The 5th Financial Inclusion Conference

Conference program

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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 Dance 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

Cara Varian
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
NSW Ministerial Advisory Council on Ageing

 

1b – First Nations perspectives on building financial resilience (1.5 CPD points)

The Indigenous Financial Services framework
Elisha Byrnes
Emily Browne
Australian Securities and Investments Commission

First Nations perspective on building financial resilience
Tracey McCurdy
Indigenous Consumer Assistance Network

Building financial wellness in First Nation communities
Adam Fair
Prosper Canada

 

1c – Beyond Blue workshop (1.5 CPD points)

Services guide for financial and mental wellbeing providers, Money and Mental Health quiz and help-seeking survey results
Irene Verins
Beyond Blue

3:15pm-3:45pm | Break

Afternoon tea

3:45pm-4:30pm | Day 1 closing address

Takers not makers

Rod Goodbun
Oxfam Australia

6pm | Gala dinner

Hosted at Mantra on Salt Beach, Kingscliff.

The evening starts with pre-dinner drinks at Surge Bar by the Mantra Pool Deck from 6pm-7pm.

The evening continues with dinner from 7-11pm in the Plantation Room, including live entertainment, a three course meal, and a selection of beer, wine and sparkling wine.

Dinner registration is separate to conference attendance and can be completed via our Humanitix page here.

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

Topic to be confirmed

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 Harnett, Bee Orsini, Emma Lalic
Salvation Army

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

 

2b – Driving change in the cost of living crisis (1.5 CPD points)

Bill shock! Examining cost of living pressures on energy consumers.
Janine Young
Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW

Topic 2 to be confirmed
Jodie Brown
Service NSW

Portable long service leave for community workers
Presenter to be confirmed
NSW Long Service Corporation

 

2c – Strengthening financial resilience and wellbeing through recovery and innovation (1.5 CPD points)

Building the financial resilience of people in post-flood crisis accommodation 
Renee Bailey
Northern Rivers Community Gateway

The disaster planning and recovery project
Speaker to be confirmed
Thriving Communities Australia (to be confirmed)

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 – Financial wellbeing and economic dignity: practice and research perspectives (1.5 CPD points)

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

 

3b – Financial counsellors’ workshop (1.5 CPD points)

Case conferencing for financial counsellors – case 1
Speaker to be confirmed
Financial Counsellors’ Association of NSW

Case conferencing for financial counsellors – case 2
Speaker to be confirmed
Financial Counsellors’ Association of NSW

Case conferencing for financial counsellors – case 3
Speaker to be confirmed
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 NSW

Cara Varian
NSW Council of Social Service

4:30pm-4:45pm | Conference close

Dr Archana Voola
MC

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