The housing crisis – and beyond

Shelter NSW media release – 1 July 2009

The global economic recession and Commonwealth and state governments’ responses have provided an extraordinary opportunity to create a stronger and fairer housing system in Australia, according to the Executive Officer of Shelter NSW, Mary Perkins.

Ms Perkins was speaking on the eve of a one-day conference being held tomorrow (July 2) in Sydney, on the economic recession, its impacts on low-income Australians, and how governments should respond to the challenge.

The conference, ‘The crisis and beyond: for a stronger and fairer housing system’, is organized by Shelter NSW, a nonprofit social change agency.
The conference program covers the nation building economic stimulus plan, tax reform, sustainable homeownership, the responses of nonprofit housing providers and impacts on homeless people and tenants.

The conference will be addressed by the Australian and NSW housing ministers. Commonwealth Minister for Housing, the Hon. Tanya Plibersek MP, and NSW Minister for Housing, the Hon. David Borger MP, will be speaking at the opening session.

The other conference speakers are:

Mike Allen, Director-General of Housing NSW
Tom Slockee, Chairperson, Aboriginal Housing Office
Yuri Grbich, founding director of Australian School of Taxation, University of NSW
Simon Pinnegar, Deputy Director, City Futures Research Centre, University of NSW
John Mant, urban policy consultant
Carol Croce, Executive Director, Community Housing Federation of Australia
Sue Cripps, Chief Executive Officer, Homelessness NSW
Adam Farrar, Executive Director, NSW Federation of Housing Associations
Dean Price, Advocacy Projects Manager, People With Disability Australia
Grant Arbuthnot, Principal Legal Officer, Tenants Union of NSW
Julie Foreman, Learning and Development Coordinator, Tenants Union of NSW

The conference, ‘The crisis and beyond: for a stronger and fairer housing system’, is being held tomorrow, Thursday July 2, in Sydney, at the NSW Teachers Federation conference centre, Reservoir Street, Surry Hills.

Media representatives who wish to interview speakers are recommended to contact Mary Perkins or Katie Florance at the Shelter NSW office.

Enquiries:

Mary Perkins, Executive Officer – 0419 919 091 (m), 9267 5733 ext.14
Katie Florance, Policy Officer (Communications) – 0427 879 196 (m), 9267 5733 ext.15

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