House on FireMC
Karen Percy
Karen Percy is a veteran news reporter, with more than 30 years’ experience, including a stint as a foreign correspondent. She is passionate about gender equity and diversity, and a strong advocate for ethical journalism and press freedom.
Karen is a co-Vice President of the Media section of the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance – the union for journalists – and a director of the Walkley Foundation. She is Chair of the Dart Centre Asia-Pacific which focuses on trauma and journalism.
Introduction
Senator the Hon Jane Hume
Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and the Digital Economy
Minister for Women’s Economic Security
Minister Hume is passionate about her portfolios – from improving Australia’s superannuation system, ensuring it is transparent, efficient and fit-for-purpose; to facilitating Australia’s ambition to be a world leading digital economy and society by 2030; to ensuring the best possible economic outcomes for women, there is much work to do.
Read more
Linda Hahn
Linda first experienced housing stress when she was 55. She now is actively engaged in advocating for the housing needs of older women in Queensland via the Housing Older Women (HOW) Movement. The Movement evolved from meetings convened by women with a lived experience of housing related stress and homelessness in Queensland and has been supported by Q Shelter since the first gathering in December 2019. HOW’s vision is to ensure Queensland older women have safe, secure, and affordable housing appropriate to their needs, which fosters wellbeing and enables aging in place.
Political Panel
Tanya Plibersek MP
Tanya Plibersek is the Shadow Minister for Education, Shadow Minister for Women, and the Federal Member for Sydney.
Between 2013 and 2019, Tanya was Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Deputy Leader of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party. From 2013 to 2016, Tanya was also the Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development.
Tanya served as a Cabinet minister in the Gillard and Rudd Governments. Tanya was Minister for Health, Minister for Medical Research, Minister for Housing, Minister for Human Services, Minister for Social Inclusion, and Minister for the Status of Women.
Senator Larissa Waters
Larissa was first elected to the Senate in 2010 and has represented Queensland in federal parliament for more than a decade. She is co-deputy leader of the Australian Greens and is the Greens spokesperson for Women, Democracy, Mining & Resources, Tourism, and Gambling.
Before federal parliament, Larissa worked as an environmental lawyer in the community sector for eight years, helping communities to use the law to protect the environment. She was named 2010 Australian Young Environmental Lawyer of the Year by the Law Council of Australia.
Penny Leemhuis
Penny Leemhuis is a social activist and housing affordability advocate. Since 2014 Penny has represented Older Women at Risk of Housing Vulnerability. She advocates for equitable, systemic change for women in Australia. Particularly Penny focuses on secure, affordable housing for women over the age of 45.
Zali Steggall MP
Zali Steggall OAM is the Independent Federal Member for the seat of Warringah in Sydney’s North.
She is also Australia’s most successful alpine skier, winning a bronze medal in slalom at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, and a World Championship gold medal in 1999.
From 2008, Zali was a practising Barrister, specialising in commercial law, sports law and family law. In 2019, Zali contested the Federal Parliamentary Seat of Warringah as an Independent Candidate. The seat had been held for nearly 25 years by former Prime Minister The Hon. Tony Abbott. On 18 May, Zali won the seat with a two candidate preferred vote of 57.24%.
Breakout Sessions
1. Older women, housing and family and domestic violence
Jess Hill – Convenor
Jess Hill is a Walkley-award winning investigative journalist who’s been reporting on domestic abuse for several years. Prior to this, she was a Middle East correspondent, and worked as both a producer and reporter for various current affairs programs across the ABC. In 2019, she published her first book, See What You Made Me Do, about the phenomenon of domestic abuse in Australia. It was awarded the 2020 Stella Prize, has been shortlisted for several others, including the Walkley Book Award and the Prime Minister’s Literary Award, and has been adapted into a television series for SBS. Currently, Jess is working on an audio documentary series called The Trap with the Victorian Women’s Trust.
Annabelle Daniel OAM
Annabelle has been a leader in the social sector for 20 years, working in private enterprise, the Australian government and the community sector. Prior to joining Women’s Community Shelters , she was a Senior Leader in the Department of Human Services, overseeing the Child Support program.
As CEO of Women’s Community Shelters, Annabelle Daniel has worked with local communities around NSW to establish and open six shelters at Hornsby, Forster, Castle Hill, Penrith, Bayside and Parramatta. She has also been instrumental in the ongoing success of the very first WCS shelter which opened in Manly in 2010.
Jocelyn Bignold OAM
Jocelyn Bignold, is the CEO of McAuley Community Services for Women, a Victorian organisation which provides support, advocacy and accommodation for women and their children who are homeless, primarily as a result of family violence or mental illness.
Armed with more than 25 years of experience in community development, policy development, management and advocacy, Bignold has worked in many areas of community services including aged care, children and adults with chronic illness, adults with intellectual and psychiatric disabilities, adults and families experiencing homelessness, imprisonment and family violence.
Nemat Kharboutli
Nemat Kharboutli is currently the Acting CEO at Muslim Women Australia (MWA), which is a representative body for Muslim women working to enrich humanity, advocating for equality and the rights of all women, through authentic leadership based on our Islamic principles. Established in 1983, MWA now provides frontline specialist domestic violence, homelessness and settlement support for multicultural communities as well as community development, educational and recreational initiatives for Muslim communities.
Nemat works collaboratively across the women’s sector to advocate for a sexual, domestic and family violence free and inclusive Australia. Nemat’s introduction to MWA began as a participant in their youth leadership camps. Professionally, she has been actively involved with MWA for the last 10 years in both operational and governance roles. Previously she has worked at Strathfield Council as the Multicultural Services Officer and as a Community Liaison Officer for the Australian Federal Police.
Nemat is a humbly proud Australian Muslim woman, of Lebanese heritage. Having graduated with a Bachelor of Social Science (Criminology and Social Policy) from University of New South Wales, she is passionate about social justice, social inclusion, diversity, policy and women’s issues.
Suzanah-Jo Day
Su is 67 years’ old and living at Mosman House, a medium- term supported transitional property for women over 50 through Women’s Community Shelters, Link Housing and Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter. Su was referred to Mosman House due to family violence and because could not afford a private rental on the age pension and remain in Sydney where she has lived most of her life. Su has worked hard to heal and is passionate about advocating for women by sharing her story.
2. Local-scale solutions
Dr Katrina Raynor – Convenor
Dr Katrina Raynor is a Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne. Her research focuses on affordable housing policy and cross-sectoral partnerships for housing delivery. Katrina is the Academic Convener of the Hallmark Research Initiative for Affordable Housing, a cross-faculty research group focused on improving housing outcomes for low income households. Katrina publishes widely and frequently provides commentary on affordable housing policy and delivery on radio, tv and newspaper platforms. Katrina is passionate about research that supports policy and advocacy and is currently studying emerging solutions for older women at risk of homelessness.
Cheryl Axleby
Cheryl is a proud Narungga Woman, passionate about improving the quality of life for her people.
Cheryl held the role as CEO of Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement from 2012-2020 and National Co-chair of National Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Legal Services from 2014-2020.
Cheryl now works as the Relationship Manager for SA for Aboriginal Community Housing Limited and has held the role as the National Co-chair of Change the Record, the only Aboriginal led Justice Coalition in Australia since 2016.
Erin Dolan
Erin Dolan is Program Manager – Homelessness and Affordable Housing for the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation. The Foundation is an independent community foundation that has supported Melbourne’s charities and the critical issues facing Melbourne since 1923. The Foundation has worked on addressing homelessness as a priority for over a decade and recognises that the supply of affordable housing is one of the primary causes of homelessness.
Erin is an experienced grants program manager, with over 15 years’ working in the industry. Her role entails developing and managing granting programs using best practice philanthropy and a focus on systemic change. She is the Chair of Philanthropy Australia’s Affordable Housing Funders Network and writes on issues relating to homelessness and affordable housing.
Rebecca Oelkers
Rebecca Oelkers is Brisbane Housing Company’s Chief Executive Officer. Rebecca brings to the role a strong vision for strategic growth and a deep understanding of the company, having held Executive roles with BHC over the past 13 years, including as Chief Operations Officer and Business Development Manager.
Rebecca’s experience in the affordable housing sector spans over 19 years, across a variety of affordable housing projects including the establishment of Catalyst Affordable Housing, partnering with LNG proponents to provide affordable housing in regional Queensland. Rebecca plays a key role for BHC in identifying new partnerships, business models and opportunities to enhance the future of the organisation. Rebecca is the Deputy Chair of the Community Housing Industry Association and a Board Member of UDIA Queensland. She has a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Arts, and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and recipient of the 2018 UDIA Women in Leadership Award.
Rebecca is a passionate advocate for affordable housing issues and has presented at national, state and local housing forums on housing affordability issues.
Peter Sibly
Peter has worked the majority of his life in the not for profit sector and has held a number of different community housing positons in Latrobe Valley and western suburbs of Melbourne. Peter worked with the Mornington Peninsula Shire for six years in a social planning role and also completed 18 month international development role in remote parts of Timor Leste. Currently he is the General Manager of the United Housing Co-operative in Yarraville which manages 102 long term social housing properties. He has served as HAAG Treasurer since the Special General Meeting in June 2017, and brings management, finance and governance experience to the Committee.
3. Influencing for change
Fiona York
Fiona has been working with older people for almost 20 years in a variety of roles within the community sector, including in elder abuse, community aged care, cultural diversity and, most recently, in housing. She has post-graduate qualifications in Community Development, Ethics and Legal Studies and brings a social justice perspective to all aspects of her work. She has worked with Housing for the Aged Action Group since 2016, and has been in the Executive Officer role since May 2018, leading the organisation’s strong commitment to diversity and advocacy for older people in housing stress.
Kirsten Deane
Kirsten Deane is the General Manager of the Melbourne Disability Institute. An interdisciplinary institute based at the University of Melbourne, the work of MDI is focused on providing much needed evidence, data and research to address the complex problems faced by people with disability in this country.
Prior to joining MDI, Kirsten was the Campaign Director for Every Australian Counts, the grassroots campaign that fought for the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). She also served as Executive Director of the National Disability and Carer Alliance. With her ability to bring people together and her clear communication skills, Kirsten played a critical role in building political and public support for this world-leading reform. Since then, she has continued to push for the NDIS to achieve its original vision. Kirsten has also served on numerous ministerial councils and advisory committees, including Co-Chair and Deputy Chair of the National People with Disability and Carer Council. A former journalist turned academic, Kirsten has three children and, as a result, has excellent conflict mediation skills.
Kate Colvin
Kate Colvin is national spokesperson for Everybody’s Home, the national campaign to end homelessness and fix the broken housing system, and is also Deputy CEO of the Council to Homeless Persons, the peak body for the homelessness sector in Victoria. Kate has worked in senior leadership and advocacy roles in community organisations for the past 25 years, and has played a key role in the development and leadership of other housing campaigns, including Australians for Affordable Housing and the Vote Home campaign.
Anna Brown
Equality Australia CEO Anna Brown’s fingerprints are on nearly every major reform for LGBTIQ+ people in recent years. She played a critical role in the campaign for marriage equality co-chairing the Equality Campaign and running the challenge to the postal plebiscite in the High Court.
Anna has been instrumental in hard fought battles to secure federal LGBTI discrimination protections, remove discriminatory laws across the country and right historical wrongs by establishing schemes to erase historical homosexual offences. Anna’s legal work has helped to ensure that young trans people can access vital hormone treatment without the cost and delay of going to court, advanced marriage equality and furthered recognition of sex and gender diversity.
Alistair Webster
Alistair Webster is a lawyer and social and public policy expert with extensive experience across government, the community, not-for-profit and philanthropic sectors, delivering strategic policy solutions to complex and entrenched social and political issues. Recently he was the Campaign Director for the Building Better Homes Campaign, which successfully advocated for the inclusion of mandatory minimum accessibility standards to be included in the National Construction Code.