Powerpoint presentations from workshops run at the Ending Homelessness Conference (Sept 2009) can be viewed on the QCOSS events site.

A wrapup from Kate Langdon of Queensland Shelter can be viewed on the Shelter website.

In her opening address to the Conference, the Hon. Karen Struthers, Queensland Minister for Community Services and Housing and Minister for Women highlighted the significant elements of the 'unprecedented level' of future spending on housing and homelessness in Queensland.

The State expects to build 4000 new units of social housing under the economic stimulus package, will receive $200 million under the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, and a further $1 billion under the National Partnership on Remote Indigenous Housing.

That was the message from Nan Roman, President and CEO of the US National Alliance to End Homelessness when delivering the keynote presentation on the first day of the Ending Homelessness Conference held in Brisbane 2nd & 3rd,  September 2009.

Ms Roman was referring to the 10 year plan of the Alliance now in its last year, but it was a message emphasised to conference participants by all speakers on the opening day as they reflected on the unique opportunity now facing Queensland and Australia as a whole under the White Paper and the economic stimulus package.

Audio and presentations from keynotes, workshops and plenary sessions have been added to the Queensland Homelessness Conference area of the site. 

Liz Giles, Manager of the City of Sydney's Homelessness Unit, presented on the development of local plans to end homelessness, looking particularly at work being done by local councils and by a consortium of non-Government agencies in western Sydney.

On any night in the US, there are 650,000 homeless of which 40% are unsheltered. In any one year, 1% of the total population in the US, and 10% of poor population of the US experience homelessness each year. While 80 % don’t stay homeless very long, 20% are chronically homeless. 

The Keynote Address on the first day of the Conference was delivered by Nan Roman, President and CEO of the US National Alliance to End Homelessness. The address focused on the 10 year plan of the Alliance, now in its 9th year, with Nan reflecting on the genesis of the plan, describing some examples of the operation of the plan in US cities, and identifying key features of successful plans.