On Wednesday 17 September 2014, Director of the Centre for Community Child Health Prof Frank Oberklaid participated in an online conversation with Julia Davison, CEO of Goodstart Early Learning and PwC partner James van Smeerdijk discussing the Productivity Commission Inquiry and PwC’s new report, Putting a value on early childhood education and care in Australia.

About the speakers

Professor Frank Oberklaid Professor Frank Oberklaid is the founding director of the Centre for Community Child Health at The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne and a Professor of Paediatrics at The University of Melbourne. He is a researcher of over 150 scientific papers on various aspects of paediatrics. His current interests include early childhood development, prevention and intervention.

James van Smeerdijk PwC partner James van Smeerdijk is responsible for the development of PwC’s practice in the education, justice and human services sectors as well as and PwC’s Indigenous Consulting practice. He has 25 years of experience working as a policy adviser in government as well as a consultant.

Julia Davison Julia Davison is the CEO of Goodstart Early Learning. She has extensive senior management experience in the health sector in Australia and the UK and has previously served as CEO at both Flinders Medical Centre and WorkCover SA. Davison is also the Chair of Catherine House, a not-for-profit organisation working to solve women’s homelessness with sustainable long-term solutions in SA and a Director of Territory Insurance Office, NT.

Tom Burton (moderator) Tom Burton is publisher of The Mandarin based in Sydney. He has worked in and out of Government over three decades , specialising in digital engagement, and was a Walkley award-winning journalist and executive editor of The Sydney Morning Herald. He is a former Canberra bureau chief for The Australian Financial Review.

More information

Visit our Productivity Commission website to read more about the Inquiry and access related resources.