Council of Churches/National Council of Churches in Australia from 1989-1998. She had organised all the Indigenous participation in the 1991 World Council of Churches 7th Assembly in Canberra. She was responsible for the establishment of the Indigenous Desk at the WCC, and she brings a very long history of advocating on the rights of Indigenous peoples. Professor Pattel-Gray has an earned Ph.D. from the University of Sydney awarded in 1995 in the Studies of Religion with the major focus on Indigenous Religion and Spirituality. And a Doctor of Divinity from India awarded in 1997. Pattel-Gray has recently been appointed to the World Council of Churches (WCC), Commission for World Mission and Evangelism (CWME) and historically she worked with WCC from the late 80s through to early 2000s on commissions such as the Program to Combat Racism, Urban Rural Mission, and she twice presented at Central Committee on Indigenous Issues.
During her time as the national administrator with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, of the Uniting church in Australia. She organised the largest Indigenous protest march of over 50,000 people – The March for Justice, Freedom and Hope led by the Rev Charles Harris in 1988 against the bi-centenary. Professor Pattel-Gray has achieved many firsts in her prestigious life, and she is known as a trailblazer, she has opened many doors for her people. She is a recognized scholar, theologian, activist and prolific writer with several publications. Professor Anne Pattel-Gray is a descendant of the Bidjara Nation in Queensland and a renowned Aboriginal leader within Australia – nationally and internationally. She has dedicated her life to the struggle of First Nations people as a strong campaigner, lobbyist towards seeking justice, equity and equal representation for First Nations people.
Professor Emerita Gillian Triggs
Professor Emerita Gillian Triggs - is an Australian academic specialising in public international law. In 2019, she was appointed as Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations serving as the Assistant High Commissioner for Protection. Triggs was President of the Australian Human Rights Commission (HRC) from 2012 to 2017, and is a former Dean of the Sydney Law School, where she was the Challis Professor of International Law between 2007 and 2012. Prior to that she was a professor at the Melbourne Law School. Triggs was also Acting Race Discrimination Commissioner of the HRC from 30 July 2012 to 19 August 2013, and was the Acting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner.
Francis Sullivan AO
Francis Sullivan AO is a teacher, administrator, and leader in health care organisations, who was CEO of the Catholic Church in Australia's Truth, Justice and Healing Council In addition to being the previous Secretary-General of the Australian Medical Association, he was the chief executive officer of Catholic Health Australia from 1994 to 2008. In 2020, Sullivan was honoured for his services to the community as an Officer of the Order of Australia (A0). In 2019, Sullivan retired to act as a board member throughout different Catholic organisations operating within Australia, including Mercy Health.
Emeritus Professor John Warhurst AO
Emeritus Professor John Warhurst AO- is a noted Australian academic and a prominent leader within the Australian Republican Movement. He currently hold the positions of Emeritus Professor at the Australian National University Previously employed by Deakin University, University of London and the University of New England (1985-1993) and most recently by ANU (1993-2008). Warhurst has been an advocate for Church reform and was foundation chair of Concerned Catholics Canberra Goulburn (2017-2022) and a member of the Australian Plenary Council and Deputy Chair of the Board of Catholic Social Services Australia, a national advocacy peak body representing 65 Catholic welfare agencies.
Fr. Richard Leonard
Fr Richard Leonard- is a Jesuit priest. He has degrees in arts and education, a Master’s degree in theology and has a PhD from the University of Melbourne. Dr Leonard is an Honorary Fellow of the Australian Catholic University and a Visiting Professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He is presently the parish priest of North Sydney. Fr Richard has been published in America Magazine, Eureka Street, US Catholics, is regular columnist with The London Tablet and is often on ABC Radio. He is the author of 13 books
Dr Elissa Roper
Dr Elissa Roper is passionate about renewing the Catholic Church’s understanding of the People of God as baptismal in identity and missionary in discipleship.Elissa is a sessional academic with ACU and working for the Sisters of Mercy has been the Manager of the Program of Theology in PNG & Solomon Islands. Dr Elissa Roper is an Australian theologian specialising in ecclesiology and synodality.