Adelaide hosts major conference on housing issues

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Monday, 6 February 2012

More than 250 housing experts from around the world will discuss current and looming housing issues for the 21st century at a three-day conference hosted by the University of Adelaide from February 8-10.

The theme of the 6th Australasian Housing Researchers' Conference this year is "Housing in an era of risk and crisis". The event will include keynote speeches on housing stress, the impact of the global financial crisis and the development of new housing policies to meet a range of challenges over the next 30 years.

One of the highlights of the conference will be a presentation on housing policies and programs for South Australia in the 21st century by the State Minister for Housing and Urban Development, the Hon. Patrick Conlon.

Topics under discussion will cover many aspects of housing, including the link between disability and homelessness; housing and social mix; the growing gap between supply and demand in housing; and a comparison of housing systems worldwide.

The conference committee chair, Professor Andrew Beer from the University's Centre for Housing, Urban and Regional Planning, said the three-day meeting would bring together some of the world's brightest minds in housing.

"We are looking forward to hearing some really innovative research ideas which will address a whole range of challenges in the housing sphere, here and abroad," Professor Beer said.

"These challenges include how to deliver housing to an ageing population, new approaches to manage the increasing gap between supply and demand, and ensuring that housing needs are met for vulnerable groups such as the disabled, socially disadvantaged and Indigenous populations."

Other keynote addresses will be delivered by:

• Professor Graeme Hugo, one of Australia's leading population housing experts, from the University of Adelaide;
  
• Professor Ray Forrest from the City University of Hong Kong, discussing housing differences between China and the west;
  
• Dr Lucy Groenhart from RMIT University, who will look at the pros and cons of tenure mix in housing;
  
• Dr Owen Donald, Chairman of the National Housing Supply Council, who will give a report on drivers of social change in household size;
  
• Emeritus Professor David Thorns from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, who will outline global and local challenges for housing policy in a world of increasing uncertainty and risk;
  
• Mr Sean Innis, Group Manager of Housing, Homelessness and Money Management Group in the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Communities and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA), whose topic is 'Policy is about People'.

Delegates are from Australia, New Zealand, China, Indonesia, Sweden, Singapore, the UK, the United States and Japan.

For more details about the conference and a full program, go to www.adelaide.edu.au/churp/ahrc12/

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