Conference Agenda – Homelessness NSW Conference 2026

Conference
agenda

The Homelessness NSW Conference 2026 brings together the people and ideas driving meaningful change in homelessness policy, practice and lived experience.

This year’s theme, A Place to Call Home: Strengthening Services, Sustaining Systems Change, speaks to the dual need for strong, skilled frontline services and bold, long-term reform. The conference will be a space to connect, learn, challenge and collaborate with your peers.

Held over three days on Dharawal Country at Novotel Wollongong Northbeach, the conference will feature:

Leading keynote speakers, including our first confirmed international guest, Leilani Farha (The Shift)
Practical workshops and tools for immediate impact in your work
Insights from lived experts, researchers and cross-sector leaders
Opportunities for deep connection, inspiration and collaboration
A celebratory Gala Dinner on Wednesday 11 March.

Tuesday, 10 March 2026

Workshops

8:00 am – 9:00 am

Grand Ballroom Gallery

Registration

9:00 am – 10:30 am

Henry McCabe Room

Workshop1 : Beyond Burnout – Building a culture of care in the SHS workplace

Horatio O’Shea
Sydney Therapeutic Practice

Sydney Hoskins Room

Workshop 2: Turning Innovative Ideas into Impactful Programs

Ms Suzanne Hopman
CEO, Dignity

Ms Kim Taylor
Communications & Impact Manager, Dignity

Charles Throsby Room

Workshop 3: Working safely with people accessing SHS: An introduction to new SHS client risk and safety tools, to support informed decision making and planning

Greg Davies
Director, The Insight Partnership

Lacy Barron
Associate Manager, The Insight Partnership

10:30 am – 10:50 am

Grand Ballroom Gallery

Morning Tea

10:50 am – 12:30 pm

Henry McCabe Room

Workshop 1 re-convenes

Horatio O’Shea
Sydney Therapeutic Practice

Charles Throsby Room

Workshop 3 re-convenes

Greg Davies
Director, The Insight Partnership

Lacy Barron
Associate Manager, The Insight Partnership

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm

Grand Ballroom Gallery

Lunch & Afternoon Workshops Registration

1:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Charles Throsby Room

Workshop 4: Shaping Housing First implementation in NSW

Jessica O’Brien
Homelessness NSW

Tess McGregor
Homelessness NSW

Henry McCabe Room

Workshop 5: A Guide to Cultural Supervision to Support Aboriginal Staff in the SHS Sector

Monique Wiseman
Consultant

Sydney Hoskins Room

Workshop 6: AtoZ: Introduction to the Advance to Zero homelessness approach

David Pearson
Australian Alliance to End Homelessness

2:30 pm – 2:50 pm

Grand Ballroom Gallery

Afternoon Tea

2:50 pm – 4:00 pm

Charles Throsby Room

Workshop 4 re-convenes

Jessica O’Brien
Homelessness NSW

Tess McGregor
Homelessness NSW

Henry McCabe Room

Workshop 5 re-convenes

Monique Wiseman
Consultant

Sydney Hoskins Room

Workshop 6 re-convenes

David Pearson
Australian Alliance to End Homelessness

Wednesday, 11 March 2026

8:00 am – 9:00 am

Grand Ballroom Gallery

Registration

9:00 am – 9:15 am

Grand Ballroom

Welcome to Country

Aunty Joyce Donovan

9:15 am – 9:20 am

Grand Ballroom

Housekeeping and brief introduction

Karen Walsh
Consultant

9:20 am – 9:30 am

Grand Ballroom

Opening Remarks

Dom Rowe
CEO, Homelessness NSW

9:30 am – 9:45 am

Grand Ballroom

Address from Rebecca Pinkstone

Rebecca Pinkstone
CEO, Homes NSW

9:45 am – 10:15 am

Grand Ballroom

Address from the Hon. Rose Jackson

Hon Rose Jackson MLC
Minister for Housing, Homelessness, Youth, Mental Health and Water

10:15 am – 10:40 am

Grand Ballroom Gallery

Morning Tea

10:40 am – 11:30 am

Grand Ballroom

Keynote address: Not a Luxury: Home, Humanity & Human Rights

Leilani Farha
Global Director, The Shift

11:30 am – 12:30 pm

Grand Ballroom

From Crisis to Systems Change: Approaches to Homelessness and the importance of Housing First

Kate Colvin
CEO, Homelessness Australia

Caroline Hood
Former CEO, Clinical Social Worker, Independent
United States and Australia

Mr Sam Puleiku
Program Manager, Mission Australia – RESET4Youth
Australia

Lucy Burgmann
Homes NSW

Juha Kaakinen
Professor of Practice, University of Tampere

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm

Lunch

1:30 pm – 2:45 pm

Belmore Room

Concurrent Session 1A: No Shelter in the Shade: How climate change, extreme weather, and rising homelessness are shaping a perilous new era

Jon Swain
Homelessness Manager, City of Sydney, 2024 Churchill Fellow

Dr Tim English
Senior Lecturer – Heat and Health, University of Sydney

Professor Lisa Wood
Lead – Home2Health, Notre Dame University

Niki Gill
Operations Manager – North Coast Communities, Uniting

Glenn Miller
Peer Support Worker, St Vincents Homeless Outreach Team

Matt Larkin
Homeless Health Service Manager, St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney

Grand Ballroom

Concurrent Session 1B: Supporting victim-survivors of family and domestic violence and gender-based violence

Melina Matthia
Trafficking and Slavery Safe House Program Manager, The Salvation Army
Australia

Ms Manda Rochester
Program Manager, Helping Children Heal, Womens and Girls Emergency Centre
Australia

Kembla/Keira Room

Concurrent Session 1C: Showcasing innovation and collaboration in frontline services

Angela Whitby
General Manager Integrated Services, CatholicCare Diocese of Broken Bay

Rebecca Holton
Practice Manager Homelessness, Catholic Care Diocese of Broken Bay

Rob Holt
Service User, Dom’s Place

Mr Gregory Robinson
Director of Client Services, Mallee Accommodation and Support Program
Australia

Mrs Amy Cupper
Director of Practice, Mallee Accommodation and Support Program
Australia

Mr Trevor Gibbs
Manager – Homelessness Support, Mallee Accommodation & Support Program Ltd
Australia

Sarah Kingsbeer
Regional Manager North, Bridge Housing
Australia

Magdalena Liso
Area Manager Northern Sydney, Mission Australia
Australia

2:45 pm – 3:15 pm

Afternoon Tea

3:15 pm – 4:00 pm

Kembla/Keira Room

Concurrent Session 2A: Recognising the growing crisis: addressing housing insecurity for older people

Joan Hughes
Chair, NSW Ministerial Advisory Council on Ageing (MACA)

Yumi Lee
CEO, Older Women’s Network

Dr John Ward
Vice-President, Hunter Ageing Alliance
Australia

Ms Nissa Phillips
Hunter Homeshare Coordinator, Embrace People and Place
Australia

Ms Wendy Francis
Board Director and Homeshare Development Officer, HANZA Homeshare Australia and New Zealand Alliance
Australia

Grand Ballroom

Concurrent Session 2B: Homelessness is a public health emergency: translating best-practice principles into action

Ms Erin Longbottom
Nursing Unit Manager, Homeless Health Service, St Vincent’s Health Network Sydney
Australia

Chris Hartley
Research Fellow, City Futures Research Centre, University of New South Wales
Australia

Glenn Miller
Peer Support Worker, St Vincents Homeless Outreach Team

Tom Faulkner
Aboriginal Health Worker, Homeless Health Service

Belmore Room

Concurrent Session 2C: Service showcases: Supporting men experiencing homelessness

Mr Casey Barker
Lived Experience Peer Support Worker, The Salvation Army
Australia – Surry Hills NSW

Mr Natham Oppy
Lived Experience/Peer Support Worker, The Salvation Army
Australia

Mr Steve Morris
co-Founder StrongMinds, StrongMinds
Australia

Mr Aaron More
Co-Founder, StrongMinds
Australia

Cameron Barrack
Program Manager Homelessness & Outreach, The Salvation Army

4:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Grand Ballroom

Closing Plenary Day 1

Famey Williams
CEO, Aboriginal Housing Office

6:30 pm – 11:00 pm

Grand Ballroom

Gala Dinner

Thursday, 12 March 2026

Conference Day 2

8:00 am – 9:00 am

Grand Ballroom Gallery

Arrival and Registration

9:00 am – 9:10 am

Grand Ballroom

Welcome and opening remarks

Dom Rowe
CEO, Homelessness NSW

9:10 am – 10:00 am

Grand Ballroom

Keynote Address: Campaigning to end homelessness: lessons from the UK

Matt Downie MBE
CEO, Crisis UK

10:00 am – 10:30 am

Grand Ballroom Gallery

Morning Tea

10:30 am – 11:30 am

Grand Ballroom

Keynote Address – Ending Homelessness and Housing First in Finland

Juha Kaakinen
Professor of Practice, University of Tampere

11:30 am – 12:45 pm

Kembla/Keira Room

Concurrent Session 3A: Supporting people out of custody

Ms Jenny Holmes
Program Manager, WAGEC
Australia

Mr Kaine Duroux
Senior Case Worker Brothers Healing, The Salvation Army
Australia – Bundjalung and Gumbaynggirr

Mr Jeff Amatto
CEO and Founder, More Cultural Rehabs Less Jails
Australia – Wiradjuri

Miss Claire McMahon
Training Coordinator – Advocacy Research and Policy Unit, Community Restorative Centre
Australia

Ms Marisa Moliterno
Manager of Women’s Advocacy – Advocacy Research and Policy Unit, Community Restorative Centre
Australia

Grand Ballroom

Concurrent Session 3B: Enhancing SHS Access Equity for People with Complex Needs

Ms Yvette Doyle
Manager, Homelessness Sector Design & Stewardship, Homes NSW
Australia

Ms Rebecca Mawad
Program Officer, Homelessness Sector Design & Stewardship, Homes NSW
Australia

Ms Suzanne Naden
CEO, Bungree Aboriginal Association
Australia

Ms Lynda Townsend
Manager of Homelessness & Domestic Violence Support, Sora Community Services
Australia

Ms Charmaine Jones
Project Manager, StreetCare, Justice and Equity Centre
Australia

Belmore Room

Concurrent Session 3C: Supporting people during extreme weather and climate crisis events

Jon Swain
Homelessness Manager, City of Sydney, 2024 Churchill Fellow

Dr Tim English
Senior Lecturer – Heat and Health, University of Sydney

Professor Lisa Wood
Lead – Home2Health, Notre Dame University

Niki Gill
Operations Manager – North Coast Communities, Uniting

Glenn Miller
Peer Support Worker, St Vincents Homeless Outreach Team

Matt Larkin
Homeless Health Service Manager, St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney

Alejandro Vasquez Hernandez
Clinical Research Coordinator, Homeless Health Service, St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney

Krystal Donovan
First Nations Ambassador, New Horizons

12:45 pm – 1:45 pm

Grand Ballroom Gallery

Lunch

1:45 pm – 1:48 pm

Grand Ballroom

Sponsor Address – New Horizons

Kimberley Donovan
General Manager (North Coast), New Horizons

1:48 pm – 3:00 pm

Grand Ballroom

Plenary Session: Place-Based Collaboration, Local Networks and Cross-System Responses

Emma Barnett
Clinical Nurse Specialist, SVH: Homeless Health
Australia

Amira Karam
Case Manager: Missionbeat, Mission Australia
Australia

Ms Mekhala Wrightson
Nurse Unit Manager RPA Virtual Urgent Care, Team Leader/ LHD nurse Marrickville and Waterloo Street Side Medics clinics., Sydney Local Health District
Australia

Ms Joanne Plowes
Clinical Manager, Street Side Medics
Australia

Ms Kim Campbell
Director System Design, Homes NSW
Australia

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