2026 Investigations Workshop

A collaboration between the Industrial Relations Society of WA and The Piddington Society, the Investigations Workshop takes you through the key issues of workplace investigations from before they start through to making findings.
A full-day event across seven core areas, you will hear from legal, investigatory and HR experts to develop your foundational skills and understanding in this growing area of practice. The program covers identification of problems worth investigating, preparation of starting an investigation, drafting allegations, interviewing skills, gathering and assessing evidence, drafting final reports, operationalising report findings and ethical issues.
The Workshop is for lawyers, investigators, industrial relations practitioners, HR professionals and others involved in workplace investigations.
Attendees will be eligible for up to six CPD points across CA2 (Professional Skills), CA3 (Ethics and Professional Responsibility) and CA4 (Substantive Law).
Opening address: The perspective of the Fair Work Commission when dismissals following an investigation end up in the Commission.
Speakers: Deputy President Peter O'Keeffe (Fair Work Commission)
Identifying, designing and planning a trauma-informed investigations
Speaker: Philippa Lonie (Green Shoots)
Representing & supporting employees in the investigation process
Speakers: Mark Elliott (Independent Education Union)
Gathering and assessing evidence, natural justice and interview skills
Speakers: Sarah McLeod (Modern Legal), Rebecca Taseff (RLT Consulting)
Writing investigation reports
Speakers: Olga Klimczak from (HSF Kramer)
Operationalising investigation outcomes
Speakers: Tom Klaassen (Rio Tinto)
Ethical dilemmas
Speakers: Commissioner Toni Emmanuel (WA Industrial Relations Commission) and Heather Millar SC (Francis Burt Chambers)
More sessions and speakers to be announced.
Attendees will be eligible for up to six CPD points.
Proceeds from this event will go toward supporting funding Piddington's access to justice projects. These are: the Piddington PLT Fund, which supports the community legal centres (CLCs) that host Piddington PLT graduates to complete their hours required for admission; the Piddington Justice Fund for CLCs, to cover costs that they otherwise cannot meet; and, Kaartdijin, our First Nations Legal Education Fund. Thanks to your attendance, engagement and support, we are able to make annual contributions of more than $50,000 to the community through these projects.
Note:
Practitioner ID numbers are issued by the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia. Information from the Board is available here. We require these to issue CPD certificates. If you do not want a CPD certificate, please put '00000' in the box on the booking form.
This program is delivered by The Piddington Society, an accredited CPD Provider approved by the Legal Practice Board of Western Australia. CPD schemes in other Australian jurisdictions do not accredit or pre-approve providers or courses. As a result, practitioners outside Western Australia must self-assess this activity against the CPD rules in their home jurisdiction and determine whether it meets their professional development obligations. Certificates of completion are issued to assist with record-keeping, but the final decision as to compliance rests with the individual practitioner and their local regulator. Participants should also note that some jurisdictions impose caps on certain delivery modes (e.g. South Australia limits 5 units per CPD year for web-based/recorded programs).
Location
Exchange Plaza
Level 8, 2 The Esplanade, Perth WA 6000
Contact Details