08:30am
Registration
09:00am
Welcome to Country
Wurundjeri Elder Uncle Tony Garvey
09:15am
Opening address
The Hon Harriet Shing, Victorian Minister for Housing
09:45am
Plenary First Nations Housing and the Treaty Process
In November 2024, the Victorian Government and the First Peoples’ Assembly began negotiating Australia’s first Treaty. Learn about the role of the Assembly and the Treaty process, and hear First Nations perspectives on how we can work together to change Victoria’s current housing system to better meet the needs of Aboriginal Victorians.
Darren Smith, Aboriginal Housing Victoria
Travis Lovett, Yoorrook Justice Commission
Djaran Murray-Jackson, First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria Member
Damein Bell, First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria
Facilitator: Jenny Samms
Sponsored by
10:45am
Morning tea
Sponsored by
11:15am
Concurrent sessions
SPVs demystified: everything you need to know
Discover the drivers and implications of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) for your business, and what it means for the community housing sector more broadly. Hear from the authors of recent analysis on this topic as well as sector leaders on the pros and cons of establishing and managing SPVs.
Speakers
Rob Tyson, Director, Polis Partners
David Fisher, CEO, Housing Choices Australia
Lee Monik, Chief Governance Officer, Community Housing Ltd
Facilitator: Jess Pomeroy, CHIA Vic
Sponsored by
Community housing – an accidental career?
Who comes to work in our sector and why? How can we attract, keep and develop the community housing workforce? Dive into insights from the 2024 workforce survey on motivation and career aspirations, hear about actual career pathways of community housing workers and take part in a workshop designed to explore participants’ career paths and build an understanding of the dynamics of the sector workforce.
Speakers
Robin Zakharov, Director, Workforce, CHIA Vic
Leonie Harris, Aboriginal Housing Victoria
Facilitator: Jennie Bentley, Manager HR/OD, AHV
Sponsored by
The future of tenancy dispute resolution
Starting mid-2025, Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria (RDRV) will streamline tenancy dispute resolutions by creating new pathways for managing rent, damages, repairs, and bonds, diverting cases away from VCAT. This session explores RDRV’s role in the broader context of social housing disputes. This includes how housing managers can help avoid disputes, what is changing in the formal dispute management process, and potential community housing practice improvements.
Speakers
Senior Manager Kylea Campana, VCAT
Jennifer Beveridge, CEO, Tenants Victoria
Lisa May, State Operations Manager, CHL
Facilitator: Jason Perdriau, CHIA Vic
Aboriginal cultural walk
Join the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation on a guided walking tour through the inner city. The tour will highlight the significant history of the Wurundjeri people and the cultural connection between people and place.
Please note: This walk will proceed regardless of the weather so come prepared! Book your spot during registration. Numbers are limited; waitlists available.
12:30pm
Lunch
Sponsored by
1:30pm
Plenary Building the future of community housing
Gain a better understanding of Homes Victoria’s vision for the community housing sector at this facilitated discussion with Simon Newport, the CEO of Homes Victoria. The conversation will touch on community housing’s role in the social housing system, how to grow the community housing sector into the future and much more.
Simon Newport, CEO, Homes Victoria
Facilitator: Sarah Toohey, CHIA Vic
Sponsored by
2:00pm
Plenary Launch of House Keys Victoria
Join us for the launch of House Keys Victoria and see how this innovative industry benchmarking tool can help improve tenancy services and financial performance for community housing organisations.
2:15pm
Concurrent sessions
Future directions in social housing regulation
Now that the Victorian government has responded to the final report of the Social Housing Regulation Review, what will this mean for the sector? What are the next steps? Be part of the conversation around how we can move towards a national regulatory system and discover insights from the first year of real time regulation in this not-to-be missed conference session.
Speakers
Justin Peysack, Housing Registrar
Dr David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy and the Social Economy at RMIT University; and Chair, Victorian Government’s Social Housing Regulation Review
Katelyn Butterss, VPTA
Simon Duell, Homes Victoria
Facilitator: Liz Thomas, Common Equity Housing Ltd
Harnessing AI for community housing: opportunities and risks
Get ready to dive into the tech revolution! Explore where the AI landscape is up to for not-for-profit organisations and how you can use AI to support your business.
From unpacking key terms to exploring the range of apps available, this session will help you to understand how AI could be used in your organisation, and to identify and manage the risks involved in using AI tools.
Speaker
Kate vanderVoort, Social Mediology
Facilitator: Tara Miller, Haven Home, Safe
Innovative construction for social housing
Prepare to be inspired in this session as we explore how modern methods of construction are being used to deliver social housing in Australia. From off-site manufacturing to standardised designs and processes to 3D printing, you will leave thinking differently about how you can design and build your next community housing project.
Speakers
A/Prof Duncan Maxwell, Building 4.0 CRC and Monash University
Brad Draper, Aboriginal Sustainable Homes
Lucy Simms, Women’s Property Initiatives
Facilitator: Dr Corrie Williams, Master Builders Victoria
3:45pm
Afternoon tea
4:15pm
Plenary Funding resilient and fragile social housing systems: reflections from Ireland and Denmark
Wrap up the first day with an engaging presentation live from Ireland by Professor Michelle Norris, an international expert in social housing. Using case studies from Ireland and Denmark, she will explore how financing structures impact social housing growth, offering insights applicable to Victoria and Australia.
Professor Norris will close the session with an interactive live Q&A, where you can ask your questions directly and engage in a lively discussion.
Professor Michelle Norris, University College Dublin
5:00pm – 6:00pm
Networking drinks
08:30am
Registration
09:00am
Welcome
09:00am
Opening address
The Hon Clare O’Neil, Federal Minister for Housing
09:30am
Plenary Perspectives on the future of community housing
Following four years of furious growth the community housing sector is at an inflection point, waiting on a federal election outcome and new funding commitments from the Victorian government to know what the next phase of growth will look like.
This panel brings together thinkers in finance, research, and public opinion to unpack what is possible for the future of community housing. Join us for a discussion of what needs to be done to support the growth of community housing over the long term from a range of different perspectives.
Sarah Broadbent, IFM Investors
Kath Hulse, Swinburne University
Kos Samaras, The Red Bridge Group
Scott Langford, Housing Australia
Facilitator: Gemma Pinnell, Right Lane Consulting
10:30am
Morning tea
11:00am
Concurrent sessions
Collaborative partnerships: workshopping a key worker housing model
Join us for an interactive workshop on creating a key worker housing model through partnerships between local councils, employers, and community housing organisations. Kick off with dynamic presentations from council, employer, and CHO perspectives, then dive into collaborative group discussions to brainstorm and refine the key elements of a key worker housing model. Be part of shaping the future of key worker housing in Victoria!
Speakers
Jim Spillane, Principal Policy Officer – Affordable Housing, City of Melbourne
Bess Nolan-Cook, CEO, Tourism Northeast
Charlie Souma, Group GM Affordable Housing Services, Evolve Housing
Facilitator: Steph Ng, CHIA Vic
Housing the continuum: co ops, co-contributions and collaborations
Solutions to Australia’s housing crisis are needed across the housing spectrum. This session covers three innovative solutions from home ownership to solving homelessness.
Come and learn how new program models, alternative funding sources, innovative design and partnerships can help improve the supply of safe, stable and affordable housing.
Speakers
Liz Thomas, CEO, Common Equity Housing Limited
Fiona Herman, Chair, Common Equity Housing Limited
Nicola Foxworthy, Imagine Housing
Meron Tierney, Beyond Housing
Facilitator: Tanya Davidge, Open House Melbourne
Safe at Home: reducing homelessness for family violence survivors
With affordable housing becoming increasingly hard to find, responses to family violence that require the victim-survivor(s) to relocate can ultimately lead to them becoming homeless. Gain critical insights into the benefits of taking a ‘safe at home’ approach when supporting victim-survivors of family violence and how you can make a difference to the experience of your renters with presentations from family violence practitioners as well as a survivor advocate.
Speakers
Mishka, Survivor Advocate, Safe and Equal
Liz Ratcliffe, Safe and Equal
Rachel Zbukvic, Safe and Equal
Facilitator: Safe and Equal
12:30pm
Lunch
1:30pm
Concurrent sessions
Empowering futures through training and employment pathways
Discover how community housing can be a launchpad for training and employment opportunities! Get inspired as we explore three innovative models creating new pathways for renters. Hear about programs breaking down barriers for women and girls, and two unique employment initiatives for social housing residents. Leave with fresh insights on how your organisation can shape the future of employment in the not-for-profit sector.
Speakers
Cara McDougall, CHIA NSW
Radhika Ittiel, Uniting VT
Mikaela Straface, WomenCan Australia
Facilitator: Jordan Heaney, CHIA Vic
Can the Plan for Victoria deliver the affordable housing we need?
Housing affordability and choice are at the heart of Victoria’s new planning strategy. Don’t miss this exciting session where we’ll unpack what this new plan means for the future of social and affordable housing.
Join a dynamic panel of experts from government, industry, and academia as they discuss the new Plan and how we can ensure that it creates a Victoria where everyone enjoys the dignity of a secure, affordable home.
Speakers
Lester Townsend, Department of Transport and Planning
Patrick Fensham, President of PIA Vic and Principal at SGS Planning and Economics
Stephen Glackin, Senior research fellow, Centre for Urban Transitions, Swinburne University
Oscar McLennan, CEO, Ys Housing
Facilitator: Sarah Toohey, CHIA Vic
Embracing partnerships to deliver better housing support
Community housing and support organisations must join forces to provide high quality services to renters with diverse and complex needs. But how can they collaborate effectively while staying true to their roles?
Join us to explore the biggest challenges in this space, from funding and eligibility to the availability of support workers. Discover which issues have the most significant impact and learn about innovative models that can inspire new approaches to renter support.
Speakers
Mark Heeney, Executive Director Housing Strategy, Mind Australia
Trudi Smith, Aboriginal Housing Victoria
Molly O’Shaughnessy, VincentCare
Georgia Griffin, VincentCare
Facilitator: Lisa May, Community Housing Ltd
Aboriginal cultural walk starts at 1pm
Join the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation on a guided walking tour through the inner city. The tour will highlight the significant history of the Wurundjeri people and the cultural connection between people and place.
Please note: This walk will proceed regardless of the weather so come prepared! Book your spot during registration. Numbers are limited; waitlists available.
2:45pm
Afternoon tea
3:00pm
Concurrent sessions
How to deliver climate friendly property upgrades that work for renters
Discover innovative ways to retrofit existing properties to better withstand climate change while delivering what renters want most for their homes. This engaging session brings together a panel of experts to share insights on the impacts of various home upgrades, renter preferences, and how to maximise renter benefits when applying sustainable design principles to your projects.
Speakers
Joshua Danahay, Climateworks Centre
Jacob Wallace, Homes Victoria
Dr. Trivess Moore, RMIT University
Facilitator: Jess Pomeroy, CHIA Vic
Resilience strategies for housing workers
Learn how to manage the emotional impact of working with tenants who face mental health challenges. We’ll focus on recognizing signs of compassion fatigue, implementing self-care practices, and seeking support to maintain well-being and effectiveness in your role.
This session will provide practical support and education to help housing workers manage these challenges effectively.
Speaker
Ian Goodhardt, Goodhardt consulting
Facilitator: Holly Mullaney, CHIA Vic
The community engagement journey: from concept to creating community
Discover ways that community housing organisations can engage with communities at every stage of a new housing development—from inception to ongoing engagement once renters have moved in. Through compelling case studies, our presenters will showcase how they’ve successfully fostered a sense of community by collaborating with renters, neighbouring residents, and the broader community.
Join us to learn how to create vibrant, connected communities!
Speakers
Alicia Hooper, Strategic Initiatives Coordinator, Surf Coast Council
Matt Harris, Housing Choices Australia
Alex Collins, Housing Choices Australia
Mubeen Hamza, Community Place Manager, Haven Home Safe
Facilitator: Alicia Hooper, Surf Coast Council
4:00pm
Closing Plenary
4:30pm
Conference close
