David Bogan

Contact details:

Areas of experience:

• Accountancy
• Administrative
• Banking
• Commercial
• Contracts
• Corporate
• Environment
• Family
• Finance
• Fraud
• Property
• Resources
• Securities
• Succession
• Tort
• Trusts

Affinity with rural industries:

30 years ago rural Australia was in open conflict with both  the government and the banks arising  from the effects of a severe and continuing drought, harsh foreclosure policies, and a rising suicide rate amongst NSW farmers.

From this conflict grew the 1994 Farm Debt Mediation Act. It was sponsored by the Rt. Hon. Richard Amery whose vision was for a fair and equitable resolution process that enabled farmers and bankers to simply sit down and talk. His vision of mediation was “Three people sitting under a tree to resolve their differences.” I believe  it is still the best description for both mediation and the first-class process he initiated. I worked with the people who helped formulate this Act, still work with people committed to its success, and in 2020 assisted the NZ Government in adopting its equivalent.

Since its implementation I have mediated several hundred rural matters including those arising from the breakdown of family or matrimonial relationships, farm debt, succession and and estates. My considerable experience includes having lived on, worked on, and owned farms, and also direct experience in handling the personal trauma and dramatic effects that a crisis can have on individuals and their families. I gained this experience initially over many years as a telephone counsellor and then as Chair of Lifeline Auckland, the Gambling Helpline, Director of Lifeline International and Inaugural Chair of Lifeline Pasifika. I am accredited with NMAS, the Queensland Farm Business Debt Mediation Act, the Queensland Small Business Commissioner, and for many years held Ministerial Warrants  from various NSW Ministers of Health to conciliate for the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission

In 2017 I consulted with the Maharashtra State Government and represented NSW at the International Conference of Jurists in Mumbai speaking on Farm Debt Mediation.

I have had published two books on conflict, co-author of Avoid Retirement and Stay Alive – an International Best Seller for Non-Fiction (Harper Collins and McGraw Hill) and sole author of What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? (Harper Collins).

My philosophy is, and has always been, that people are more important than the money, and further details can be found on my website:  www.davidbogan.com