ACOSS National Conference Butts Up to Federal Election

As Australia prepares to vote in 2007, ACOSS will be holding it national conference on social policy on the 22nd and 23rd of November – the theme is Australia Fair: taking steps towards a fair go for all Australians.

The Conference will examine whether social policy is contributing to ensure that Australia is fair for all.

ACOSS says the critical issues are housing, Indigenous disadvantage, welfare, health, education, environment, work, services, building social capital and wellbeing.

Key speakers include:
Professor Larissa Behrendt, Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning, University of Technology Sydney;
Olga Havnen, Combined Aboriginal Organisations of NT;
Peter Kell, CHOICE;
David Thompson, Jobs Australia;
Peter Butterworth, Australian National University;
Professor Gavin Mooney, Curtin University;
Professor Fran Baum, Flinders University;
Michael Raper, National Welfare Rights Network;
Dr John Buchanan, Director, Sydney University;
Steve Hatfield Dodds, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems;
Simon Divecha, Big Switch Projects;
Lincoln Hopper, Mission Australia;
Adrian Pisarski, National Shelter;
Emeritus Professor Hugh Stretton AC, University of Adelaide;
Samantha Jenkinson Australian Federation of Disability Organisations;
Ron Silberberg, Housing Industry Association;
Pat Byrne, Australian Education Union;
Terry Aulich, Australian Council of State School Organisations;
Professor Marie Brennan, University of South Australia; and
Julian Burnside QC, Australian barrister, human rights and refugee advocate and author

Some of the Key Sessions are Fair Reconciliation – What is best way to tackle Indigenous disadvantage? ; Fair Welfare – are we investing enough in people or systems?; Fair Health – do we have a divided health care system? Where is the public in public health? Three years or three more years – what is the prognosis for a fair go for all?; Fair Environment – how will global warming affect low income and disadvantaged Australians; Fair Work – Is today’s workplace fair?; Fair Housing – is there any room in the boom?; Fair Services – what is the impact of federalism on the provision of services to low income and disadvantaged Australians?; Fair Education – if education is the ticket out of poverty how many disadvantaged Australians have a weekly pass?; How to engender a culture of fairness.

On Wednesday 21st November ACOSS will be hosting a Future of the Sector Day also in Adelaide, building on outcomes from the Seminar held prior to the 2006 ACOSS Conference in Sydney. The ACOSS AGM will follow the Seminar where results from the election for President, Treasurer and embers of the Board of Governors will be announced. Click here for a registration form for the Future of the Sector Day (please note: registration for this day is separate to the Conference registration).

So if you haven’t registered, you can do so today by going to www.hotelnetwork.com.au as registrations close 16th November.