Phillip Dibben Mediation

Promoting positive

outcomes for all

Phillip Dibben Mediation guides a 7-step collaborative framework that explores and defines a problem then quickly, amicably and cost effectively works through a fair and reasonable negotiation and dispute resolution.

Learn more

About Dibbo

Phillip Dibben Mediation

Phillip ‘Dibbo’ Dibben is accredited under the National Mediator Accreditation System (NMAS) and has 35 years experience in finance and agri-business services.

What is mediation?

Mediation is the process of attempting to resolve a dispute or conflict when direct negotiation, either with or without lawyers, has failed. It may be undertaken voluntarily, as part of an existing contractual agreement, or under court order.

Mediation helps disputing parties to maintain control of the outcome, even if that outcome is the best alternative to no agreement (BATNA). The alternative of going to court means the final decisions will be made by someone else.

Learn more

Our mediation model

Pre-mediation

Exploring & defining the problem

Mediator’s opening

Parties’ statement & mediator’s summary

Identify matters for discussion

Explore & define problem

Post mediation

Negotiation & solution

Generate & mutually explore options

Evaluate options & negotiate final outcome

Finalise agreement & close

What to expect

Everyone involved in a mediation, including those there to support you, are bound by a confidentiality agreement which they must sign.

Mediation discussions cannot be used in any future legal actions.

Each party should bring good faith intentions to the mediation, an willingness to listen and desire for fair solutions.

Learn more

About you

I help individuals and groups who are finding it difficult to resolve a dispute.

Family Members

Mediation is often useful for family members, particularly farming families who may need to work through farm succession, financial issues and property settlements.

Business Owners

I also help business owners to resolve business or commercial matters that may include partnership disagreements, commercial leasing arrangements or disputes between themselves and their customers or suppliers.

About us

Phillip Dibben

Accredited National Mediator (NMAS)

Phil is accredited under the National Mediator Accreditation System (NMAS) and his areas of expertise are Facilitated Mediation and Evaluative Mediation. However, he is also a renowned specialist in rural financial planning, lending and agribusiness management solutions with more than 35 years’ experience working farming families and farming businesses.

Learn more

Mediation services

Facilitated Mediation

Focusses on reaching an ultimate outcome that is more suitable and satisfying than a dispute or litigation.

Commercial & small business matters

Workplace disputes

Succession

Property settlements

Leasing arrangements

Partnership disputes

Financial disputes

Family agreements

Evaluative mediation

Phillip Dibben draws on his extensive experience, qualified advice and guidance to help mediation participants to reach voluntary solutions in disputes such as those described as follows:

Succession

Property settlements

Leasing arrangements

Partnership disputes

Financial disputes

Family agreements

Testimonials

Sue F

Finance Officer

My husband and I engaged Phillip Dibben Mediation to assist us with the transition to retirement and farm succession. We had been told of his expertise by friends and associates who had engaged his services.

He has a strong understanding of the often complex family farm business, which I believe he gained in his past professional life of banking. Dibbo has a very affable and friendly personality which automatically gave us confidence in his ability to advise. Through his expertise, we were able to prioritise goals and actions for a comfortable retirement and make informed decisions with farm succession. He always had our best interests at heart first and foremost, which we highly value.

FAQs

What is mediation?

Simply put, mediation is the process of attempting to resolve a dispute or conflict when direct negotiation, either with or without lawyers, has failed. It may be undertaken voluntarily, as part of an existing contractual agreement, or under court order. Mediation is one of the final steps where the disputing parties maintain control of the outcome. After this, such as if the matter goes to court, the final decisions are made by someone else.

You’ve agreed to mediation, now what?

The idea of mediation can be daunting. This could be from fear of the unknown, or from rehashing emotional and confronting issues around a conflict. If this worries you, you don’t have to go it alone. You are allowed to have your support network available, either remotely or within the mediation itself, to help you through it. Everyone involved in the mediation, including anyone there to support you, is bound by a confidentiality agreement which they must sign. As far as the law allows, discussions held in mediation can’t be used in any future legal actions. All notes and records of the meeting are destroyed, other than the mediated agreement if you reach that point.

What is the Mediator’s role?

The Mediator’s role is to be an impartial and neutral voice to the negotiation and to ensure each voice is heard equally at the table. They will attempt to use your stories to help reframe the dispute as something that both parties are able to work within. While mediation is a safe space, the idea of speaking up can still feel intimidating at times. Private meetings between the mediator and each individual party may be requested or offered, ensuring you have an opportunity to speak freely. Anything raised remains confidential, a mediator will only share information from those individual meetings with the disputant’s express permission. Generally, this would be matters that you wanted to share but perhaps did not want to, or feel able to, raise yourself.

How long is the mediation process?

The mediation process may only take one session, or it may take several. Each situation is different and is tailored to the individuals involved. The success of the sessions revolves around the willingness of each side to share honestly, to listen and understand, to make concessions where needed. The aim is to walk away with an agreement you’ve reached yourselves rather than a settlement dictated by someone else.