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-9:20am | Welcome to Country
Uncle Victor Slockee
Tweed Byron Local Aboriginal Land Council
Biren Cultural Group
Traditional dance
9:20am-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. Justine Elliot MP
Australian Assistant Minister for Social Services, Australian Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence
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.
Dr Archana Voola
Panel facilitator
Gareth Evans
Financial Inclusion Centre (UK)
Dr Jeremiah Brown
University of Melbourne Social and Political Sciences
Yolanda Saiz
St Vincent de Paul Society NSW
Ben McAlpine
NSW Council of Social Service
Honorary Professor Roslyn Russell
RMIT University School of Economics, Finance and Marketing
Adam Fair
Prosper Canada
12:45pm-1:45pm | Break
Lunch
1:45pm-3:15pm | Concurrent sessions 1
1a – Uncovering financial vulnerability (1.5 CPD points)
Exclusions faced by women experiencing economic abuse
Rebecca Glenn
Centre for Women’s Economic Safety
The Carer Financial Wellbeing strategy
Melissa Docker
Carers NSW
Cumulative financial disadvantages faced by older people, with a focus on LGBTQIA+ vulnerabilities
Roy Starkey
Independent consultant on ageing and vulnerability
1b – First Nations perspectives on building financial resilience (1.5 CPD points)
ASIC’s Indigenous Outreach Program
Elisha Byrnes
Emily Browne
Australian Securities and Investments Commission
First Nations perspective on building financial resilience
Tracey McCurdy
Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network
Building financial wellbeing in First Nation communities
Adam Fair
Prosper Canada
1c – Beyond Blue workshop (1.5 CPD points)
Financial and mental wellbeing: Beyond Blue’s research and resources
Irene Verins
Beyond Blue
3:15pm-3:45pm | Break
Afternoon tea
3:45pm-4:30pm | Day 1 closing address
Takers not makers, how billionaires profit while billions struggle
Rod Goodbun
Oxfam Australia
6pm | Gala dinner
Dinner registration is separate to conference attendance and can be completed via our Humanitix page here.
Pre-dinner drinks
From 6-7pm, enjoy informal drinks around the pool at Peppers Cove Bar.
Gala dinner
From 7pm, dinner in Peppers Ballroom will include a three course meal with a selection of beer, wine and sparkles. Live entertainment and dancing will be courtesy of local musical legend Jason and the Smyths.
Dinner dress code
Dress code – cocktail. To make our evening more interesting, we invite dinner guests to dress according to the theme Recycled for a sustainable future – it’s time reclaim that old suit or dress that’s been hiding in the back of your wardrobe for years. Or perhaps put together a second-hand ensemble that is oh so op-shop chic!
Day 2 | Wednesday 19 March 2025
8am-9am | Registration
Registration and information desk opens 8am
9am-9:15am | Conference welcome
Welcome and housekeeping
Dr Archana Voola
MC
9:15am-10am | Keynote address
25 Years of advancing financial inclusion in Canada: lessons learned and a bold vision for the future
Adam Fair
Prosper Canada
10am-10:45am | Keynote address
What does financial wellbeing look like for young people and how can we make it happen?
Honorary Professor Roslyn Russell
RMIT University School of Economics, Finance and Marketing
10:45am-11:15am | Break
Morning tea
11:15am-12:45pm | Concurrent sessions 2
2a – Building financial resilience: empowering conversations and lasting solutions (1.5 CPD points)
Money conversations: empowering 29k+ people in our organisation to chat about their finances.
Kristen Hartnett, Bee Orsini, Emma Lalic
Salvation Army Australia
Saver Plus at 21: building resilience that lasts.
Dr Emily Porter
Brotherhood of St Laurence
The missing gap – upskilling the community sector to address cost of living pressures on clients.
Kathy Nemeth
Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand
2b – Financial wellbeing and economic dignity: practice and research perspectives (1.5 CPD points)
Bill shock! Examining cost of living pressures on energy consumers.
Janine Young
Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW
Building financial resilience at a local level
Gareth Evans
Financial Inclusion Centre (UK)
Economic dignity and its relationship to financial wellbeing
Dr Jeremiah Brown
University of Melbourne Social and Political Sciences
2c – Strengthening financial resilience and wellbeing through recovery and innovation (1.5 CPD points)
Building financial resilience for post-flood disaster recovery
Renee Bailey
Northern Rivers Community Gateway
Resolving barriers to service access and resilience through collaborative innovation
Bridgette McManus
Thriving Communities Australia
Building financial wellbeing through job-focussed social enterprise
Kelly Taylor
White Box Enterprises
12:45pm-1:45pm | Break
Lunch
1:45pm-3:15pm | Concurrent sessions 3
3a – Driving change in the cost of living crisis (1.5 CPD points)
The Service NSW Savings Finder
Jodie Brown
Service NSW
Addressing cost of living pressures on First Nations communities
Bettina Cooper
Mob Strong Debt Help
Emerging trends in youth vulnerability
Lauren Stracey
Youth Action
3b – Working with financially vulnerable clients (1.5 CPD points)
Be like Clancy: the value of a strengths-based approach
Beth Schwalbe
Anglicare Sydney
Working with clients through the change journey
Rob Benton
UnitingCare National Debt Helpline
Supporting the most vulnerable from predatory institutionalisation
Rovind Kant
Salvation Army, Financial Counsellors’ Association of NSW
3c – Trauma-informed practice workshop (1.5 CPD points)
Working with vulnerable people and trauma-informed practice
Sharmaine Keogh
Kimberley Smith
Northern Rivers Community Gateway
3:15pm-3:45pm | Break
Afternoon tea
3:45pm-4:30pm | Day 2 closing address
Financial inclusion in New South Wales
Cara Varian
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