Terms and Conditions

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO ATTEND THE CONFERENCE?
Conference registration passes are available as follows.



Note: proof of student status is required, in order to purchase a student pass, you will be required to upload a photo of your student ID card at time of registration.

^ Early bird passes are available until 11:59pm on Wednesday, 30 June 2021. To qualify for early bird pricing your conference registration pass must be purchased and paid for
   in full prior to 11:59pm on Wednesday, 30 June 2021.

^^ Regular passes are effective from Thursday, 1 July 2021.


FEES AND CHARGES
The following fees and charges apply to all registrations.

• Conference pass, as selected
• Booking fee of $5.50 applies to each ticket purchased
• All credit card payments incur a merchant fee of 3%

CURRENCY AND TAX
All conference registration fees are quoted in Australian dollars (AUD), 10% GST is included.


PAYMENT
All prices are in Australian dollars (AUD) and include GST. Conference passes must be paid by credit card (Visa, MasterCard or AMEX) during the online conference registration process. All credit card transactions incur a 3% merchant fee.

Please note that conferences passes are only confirmed upon receipt of payment.


TAX INVOICE
A tax invoice is provided for all registrations, you can download your tax invoice by using the link within your conference registration email.

Should you require a tax invoice for each attendee please ensure you register each attendee separately.


CANCELLATION POLICY
Cancellations must be received in writing to the conference secretariat according to the following schedule:

• 1 January 2021 - 28 February 2022 | 50% Refund
• 1 March 2022 - 5 April 2022 | No Refund
• Non-payment does not constitute cancellation

Should you need to cancel your conference registration because you are COVID-19 positive, isolating or are unwell please contact the conference secretariat immediately. Your registration will be put into credit for you to use at the next conference.
 

SUBSTITUTION POLICY
If you are unable to attend the conference after registering, a substitution from the same organisation is permitted at no charge. Please submit the substitution notification to the conference secretariat.

Notification must be received in writing by Friday, 1 April 2022. For substitutions after the deadline, please bring written notification to the onsite registration area at the conference.


NON ATTENDANCE
No refunds will be made for non-attendance at the conference and any unpaid registration fees will still be payable.

In the case of medical emergency which has caused a registered delegate not to attend the conference, the conference secretariat must be provided with a medical certificate or appropriate documentation before any refund will be considered. When the conference secretariat is advised of a situation after the conference, and a refund is deemed to be appropriate, the delegate must still pay the administration fee along with any catering charges incurred as a result of their cancelled registration for all catering events at which they were scheduled to attend.


COVID-19 POLICY
Should the conference be impacted by COVID-19, MS Australia intends to reschedule the event. Delegates will be notified immediately if this occurs and will be offered to assign their conference registration fees to the new conference dates unless a refund is requested.

We encourage you to read and understand your travel and accommodation terms, conditions and cancellation policies prior to making bookings.


COVID-19 VACCINATION POLICY
In line with the Tasmanian government border entry requirements, all MS Australia Progress in MS Research Scientific Conference attendees must be up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations. You can learn more about the Tasmanian government policy here.


DRESS CODE
Casual business is suitable for the conference and its social events.


NAME BADGES
Your name badge must be worn at all times, it is your entry to all sessions and inclusive functions.


PROGRAM
The conference program is subject to changes without notification.


I NEED ACCOMMODATION, WHAT DO I DO?
Delegates are responsible for organising and managing their own accommodation directly with their preferred hotel, and must comply with the hotels rates, validity, terms, conditions and cancellation policies.

All hotel rates, validity, terms, conditions and cancellation policies can be found on the hotel’s website and booking site. We encourage you to read and understand the hotel’s rates, validity, terms, conditions and cancellation policies prior to making a booking.

A list of suggested hotels and preferential rates secured for conference delegates has been published on the conference website, click here.

MS Australia, the conference secretariat, staff and/or its agents and others working under its authority do not accept responsibility for any accommodation booked by delegates.


WHAT ARE TASMANIA'S BORDER ENTRY CONDITIONS?
Please ensure you are informed regarding Tasmania’s border entry conditions, click here to view current advice and requirements. 

Click here to learn more about face mask protocols.


LETTERS OF INVITATION
Please note that our policy is to only issue a letter of invitation to an international delegate once conference registration and full payment has been received. A letter of invitation from the conference does not guarantee entry into Australia. Please contact the conference secretariat to request a letter of invitation after your registration and payment has been submitted.


PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEOGRAPHY
Please note that photographs and video will be taken throughout the conference and at the social events. These will be used for promotional activities including display on websites and social media platforms. If you do not want your photograph or any video footage taken, or used, you are required to formally advise the conference secretariat in advance by email.


INSURANCE
Registration fees do not include insurance of any kind and delegates shall be regarded in every aspect as carrying their own risk for personal injury and loss or injury to property, including baggage during the conference. It is strongly recommended that delegates take out their own general travel insurance. It is suggested that the insurance policy should also cover loss of fees/deposit, airfares, accommodation charges, medical expenses, loss or damage to personal property and repatriation expenses. The insurance should cover loss arising from the cancellation of the conference by the organisers or a person’s inability to attend due to any reason whatsoever. No responsibility is taken by MS Australia, the conference secretariat, staff and/or its agents and others working under its authority for any person not holding insurance and any loss in this regard.


SECURITY
MS Australia, the conference secretariat, staff and/or its agents and others working under its authority accept no liability for personal accident or loss or damage suffered by any participant, accompanying person, invited observer or any other person by whatever means. Nor do we accept liability for any equipment or software brought to the conference by delegates, speakers, sponsors or any other party. Please protect your personal property. Do not leave laptops, cameras, and other valuable items unsecured. Be conscious of individuals who appear out of place and do not wear a conference name badge. Advise conference secretariat staff if this does not occur. If you have any questions, please contact the conference secretariat.


BEHAVIOUR
The conference secretariat reserves the right to prohibit entry of any person to a MS Australia Progress in Research conference event or eject any person from a MS Australia Progress in Research conference event based on behaviour deemed inappropriate by MS Australia, the conference secretariat, staff and/or its agents and others working under its authority.


SOCIAL FUNCTIONS AND ALCOHOL
Registration as a delegate, sponsor or exhibitor attendee does not automatically constitute as confirmed attendance for any social events during the course of the conference. Every attendee (even those entitled to complimentary registrations) must respond in the affirmative as attending social functions by selecting options during the online registration process. Places at social functions are not held if an affirmative response is not received to the attending option.

As alcohol is on offer, all social functions are classed as a licenced event. The venue’s alcoholic beverage license requires that venue staff shall: (i) request proper identification (photo ID) of any person of questionable age and refuse alcoholic beverage service if the person is either under age or proper identification cannot be produced, and (ii) refuse alcoholic beverage service to any person who, in the venue’s judgment, appears intoxicated.


FORCE MAJEURE
MS Australia, the conference secretariat, staff and/or its agents and others working under its authority are not responsible for either the partial or total non-execution of the contract in the event of accident, an act caused by a third party, such as Acts of God including, without limitation, credible threats of natural disaster in the geographic vicinity of the venue, war, curtailment or interruption of transportation facilities, threats or acts of terrorism or similar acts, governmental travel advisory, a governmental elevation of the terrorism alert level, civil disturbance, the issue of a pandemic or travel warning by the World Health Organisation or any other cause comparable events or disaster beyond the parties’ control which prevents the venue from providing the conference or if for the same reasons the conference is cancelled by MS Australia.


PRIVACY
By providing your email address, you agree to receive emails in relation to this and future events of this type. You may opt out at any time by contacting the conference secretariat. Your name, organisation and email may be published on the delegate list which is part of the conference collateral and provided to delegates, exhibitors and sponsors. Your name and contact information may be used by parties directly related to the conference such as MS Australia and approved stakeholders and sponsors. If you wish to opt out, please send an email to the conference secretariat.


SOCIAL MEDIA
MS Australia does not permit the recording of presentations and workshops at the conference under any circumstances or in any form of media, including but not limited to audio recordings, video recordings, or literal transcripts unless you acquire a written consent.

MS Australia permits and encourages the use of social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, Snapchat and blogging at the conference as a way to summarise, highlight, review, critique, and/or promote the presented materials, or the conference in general, on the condition that: copyright law is observed, verbatim information is limited to a few quotes, and the author or speaker is referenced and cited appropriately. Please bear in mind that presenters have invested many hours in the development of materials for the conference and copyright laws apply.

Out of respect for the other participants, we ask that loud electronic devices be silenced, though they do not need to be switched off, so that they may be used to tweet, post on Facebook, or take notes in accordance with the above stated policy.

We encourage delegates to:

• Follow us on Twitter @MS_Australia
• Like us on Facebook @MSAustralia
• Like us on LinkedIn @ms-australia
• Hashtags include #MS  #multiplesclerosis  #RealMSResearch  #VoiceForMS  #50yearsofprogress
• Blog, post, tweet, Instagram, Snapchat about what you are hearing and seeing
• Talk about products and services you see being showcased
• Share photographs
• Provide feedback to the MS Australia staff and the conference secretariat
• Keep criticism constructive

We request delegates to refrain from:

• Using audio and/or video recording devices during sessions.
• Capturing, transmitting, or redistributing syllabus materials or the bulk of the material presented in a session. Doing so infringes on the intellectual property rights of the speakers.
• Engaging in rudeness or personal attacks.

DISCLAIMER
By registering, delegates acknowledge and consent to the terms and conditions.

MS Australia, the conference secretariat, staff and/or its agents and others working under its authority accept no responsibility for any act or omission on the part of service providers. No liability is accepted for any inaccuracy, delay, damage, death, or personal injury. The committee and organisers of the MS Australia Progress in Research Scientific conference reserve the right to change, without notice, any aspect of the conference program. All information supersedes all previous publications. In the event of industrial disruptions, the conference, venue, committee and organisers accept no responsibility for losses incurred by conference attendees, staff and participants.