Event Details
Date: Thursday 20 November 2025
Time: 8:00am – 10:00am AEDT
Venue: Zinc, Studio 1, Fed Square, Melbourne
Secure your spot today
Join us for the ARA x NRA Employment Relations Breakfast 25
Beyond Compliance: Building a Psychologically Safe Retail Workforce
Join us on Thursday 20 November 2025 at Zinc, Fed Square, Melbourne for the ARA and NRA’s Employment Relations Breakfast, brought to you by Rest.
This important industry event will explore the evolving workplace landscape, from psychosocial safety and inclusion to managing behavioural risks in retail. The breakfast brings together leading voices from retail, academia and mental health to deliver practical insights on creating safe, supportive and high-performing workplaces.
Event highlights:
Panel – Beyond Compliance: Managing Psychosocial Hazards and Behavioural Risks in Retail
This panel will explore how retailers can move beyond compliance to proactively manage psychosocial hazards and behavioural risks. Leaders from retail, workplace relations, superannuation and mental health will share strategies for fostering safe, supportive and high-performing cultures in one of Australia’s largest and youngest workforces.
Expert panelists include:
- Enrico Burgio – General Manager – Public Policy & Advocacy, Rest
- Amy Lynes – Acting Principal Workplace Relations Consultant, National Retail Association (NRA)
- Tristram Gray – Chief People and Corporate Affairs Officer, Kmart Group
- Greg Jennings – Chief Engagement Officer, Beyond Blue
- Nathan Lee – Branch Manager of Legal and Framework Policy, Safe Work Australia
- Panel hosted by Fleur Brown, Chief Industry Affairs Officer, Australian Retailers Association (ARA)
Fireside chat – Supporting Employees with Psychosocial Disabilities
This session will launch a new evidence-based toolkit to help retailers create more inclusive workplaces for staff with psychosocial disabilities. With one in five Australians taking time off work due to mental health in the past year, and younger workers disproportionately affected, this resource provides practical strategies for retailers to support their people and strengthen workforce participation.
More speakers to be announced in the coming weeks.
Secure your place today for this must-attend industry event and gain the insights you need to navigate the future of employment relations in retail.
Single Ticket
The Hon. Sonya Kilkenny MP
Attorney-General and Minister for Planning, Victoria State Government
Michael Schneider
Managing Director, Bunnings Group Limited
Dr Xanthe Mallett
Associate Professor of Criminology
Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research, Central Queensland University (CQU)
Darren Bark
Deputy Chairman, Biometrics Institute and Executive Director, Investigations and Counter Terrorism, NSW Police Force
Sarah Faorlin
Head of Acts of Violence & Aggression, Woolworths
Professor Gary Mortimer
Professor of Consumer Behaviour and Retail Marketing, Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
Speakers
Tristram Gray
Chief People and Corporate Affairs Officer
Kmart Group
Tristram joined the Kmart business in February 2018 as the General Manager Human Resources. In January 2019, Tristram was appointed as the Chief People & Capability Officer for the Kmart Group globally across Kmart and Target, ANKO Sourcing Asia, and ANKO Global. Tristram is responsible for the Kmart Group’s People Strategy which is focused on the strategic themes of Leadership, Talent, Culture, Organisational Capability, and the Kmart Group’s Operating model.
In July 2025 Tristram was appointed as the Chief People & Corporate Affairs Officer for the Kmart Group globally. In addition to the responsibilities of People & Capability, this role now encompasses leadership of the Corporate Affairs and Sustainability function, which is accountable for internal and external communications, stakeholder engagement, government affairs, ethical sourcing and sustainability.
Amy Lynes
Acting Principal Workplace Relations Consultant
National Retail Association (NRA)
Amy Lynes is the Acting Principal Workplace Relations Consultant with the National Retail Association, a not-for-profit organisation representing retailers and quick service restaurants across Australia.
In this role, Amy supports thousands of businesses with tailored workplace relations solutions, including workplace investigations, compliance audits, customised training, representation before the Fair Work Commission, and risk assessments designed to meet specific business needs.
Passionate about authentic leadership and empowering others to achieve their goals, Amy has more than a decade of experience leading Human Resources teams and managing complex business projects. Her expertise spans the full people experience—recruitment, learning and development, strategic planning, industrial relations, work health and safety, and employee engagement.
She is committed to equipping organisations with the tools and confidence to navigate complex workplace challenges and thrive.
Nathan Lee
Branch Manager of Legal and Framework Policy
Safe Work Australia
Nathan Lee is Branch Manager of the Legal and Framework Policy Branch at Safe Work Australia. He has held a variety of government policy roles on issues including national security, foreign investment and WHS. Nathan grew up in Queensland and, before his career in government, was a Mandarin language teacher.
Enrico Burgio
General Manager – Public Policy & Advocacy,
Rest
Enrico is an experienced public policy and advocacy professional and lawyer with extensive experience in policy development, thought leadership and stakeholder and government relations. His experience encompasses industry superannuation and financial services, government roles and legal practice in the private sector.
Enrico is currently General Manager of Public Policy & Advocacy at Rest Super, leading Rest’s public policy, regulatory affairs and advocacy activities and strategic engagement with government and other key stakeholders. The Public Policy & Advocacy team works to positively influence public policy, legislation and regulation in support of the best financial interests of Rest’s 2 million members.
Prior to working in superannuation, Enrico worked in senior roles in the Victorian Government including for the Victorian Premier and as Chief of Staff to the Minister for Workplace Safety. Enrico was previously a senior lawyer, specialising in employment law, industrial relations and occupational health and safety.
Greg Jennings
Chief Engagement Officer
Beyond Blue
Greg Jennings is the Chief Engagement Officer at Beyond Blue. Beyond Blue is an independent, not-for-profit mental health organisation that works with the community to improve mental health and make it easier for people to feel better earlier, get well and stay well. Greg is passionate about building capability to promote positive mental health, prevent ill-health, and better support those experiencing a mental health condition.
Greg has extensive experience in mental health promotion, policy, and behavioural change. He has qualifications in Economics and Social Sciences from the University of Sydney; Policy and Applied Social Research from Macquarie University; Behavioural Science from the London School of Economics and Wellbeing Science from Melbourne University.
Fleur Brown
Chief Industry Affairs Officer,
Australian Retailers Association
Fleur leads the Industry Affairs portfolio for the ARA which encompasses policy and advocacy, media, marketing, events and partnerships. Fleur has worked as an executive leader in government, media, marketing industries and prior to joining the ARA ran the award-winning Launch Group agency which was responsible government and investor relations, advocacy and media management for many leading Australian brands and public entities.
With a rich background in technology and innovation, she is a former Director of TechSydney, a founding team member of StartupAUS (now Tech Council Australia) a founding director of TEDxSydney and founder and producer the Nine Network’s Entrepreneurs TV show. Fleur is author of the business book The Business of Being You.
Agenda
8:00 AM
Registration, Refreshments and Networking
8:55 AM
Welcome to Country
Session One
Retail’s Impossible Dilemma: Serving the Community without Compromising Safety and Security
9:00 AM
Opening Remarks
Chris Rodwell, CEO of Australian Retailers Association (ARA), CEO Designate of Australian Retail Council (ARC)
9:10 AM
Keynote: Collaboration for Impact
The Hon. Sonya Kilkenny MP, Attorney-General and Minister for Planning, Victoria State Government
9:35 AM
Victoria Police and Retail Theft – The Now and The Next
Commander Karen Nyholm APM, Strategic Lead, Retail Theft, Victoria Police
9:45 AM
Keynote: The Societal Impact of Retail Crime
Dr Xanthe Mallett, Associate Professor of Criminology, Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research, Central Queensland University (CQU)
10:05 AM
Keynote: Balancing Innovation and Trust
Darren Bark, Deputy Chairman, Biometrics Institute and Executive Director, Investigations and Counter Terrorism, NSW Police Force
10:25 AM
Morning Tea & Networking Break
Session Two
Organised Retail Crime and Collaborative Prevention
10:45 AM
Panel: Combatting Organised Retail Crime
Hosted by:
David Stout, Director Policy, National Retail Association
In conversation with:
Kesara Kumaraperuma, National Retail Loss Business Partner, Myer Group
Ed Russell, Operation Risk & Protection Manager, Endeavour Group
Inspector Mark Twamley, Operations Manager, Metropolitan Region, WA Police
Sophie Wong, Founder, Positively Powered
11:10 AM
Fireside Chat: Building Frontline Teams’ Capability to Stay Safe by Leveraging VR Technology
Hosted by:
Miles Langford, Policy Advisor – Risk & Resilience, Australian Retailers Association
In conversation with:
Angus Stevens, Chief Executive Officer, Start Beyond
Sarah Faorlin, Head of Acts of Violence & Aggression, Woolworths Group
11:35 AM
Panel: Real-World Solutions to Retail Crime Challenges
Hosted by:
Fleur Brown, Chief Industry Affairs Officer, Australian Retailers Association
In conversation with:
Rogan Berry, Group Internal Audit and Risk Manager, Michael Hill
Austin Craddock, Fraud & Security Manager, Total Loss, Supermarkets Operations, Coles
David De Francesco, National Security Operations Manager, Vicinity Centres
Alexander Lane, Operations Manager – Loss Prevention, Officeworks
12:00 PM
Lunch & Networking Break
Session Three
Leveraging Technology to Detect and Deter Crime
1:00 PM
Fireside Chat: Leveraging Technology to Prevent Retail Crime
Hosted by:
Fleur Brown, Chief Industry Affairs Officer, Australian Retailers Association
In conversation with:
Michael Schneider, Managing Director, Bunnings Group
1:20 PM
Keynote: Beyond the Breaking Point: Understanding and Preventing Customer Aggression
Professor Gary Mortimer, Professor of Consumer Behaviour and Retail Marketing, Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
1:45 PM
Keynote: Untapped: Australia’s Accidental Billion Dollar Surveillance Network
David Bartlett, Founder, Safer Places Network
2:00 PM
Fireside Chat: Intelligence in Action – Turning Crime Stoppers Reports into Retail Results
From Tips to Takedowns – Working Together to Win the Fight
Cameron Blair, General Manager – Retail, MA Services Group
Nigel Smart, Chief Executive Officer, Crime Stoppers SA
2:20 PM
Afternoon Tea & Networking Break
Session Four
The Human Impact of Retail Crime: Prioritising People and Wellbeing
2:50 PM
Keynote: The Shift Doesn’t End at the Exit: CPTED for Safer Staff Journeys
Kristy Cianci, Managing Director, The Design Partnership
3:10 PM
Panel: Protecting Employee Safety and Wellbeing
Hosted by:
Fleur Brown, Chief Industry Affairs Officer, Australian Retailers Association
In conversation with:
Helen Cooney, National Assistant Secretary, Shop, Distributive and Allied Employee’s Association (SDA)
Nathan Lee, Branch Manager of the Legal and Framework Policy Branch, Safe Work Australia
Natalie Turmine, Chief Executive Officer, Service and Creative Skills Australia (SaCSA)
3:40 PM
Keynote: The Future of Retail Crime Prevention
Nick McDonnell, Senior Director – Trust & Safety, Global Public Policy, Auror
4:05 PM
Closing Remarks
Chris Rodwell, CEO of Australian Retailers Association (ARA), CEO Designate of Australian Retail Council (ARC)
4:15 PM – 5:15 PM
Networking Drinks
Event Partner
Established in 1988, Rest is one of Australia’s largest profit-to-member superannuation funds, with more than 2 million members and around $100 billion in funds under management *.
We use our size and expertise to deliver competitive long-term investment performance to our members. We’re driven by our purpose to create super our members love and our mission to make the super experience simple.
Rest has worked alongside businesses for more than 40 years – providing tools, insights and support to create better member and workplace super experiences. Today, more than 300,000* employers choose to work with us to make super simpler for their team members.
*As at June 30 2025
Event Partners
In busy retail environments, tensions can rise in an instant — from customer disputes to theft attempts. That’s where Reveal comes in. Since 2002, we’ve worked closely with frontline teams to design body-worn cameras that don’t just record — they de-escalate.
Our cameras feature a front-facing screen that shows people they’re being recorded, often stopping conflict before it starts. Footage is securely uploaded and managed through our digital evidence platform, giving managers fast access to clear, time-stamped video. Whether it’s resolving a complaint or supporting a prosecution, Reveal helps get to the truth quickly.
Trusted by leading high-street brands globally, our technology is now available to Australian retailers through our local partner, C.R. Kennedy. Designed for ease of use, built to withstand daily wear, and backed by a powerful evidence platform — Reveal gives retail teams the tools they need to feel safer, act with confidence, and respond faster when it matters most.
The Safer Places Network (SPN) is Australia’s national register of security cameras. The platform allows homeowners and businesses to register their external cameras, making evidence collection seamless and almost instantaneous for police investigations. Police officers currently spend millions of hours manually collecting and managing CCTV footage. SPN’s founder, former Victoria Police Detective and software developer, David Bartlett, set out to leverage his unique combination of skills to radically speed up this stage of a criminal investigation.
This innovative Public-Private-Community Partnership (PPCP) not only saves police time collecting evidence, thereby redirecting resources to active community policing, but also significantly boosts crime clearance rates, saves taxpayer dollars, and enhances community safety.
SPN is free for the community & police, developed with privacy-first, ethical surveillance principles and is completely voluntary.
Start Beyond is an internationally acclaimed virtual and augmented reality studio that specialises in creating immersive learning experiences.
Clients include Accenture, Meta, Australian government departments and companies such as St John Ambulance, Woolworths, Westpac, CommBank, Australia Post, UTS, and Qantas.
Start Beyond has delivered over 1.8 million VR & AR experiences.
Since 2019 Start Beyond has worked with Woolworths. Their managing aggressive customers program; led to 50,000 employees completing the training within four months.
Based on its success Start Beyond has launched Minaca VR; Managing Incivility Negativity and Customer Aggression. Launch partners include UTS, The Reject Shop, and Optus.
This low-cost VR program teaches frontline workers how to de-escalate customer aggression. Its high-conflict scenarios in Retail, Hospitality, Health & Aged Care, help customer-facing staff learn through experience – without the real-world risk. Minaca VR allows businesses to meet their WHS requirements, reduce staff turnover and build a resilient workforce.
