The 5th Financial Inclusion Conference
Conference program
Keep checking this page to stay up to date on conference program additions and changes.
Day 1 | Tuesday 18 March 2025
8am-9am | Registration
Registration and information desk opens 8am
9am-9:15am | Welcome to Country
Speaker to be confirmed
9:15am-9:30am | Conference welcome
Dr Archana Voola
MC
Jenni Beetson-Mortimer
Northern Rivers Community Gateway CEO
NSW Financial Inclusion Network Chairperson
9:30am-9:50am | Day 1 opening address
The Hon Amanda Rishworth MP (invited)
Australian Minister for Social Services
9:50am-10:30am | Keynote address
The experiences, challenges and innovative approaches to financial inclusion in the UK.
Gareth Evans
Financial Inclusion Centre (UK)
10:30am-11am | Break
Morning tea
11am-11:45am | Keynote address
Digital-first welfare: the increased administrative burdens experienced by people accessing support.
Dr Jeremiah Brown
University of Melbourne Social and Political Sciences
11:45am-12:45pm | Panel discussion
Collaborative policy-making: how multi-sector collaboration can foster effective policies for financial resilience and bridge the gaps between research, government and community services.
Gareth Evans
Financial Inclusion Centre (UK)
Dr Jeremiah Brown
University of Melbourne Social and Political Sciences
Speaker to be confirmed
St Vincent de Paul Society NSW
Speaker to be confirmed
NSW Council of Social Service
Speaker to be confirmed
Organisation to be confirmed
12:45pm-1:45pm | Break
Lunch
1:45pm-3:15pm | Concurrent sessions 1
Sessions 1a, 1b and 1c run at the same time.
Concurrent session 1a
Session facilitator to be confirmed
Topic 1 to be confirmed
Speaker 1 to be confirmed
Centre for Women’s Economic Safety
Topic 2 to be confirmed
Speaker 2 to be confirmed
Organisation 2 to be confirmed
Topic 3 to be confirmed
Speaker 3 to be confirmed
Organisation 3 to be confirmed
Concurrent session 1b
Session facilitator to be confirmed
Topic 1 to be confirmed
Speaker 1 to be confirmed
Organisation 1 to be confirmed
Topic 2 to be confirmed
Speaker 2 to be confirmed
Organisation 2 to be confirmed
Building financial resilience at a local level.
Gareth Evans
Financial Inclusion Centre (UK)
Concurrent session 1c
Session facilitator to be confirmed
Topic 1 to be confirmed
Speaker 1 to be confirmed
Organisation 1 to be confirmed
Topic 2 to be confirmed
Speaker 2 to be confirmed
Organisation 2 to be confirmed
Topic 3 to be confirmed
Speaker 3 to be confirmed
Organisation 3 to be confirmed
3:15pm-4:15pm | Break
Afternoon tea, networking and discussion
6pm | Conference dinner
Hosted at Mantra on Salt Beach, Kingscliff. Dinner will include live entertainment, a three course meal, and a selection of beer, wine and sparkling wine. Dinner registration is managed separately to conference attendance and can be completed via our Humanitix page here.
Day 2 | Wednesday 19 March 2025
8:30am-9:30am | Registration
Registration and information desk opens 8:30am
9:30am-9:40am | Conference welcome day 2
Dr Archana Voola
MC
Jenni Beetson-Mortimer
Northern Rivers Community Gateway CEO
NSW Financial Inclusion Network Chairperson
9:40am-10am | Day 2 opening address
Senator the Hon Jenny McAllister (invited)
Australian Minister for Emergency Management
10am-10:45am | Keynote address
Topic to be confirmed
Speaker to be confirmed
The Personal Finance Research Centre, University of Bristol (UK)
10:45am-11:15am | Break
Morning tea
11:15am-12:45pm | Concurrent sessions 2
Sessions 2a, 2b and 2c run at the same time.
Concurrent session 2a
Session facilitator to be confirmed
Money conversations: empowering 29k+ people in our organisation to chat about their finances.
Kristen Harnett, Bee Orsini, Emma Lalic
Salvation Army
Saver Plus – the world’s largest and longest running matched savings and financial education program.
Daniel Crotty
Brotherhood of St Laurence
Building the financial capability of community sector workers.
Kathy Nemeth
Good Shepherd Australia
Concurrent session 2b
Session facilitator to be confirmed
Energy affordability, insights and the impact of cost of living pressure on energy consumers.
Janine Young
Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW
Topic 2 to be confirmed
Speaker 2 to be confirmed
Organisation 2 to be confirmed
Topic 3 to be confirmed
Speaker 3 to be confirmed
Organisation 3 to be confirmed
Concurrent session 2c
Session facilitator to be confirmed
Topic 1 to be confirmed
Speaker 1 to be confirmed
Youth Action
Topic 2 to be confirmed
Speaker 2 to be confirmed
Organisation 2 to be confirmed
Topic 3 to be confirmed
Speaker 3 to be confirmed
Organisation 3 to be confirmed
12:45pm-1:45pm | Break
Lunch
1:45pm-3:15pm | Concurrent sessions 3
Sessions 3a, 3b and 3c run at the same time.
Concurrent session 3a
Session facilitator to be confirmed
Topic 1 to be confirmed
Speaker 1 to be confirmed
Organisation 1 to be confirmed
Topic 2 to be confirmed
Speaker 2 to be confirmed
Organisation 2 to be confirmed
Topic 3 to be confirmed
Speaker 3 to be confirmed
Organisation 3 to be confirmed
Concurrent session 3b
Session facilitator to be confirmed
Case conferencing for financial counsellors (CPD points) – case 1
Speaker 1 to be confirmed
Financial Counsellors’ Association of NSW
Case conferencing for financial counsellors (CPD points) – case 2
Speaker 2 to be confirmed
Financial Counsellors’ Association of NSW
Case conferencing for financial counsellors (CPD points) – case 3
Speaker 3 to be confirmed
Financial Counsellors’ Association of NSW
Concurrent session 3c
Session facilitator to be confirmed
Topic 1 to be confirmed
Speaker 1 to be confirmed
Organisation 1 to be confirmed
Topic 2 to be confirmed
Speaker 2 to be confirmed
Organisation 2 to be confirmed
Topic 3 to be confirmed
Speaker 3 to be confirmed
Organisation 3 to be confirmed
3:15pm-3:45pm | Break
Afternoon tea
3:45pm-4:30pm | Closing address
Topic to be confirmed
Presenter to be confirmed
NSW Council of Social Service
4:30pm-4:45pm | Conference close
Dr Archana Voola
MC
Jenni Beetson-Mortimer
Northern Rivers Community Gateway CEO
NSW Financial Inclusion Network Chairperson