Challenging Inequality : 2011 ACOSS National Conference

National Welfare Peak Body, ACOSS is set to hold its 2011 National Conference in Melbourne on 29-30 March, and Pro Bono Australia is proud to be an official media partner.

The ACOSS Annual Conference is the premier national event for Not for Profit professionals, policy-makers, researchers and anyone engaged in social services or advocacy.

This year’s conference features an impressive line-up of high profile speakers, panel debates, workshops and forums, to debate and discuss a wide-range of topics relevant to inequality and inequities in contemporary Australia.

Speakers at the two-day conference include:

• Senator Bob Brown | Leader of the Australian Greens
• Jon Faine | ABC Melbourne Morning Program
• Saul Eslake | Senior Economist, The Grattan Institute
• Patricia Karvelas | Senior Journalist, The Australian
• Michael Gawenda | Former Age Journalist, The University of Melbourne
• Julie Posetti | Lecturer in Journalism, University of Canberra
• Professor Ross Garnaut | University of Melbourne
• Jenny Macklin | Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services, and Indigenous Affairs
• Andrew Robb | Opposition Finance Spokesperson
• Ged Kearney | President, Australian Council of Trade Unions
• Maria Tarrant | Acting CEO, Business Council of Australia
• Dr Tom Calma | Co-Chair of the Closing the Gap Steering Committee
• The Hon. Andrew Wilkie | Independent Member for Denison
• Bill Shorten | Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation

ACOSS says some of the major issues to be examined at the conference include: homelessness and housing; disability; tax and welfare reform; aged care, mental health; gambling; Indigenous health and disadvantage; poverty; climate change; the National Broadband Network; and reforms of the Not for Profit sector.

As official media partner, Pro Bono Australia News will be reporting live from the conference, with a news desk setup on-site to keep our readers informed of all the conference happenings.

We will be writing news, taking photos and promoting the use of social media at the conference to encourage debate and discussion and keep those unable to attend informed.

Highlights of the conference include:

A panel discussion addressing the policy challenges of productivity, population and participation to be hosted by the ABC's Peter Mares and aired on Radio National's The National Interest program. Panelists for this session include Federal Minister Jenny Macklin; Opposition Finance Spokesperson Andrew Robb; the ACTU’s Ged Kearney; Maria Tarrant from the Business Council of Australia; and economist Saul Eslake.

The conference will culminate with a lively panel discussion featuring well-known journalists, social commentators and community sector representatives to be chaired by ABC Melbourne Local Radio personality Jon Faine and broadcast on Radio National's Big Ideas show.

As well as the two day program, ACOSS will also be staging various pre and post conference workshops and forums in specialised areas such as mental health; energy and cost of living; media and communications; and income management.

Pro Bono Australia is also sponsoring the ACOSS Media and Communications Forum, to be held on Monday 28th March (the day before the conference).

The forum will be held at the same venue as the conference, the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, from 3.00-7.00pm on Monday 28th March 2011.

The forum is an opportunity for media and communications professionals working in the sector to share ideas and strategies.

The day will feature a number of short presentations from a range of Not for Profit organisations about campaigns that have worked well.

There will also be guest speakers running an informal ‘Q and A’ style session on campaigning and social media strategies and techniques.

Registrations for the ACOSS Media and Communications Forum are now open and places are limited. Click here to book now (tickets for this event are only $20). 

Topics to be covered include:

• How to run a campaign week on a shoe string budget
• Making friends and influencing people – Teaming up with other groups can make your voice stronger
• How to win over both sides of politics – VCOSS election campaign
• The Emerging Communications Toolkit for NGO's
• How the NFP sector can use social media effectively

Registrations for the ACOSS conference are now open – click here to register. 

For full details, including sessions, speakers, and program visit the ACOSS website: www.acoss.org.au