Dr John Chesterman
Public Advocate
Dr John Chesterman is the Queensland Public Advocate.
A lawyer and historian by training, John was previously Victoria’s Deputy Public Advocate, and before that,he was an academic.
Among other things, John undertook a Churchill Fellowship on the topic of adult safeguarding, and his books include, as co-author, The politics of human rights in Australia (CUP).
Presentation Topic
Queensland Disability Reform Framework : The Next Chapter: Safeguarding Rights and Strengthening Systems in Disability Housing and Support
Dr John Chesterman, Queensland’s Public Advocate, will deliver a keynote address exploring The Next Chapter framework and its practical and policy implications for the disability housing and support sector.
Drawing on his leadership and long-standing advocacy in areas including cognitive disability, supported decision-making, and restrictive practices, Dr Chesterman will provide a powerful lens on how this reform agenda aligns with the findings of the Disability Royal Commission and the NDIS Review.
His presentation will examine how the framework reinforces the rights and protections of people with disability, and what this means for SDA and SIL providers amid a landscape of increasing scrutiny and reform.
Key themes will include the sector’s transition away from outdated, congregate models toward smaller, community-based and person-led settings; the imperative for cross-sector collaboration across housing, health, justice, and child protection systems; and the central role of lived experience, co-design, and trauma-informed care in driving future outcomes.
This session is an essential briefing for any provider, policy leader, or advocate committed to ensuring quality, rights-based disability housing and support into the future.