Mediation Play - We regret to advise that the mediation play scheduled to be performed during the Welcome Reception on Tuesday evening has been cancelled.

 

Attorney General to open 2008 Conference     nmc08 book      limerick competition
 The NMC Board and the Organising Committee are delighted and honored that the Federal Attorney General, the Hon. Robert McClelland, has agreed to open the Conference. The Attorney General has spoken in support of ADR on a number of occasions. For example, at the ADR in Government Forum held on 4 June 2008, he described the benefits of ADR:

"There are clearly many benefits to Alternative Dispute Resolution. It not only reduces costs, but it also frees up court time and resources, provides increased privacy and confidentiality for parties, and is generally less stressful for those involved. Another significant feature of ADR is that the process is managed by an impartial third person, who has an important role to ensure that all the relevant people are involved. This is important because when participants feel that they are being heard, this can have a powerful impact on the way they view the dispute. We must ensure that the parties, and not just the lawyers, are engaged in the process. It makes no sense if parties feel coerced into an outcome with which they do not agree."

The Attorney went on to say:

"I also believe that the success in an ADR process is not defined only by whether or not the dispute is resolved. An ADR process can help to draw out facts, identify issues, develop mutual understanding and possibly throw up new options for consideration. ADR can also be a very effective tool for building a relationship of trust between the parties. This process may lead to later settlement or at the very least reduce some of the adversarial game-playing that could complicate later court proceedings. With those benefits of ADR in mind, I am committed to encouraging government departments and agencies to do all they can to resolve Government disputes without necessarily having to go to court."

 

 

 
NMC 08 BOOK        
Landscape of Farewell, by Alex Miller         limerick competition          back to top
 The NMC organising committee invites you to read Landscape of Farewell, the powerful new novel from acclaimed Australian author, Alex Miller, as a common conversation point throughout the conference. A hauntingly beautiful meditation on the land, the past, exile and friendship, this deeply intelligent and thoughtful novel is a worthy successor to Miller's much-loved and critically admired Journey to the Stone Country. Click here for the podcast and transcript of Alex Miller's recent interview on Radio National.

Purchase a copy or read a chapter on Google Book Search. We look forward to the discussion.

 


NMC 08 Inaugural Limerick Competition        nmc08 book        back to top

You think mediating is fun?

Then write a limerick about one

Yes, get out a pen

Let's see what you ken

Soon we'll let you know if you've won!

Contest Rules:

NMC 08 Limericks examples: original and anonymous

Submitted by people ineligible to enter the NMC competition due either to not being delegates or to being a member of the Board and/or Organising committee 

There's a mediator I know who's astute
And also amazingly cute
He works like a balm
Keeping parties so calm
As they share out their copious loot.

Shake hands as a gesture of civility
Say nice words of amity and amicability
Bare all your woe
Let the other side know
You are ready to mediate this imbecility.

Improper, immobile, immoderate
Impersonal, immoral, immiserate
Words of a negative ploy
Meant to ruin, slur and destroy
That's why 'mediate's the antithesis of 'immediate'

Unhappy people with grudges to bear
Coming together their troubles to share
Sit back and listen
Let their thoughts glisten
Then watch as they agree to what's fair 

Unhappy people with grudges to bear
Coming together their troubles to share
Intervene and take note
To keep them afloat...
Then watch as they tear out their hair 

So you think mediating is fun
Then try co-mediating one
When there's double the trouble
You can halve the rubble
While all are doing the tonne! 

When you want all your troubles to cease
Become wolves who put on a fleece
Listen, talk then decide
The mediator's your guide
Mediation is all about peace

Mediation is such a good thing
With the promise of peace it will bring
By talking all day
and having your say
I can often avoid conflicts sting

Disputes causing mediator conniption
for her were a well known tradition
and resolve them she did
and made a good quid
by keeping way out of position

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