This month marked the launch of Rank the Energy Retailer 2025 — a collaborative national project led by FCVic, examining how energy retailers are supporting customers in hardship. The launch event, held in Melbourne and livestreamed nationally, featured speakers from across the sector — including financial counsellors, regulators, and industry representatives — and generated strong media interest, including coverage featuring yours truly across ABC platforms. Early conversations with industry and regulators suggest the findings are already prompting important reflection — and we’re looking forward to building on that momentum in the months ahead.
The launch of this report also coincides with the final stages of our Workforce Development Project. This major body of work brings together economic analysis, workforce strategy and practice guidance — all developed through deep consultation with financial counsellors, agency managers, and sector partners. The outputs of this project are substantial: from new caseload guidelines designed to support sustainable practice, to a 10-year strategy that charts a path for the future growth, funding, and capability needs of Victoria’s financial counselling sector. These resources will be launched later this year, in partnership with Consumer Affairs Victoria, and will form a key part of our forward agenda.
The Workforce Strategy is particularly timely, aligning with the upcoming review of the Financial Counselling Program by Consumer Affairs Victoria. Together, these two initiatives set the scene for what comes next in our sector. But they also sharpen a familiar tension: how to respond to long-term reform opportunities, while staying grounded in the real capacity constraints many agencies and workers are facing right now. Balancing the need to grow and adapt with the responsibility to protect existing workforce wellbeing is not simple — but it is essential. As we navigate this terrain, we’ll continue to advocate for investment in both the future of the profession and the sustainability of the workforce that delivers it.
Speaking of advocating for the sector, our advocacy and engagement work over the past month has included targeted engagement with both state and federal governments. In May, we attended the 2025–26 State Budget lockup and Treasurer’s Lunch, which gave us an opportunity to provide members with rapid analysis and updates on key funding outcomes. We’ve also secured a meeting with the Attorney-General to discuss financial counselling needs in the prison system, particularly in light of recent bail law reforms. Separately, we’re continuing conversations about the future of small business financial counselling — an area where demand remains high, but program funding is uncertain. As always, we’re drawing on member insights to guide these discussions, and working to ensure your frontline experience informs policy reform.
Looking ahead, we’ll be sharing more information soon about the FCVic Conference in Lorne this October — and, excitingly, registration is now open! The theme this year — Sparking Change — reflects our shared ambition to challenge the status quo and reimagine how systems can work better for people in hardship. I’m also pleased to confirm that we’ll be offering on-site childcare at the Conference this year. As I shared on LinkedIn, access to childcare made it possible for me to attend the FCA Conference with my young family. We want to offer that same flexibility and support to our members — and help make the Conference more accessible for parents and carers across the sector.