As I reflect on the FCVic Conference 2025 in Lorne, I feel deeply thankful to and proud of the sector. It was a powerful few days of conversation, learning, and reconnection.
Hearing from financial counsellors from every part of the state, sharing their challenges and aspirations, reminded me again of the strength and generosity that defines this profession. The presentations were thoughtful and insightful, and the discussions honest and constructive.
My thanks go to the FCVic team for their tremendous work in bringing the conference together, and to Michele Padbury for her calm and engaging role as MC. It was also a joy to see so many children in the crèche — and to have my own family there. That sense of community, inclusion and care is what makes this sector so remarkable.
Workforce Strategy and Sector Growth
The conference marked the launch of Growing Financial Counselling in Victoria: The Next 10 Years — our Victorian Workforce Strategy and associated reports on the economic benefits of financial counselling and evidence-based caseload guidelines.
These reports reflect more than a year of collaboration and analysis. They were shaped by the contributions of financial counsellors, agency managers, stakeholders, and funders who share a vision for a sustainable financial counselling workforce with capacity to meet the increasingly complex and diverse needs of the Victorian community.
The reports and launch video are available here: 🔗 https://fcvic.org.au/victorian-workforce-strategy/
My thanks again to the Workforce Innovation and Development Institute (RMIT University), Impact Economics and Policy, Bartley Consulting, and the whole FCVic team but particularly Georgina Molloy and Susan Boag, as well as the many FCVic members and agency managers who took part. This work was funded by Consumer Affairs Victoria, and we appreciate the Victorian Government’s continued support.
Strategic Plan 2025–2028
We’ve also released FCVic’s new Strategic Plan 2025–2028, setting out our priorities for the next three years. Together, the Plan and the Workforce Strategy represent the culmination of a year of deep consultation and planning.
They express where we’re heading as a sector — focused, collaborative, and committed to ensuring Victorians can access financial counselling services to secure sustainable financial outcomes.
I look forward to continuing conversations with partners, stakeholders and members about how they see themselves in this work, to advance the ambition of these reports, and to discuss how we can help shape the next decade of financial counselling in Victoria together.
Advocacy and the SCHADS Award
Our ongoing advocacy efforts remain central to our work. Over recent months, FCVic has made a steady stream of submissions on critical issues affecting everyone experiencing vulnerability or financial hardship in Victoria.
Most significantly, we continue to voice our strong concerns regarding the Fair Work Commission’s provisional decision on the SCHADS Award. I was honoured to speak on behalf of Victorian financial counsellors at the recent ASU (Vic/Tas Branch) rally at the State Library of Victoria, joining colleagues across the community sector to stand for fairness, equity, and sustainability in the workforce. Click here to read more about this event.
The Commission’s decision on pay must be rejected. It undermines fairness, gender equity, and the viability of the very sector that protects people from financial harm. FCVic and I will continue to speak loudly about the need to protect pay and working conditions for the Victorian financial counselling workforce.
The Road Ahead
As the year draws to a close, our focus is already turning toward what comes next. Work is underway on FCVic’s Digital Transformation Roadmap, funded by the Financial Counselling Industry Fund and delivered in partnership with FCAN and agencies in Victoria and NSW
We’re also continuing to deliver our Community-Led Disaster Resilience projects, in particular focus as we come into the bushfire season. Our disaster resilience projects also lead into our recently announced Community Disaster Resilience Forum in March 2026, another opportunity to bring together people, ideas and partnerships that strengthen our collective impact.