Legislative Assembly Legal and Social Issues Committee

Inquiry into the recruitment methods and impacts of cults and organised fringe groups

Conducting Public Hearings

This page will be updated with further information and hearing dates once confirmed.

Upcoming public hearings

  • 2:30 PM

    Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) Sue Woodward, Commissioner Cate Bennett, Assistant Commissioner, General Counsel and Regulatory Services Suhanya Mendes, Director, Legal and Policy Directorate

    3:15 PM

    University of Melbourne Student Union Joshua Stagg, President University of Melbourne Brendan Byrne, Chaplaincy Co-ordinator, Wellbeing Services

Previous public hearings

Corrected transcripts of these hearings are published below when finalised by the Committee.

  • 3:15 PM

    RMIT University Dene Cicci, Executive Director, Students Group Australian Catholic University Professor Julie Cogin, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor

    4:15 PM

    Federal Office of Cult Affairs (Austria) Ulrike Schiesser, Managing Director

  • 1:15 PM

    Olive Leaf Network Australia Maria Esguerra, Director Mirriam Francis, Director

    3:00 PM

    Decult Anke Richter, Director

    3:15 PM
    This session is to be rescheduled

    BATForce (Barwon Adolescent Task Force) Leigh Bartlett, Executive Officer

  • 9:30 AM

    Janja Lalich, CEO, Lalich Center on Cults and Coercion
    Supplementary information - cultic characteristics Supplementary information - post-cult adjustment

    10:45 AM

    The Religious Trauma Collective - Australia/New Zealand Jane Kennedy, Registered Counsellor Samantha Sellers, Registered Therapist and Clinical Supervisor Elise Heerde, Certified Coach and Mental Health Practitioner

    12:00 PM

    Cult Information and Family Support Tore Klevjer, President

    2:00 PM

    Freedom for Faith Mike Southon, Executive Director Kojo Akomeah, Board Member

    3:15 PM

    Paul Gratton, Pastor, Now Church Moe

    4:15 PM

    Australian Christian Lobby Jasmine Yuen, Victorian Director Milton Oliver, Senior Pastor, ReChurch Phi Duong, Senior Pastor, Western New Community Baptist Church

  • 11:30 AM

    Elise Heerde

    1:30 PM

    Cult Consulting Australia Raphael Aron, Director

    3:00 PM

    Lex de Man Ben Shenton

  • 1:00 PM

    Laura McConnell

    4:00 PM

    Clare Heath-McIvor

  • 9:15 AM

    Ryan Carey Catherine Carey

    2:00 PM

    Richard Baker, Investigative Journalist