Supporting and transforming the community of dispute resolution practice by providing leadership, direction and growth.
What do we mean when we say a mediator is ‘good’ or ‘bad’? Are we in fact confusing the mediation style – which we may dislike – with the competency of the mediator? Bianca Keys explains.
ADRA has had another successful year in 2013-2014 despite the difficulties within the dispute resolution industry during that period. In particular the recent initiatives of the Federal Government to 'absorb' NADRAC into the Attorney General's department in November 2013 and the request of the Australian Government's Productivity Commission (Investigation of Access to Justice Arrangements in Australia) to canvass the role of dispute resolution in the civil area, alerted ADRA to the need for a unified voice from the DR industry with which to lobby government.
Recently ADRA's Membership was invited by ADRA's Board to a discussion evening to consider together the future for alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in Australia given two important, recent initiatives of the Federal government: NADRAC had been terminated and (maybe) some of its functions amalgamated into the Attorney General's Department; and, the Australian Government's Productivity Commission investigation of Access to Justice Arrangements in Australia had canvassed the role of alternative dispute resolution in Australia's system of civil dispute resolution. These initiatives had been of concern to many dispute resolution practitioners and had provoked much passionate but uncoordinated discussion amongst ADRA members.