Earlier this month, it was a real pleasure to come together with the sector and our partners at the Community Disaster Resilience Summit. The depth of insight, generosity of sharing, and strength of collaboration on display throughout the day were impressive, and I am very proud of the role Financial Counselling Victoria played in convening such a thoughtful and forward‑looking conversation. The Summit reinforced just how critical trusted relationships, coordination and early collaboration are to building stronger recovery and better outcomes for communities. These themes are reflected throughout this update.
As we build on that momentum, I am looking forward to our 2026 Conference, to be held on 8–9 October in Melbourne. Our theme, In Pursuit, reflects that the work we do is never finished. We are always striving, always learning, always improving, and always looking for better ways forward. We are in pursuit of innovation in how we respond to complex challenges, excellence in the way we support our sector and our clients, and stronger connections across our sector and with our partners, all in service of better outcomes. The Conference will be a chance for us to come together, share ideas, challenge ourselves, and continue that pursuit together. I hope to see many of you there.
This month also provided valuable opportunities to connect nationally. I travelled to Brisbane to attend the Financial Counselling Queensland Conference and was delighted to see the strength, creativity and impact of the work being led by our Queensland counterparts. These conversations, alongside my attendance at the Good Shepherd Financial Wellbeing Conference and discussions with partner organisations, reinforced the need for a more coordinated, long‑term approach to financial wellbeing. Supporting Ecstra’s call for a national and state financial wellbeing strategy remains a key priority, alongside FCVic’s deepening work on election campaign preparations to ensure the voice of financial counsellors is heard clearly in the months ahead.
Finally, this edition marks an important moment as we farewell Julie Barrow from her role as Family Violence Lead at FCVic. Julie’s contribution over the past five years has been significant, and her integrity, expertise and advocacy have strengthened both our practice and our voice as a sector. While it is never easy to say goodbye, we are grateful for Julie’s leadership and the strong foundation she leaves behind.
Thank you, as always, for the work you do every day and for your continued engagement with FCVic. I look forward to the conversations and collaboration ahead.