Australian Homelessness Conference 2026: Disrupting the Narrative
I recently had the pleasure of attending the Australian Homelessness Conference and presenting a session as part of the program. This year's theme, Disrupting the Narrative, reflected the sector's commitment to challenging outdated assumptions about homelessness and driving meaningful change.
Throughout the conference, I attended a range of inspiring sessions. I learned more about the work of the Australian Alliance to End Homelessness, including the Advance to Zero approach and the critical role that community connections and data play in ending homelessness. Another session explored how we can better navigate and influence complex systems, focusing on making homelessness systems work for people rather than blaming the systems themselves.
I also saw the benefits of integrated health responses for people experiencing homelessness, including outreach services that provide access to GPs and nursing support directly to those sleeping rough.
Beyond the formal learning, the conference was a valuable opportunity to build new connections and reconnect with colleagues from Tasmania and across Australia.
I was particularly pleased to be part of the group presentation and discussion, Beyond Crisis. During the session, I spoke about the importance of moving from crisis responses to long-term solutions, sharing key learnings from the past seven years of Safe Space.
It was a worthwhile few days away, providing an opportunity to reconnect with the purpose of our work while gaining fresh ideas, insights and connections to support future efforts in addressing homelessness.
You can download and read my full session presentation here.
