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State Election 2006: Spheres of Influence [Download PDF]
Wednesday 9 November 2005

For Victorian agencies working to address poverty and disadvantage, the 12-month lead up to a State Election presents an opportunity for strategic lobbying. The ‘how’, ‘why’, ‘where’ and ‘what’ issues were explored at a one day conference on 9 November 2005 organised by Catholic Social Services Victoria.

Below is a summary of the programme, and where available, links to the papers and presentations from the conference. All papers are copyright of the authors.

Plenary session 1: Influencing the poverty debate within different spheres of influence:

• Mark Peel, Senior Lecturer in History, Monash University
  (paper)
• Samara Pitt, Community Worker, Urban Seed (no paper available)
• Simon McKeon, Executive Chairman, Macquarie Bank (no paper available)

Plenary session 2: Outline of A Fairer Victoria, the ongoing steps

• John Thwaites, Deputy Premier (paper)

Workshop 1 All aboard - engaging campaigns which put poverty and disadvantage on the political agenda.

• Annie O’Rourke, Executive Director, Media Team Australia, Russel Howcroft, Chairman, Advertising Federation of Australia (no paper available)

Workshop 2 Strengthening Generations Ballarat: Creating Communities that Care - using a prevention focus to build community capacity and resilience in young people

• Jodie Downey, Project Officer, Commuities that Care, City of Ballarat, David Beaver, Chief Executive Officer, Centacare Ballarat (powerpoint)

Workshop 3 Intergenerational Equity: Who's feeling squeezed? Spending patterns and pressures for different groups.

• Gavin Dufty, Policy Manager, St Vincent de Paul (paper) (powerpoint)
• Terence Seedsman, Deputy Dean and Co-ordinator of International Programs, Victoria University of Technology (powerpoint)

Workshop 4 Affordable housing

• Lessons, pitfalls and the way forward. Jan Berriman, CEO, Melbourne Affordable Housing (powerpoint)
• The NIMBYs obstacle. Can we change a community mind set? Planning laws that meet all community needs. Gary Spivak, Housing Development Officer, City of Port Phillip (paper)

Plenary session 3: Outline of Liberal party’s vision for tackling disadvantage and poverty

• Robert Doyle, Leader of the Opposition (no paper available)

Workshop 6 Tackling difficult areas: identifying the measures that make a difference

• Mental health/homelessness initiative, a partnership between Sacred Heart Mission and The Alfred Psychiatric Department. Michael Perusco, Chief Executive Officer, Sacred Heart Mission (powerpoint)
• Helping women offenders post release to establish meaningful lives.  Findings from Women and Welfare After Prison research project. Rosemary Sheehan, Monash University (powerpoint)

Workshop 7 Community development: More inspirational stories from the bush and Melbourne’s growth corridors…

• Something out of left field: How a dog made a difference in a country town. Deborah Howcroft, Rural Mainstreet project, Casterton (powerpoint)
• Epping: How a community development model connected the communities of Epping. Michelle Harmer, Centacare (paper) (powerpoint)
• Rural community sustainability: A unique university/community partnership in Southern Grampians Shire, Kaye Scholfield, Community Partnerships and Projects, RMIT University, Hamilton Campus (paper) (powerpoint)

Workshop 8 Electronic gaming machines and disadvantage: The imperative to re-think gaming policies

• James Doughney, Senior research Associate, Victoria University, Gabriella Byrne, former gambling addict and proponent of The Third Way, a meeting place alternative to pokies venues (paper) (powerpoint)

Conclusion: Observations of the day

• Marilyn Webster, Policy Manager, Good Shepherd Youth and Family Services
  (paper)