Each year hundreds of representatives from civil society gather at the ACOSS Conference to engage in a meeting of minds.
The ACOSS National Conference provides a platform to discuss the policy and practice needed to address poverty and inequality in Australia, to strengthen our organisations and build an inclusive society. It’s the annual meeting place for community sector CEOs and senior level representatives, community leaders, senior government officials, business leaders, researchers, social entrepreneur, grassroots advocates, campaigners, and anyone with an interest in social justice and public policy.
The ACOSS National Conference follows a unique format. We avoid traditional plenary addresses and instead all sessions take the form of a facilitated conversation between a dynamic panel of thought leaders and the ACOSS conference attendees. We engage expert facilitators to help power the discussion. Live conference streaming, an interactive conference app, and a live Twitter feed ensures that the conversation extends beyond the physical space and engages thousands of civil society contributors across Australia.
The Australian Council of Social Service is the peak organisation for community and social services in Australia and the voice for people experiencing poverty and inequality. ACOSS has a national reputation for effective and influential advocacy on issues affecting people experiencing poverty and inequality. We develop and promote socially and economically responsible public policy and action by government. ACOSS’s national membership exceeds 300 organisations including Australia’s major charities and not-for-profit community organisations, as well as hundreds of individual members nationally. Visit our website for more info. www.acoss.org.au
The ACOSS conference attracts a range of high profile national and international speakers. In 2015, ACOSS Conference speakers included Linda Tirado (renowned US journalist and activist), Bill Shorten (leader of the ALP), Richard Di Natale (Leader of the Australian Greens), Scott Morrison (Federal Minister for Social Services), Maha Abdo (Muslim Women’s Association), Les Malezer (Co-Chair National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples), Catherine Yeomans (CEO Mission Australia), Marcelle Mogg (CEO of Catholic Social Services), Phil Edmands (MD Rio Tinto), and Simon Chappel (University of Dunedin). Session facilitators included Jane Caro, Geraldine Doogue (ABC TV’s Compass Program), Anton Enus (SBS World News), Paul Barclay (ABC Big Ideas), Walkley Award winning journalist Michael West (Fairfax Media), and Patricia Karvelas (ABC RN Drive).
