The FCVic 2025 Conference, held 9-10 October in Lorne, brought together financial counsellors, financial capability workers, industry partners, and advocates for two days of learning, collaboration, and inspiration. This year’s theme, ‘Sparking Change’, captured the energy and purpose of our sector as we explored bold ideas to strengthen fairness, resilience, and trust in communities. From systemic advocacy to practical skills, the program highlighted how collective action and diverse voices can drive meaningful change for those experiencing financial hardship.
Day One at the Conference: Sparking Change Together
The opening block of our conference set the tone for a day of inspiration, challenge, and collaboration. Each session reminded us that change – while never easy – is essential for building fairness and resilience in our communities.
A Warm Welcome
We began with a heartfelt welcome from our Conference MC, Michele Padbury, Senior Financial Counsellor at VincentCare Victoria. Michele reflected on the professionalism and growth of the sector over her 20+ years of experience. She spoke about the transformative role of financial counsellors – a theme that resonates strongly with this year’s focus on sparking change.
Her message was clear: change is not easy, but it is vital. These words struck a chord with financial counsellors, financial capability workers, and stakeholders in the room, all gathered to explore the evolving nature of our sector.
Welcome to Country
We were honoured have a Welcome to Country from Shane Harrison, from the Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation. Shane travelled a long way to join us and left us with a powerful reminder that as we immerse ourselves in the conference, we should also take time to connect with the land and appreciate the beautiful environment surrounding us.
A Message from Parliament
In a video address, The Hon. Dr Daniel Mulino MP thanked financial counsellors for their invaluable work in the community. He reflected on the past year, highlighting the critical role of financial counsellors in disaster recovery, particularly around insurance issues following the 2022 Victorian floods.
Dr Mulino revisited the launch of the Unsettled report last August, noting its influence in parliamentary discussions and the testimony provided by financial counsellors. He emphasised that the report’s recommendations are under active consideration – a testament to the sector’s systemic impact.
Keynote Address: Sparking Change
Our keynote speaker, Zoe Daniel, delivered a thought-provoking address centred on the theme of sparking change. Drawing on her experiences as a journalist and parliamentarian, Zoe explored the complexities of change – emphasising that it is rarely smooth and never instantaneous.
She argued that meaningful change is driven from the ground up, through community and collaboration, rather than imposed from the top down. Zoe posed a critical question: where is fairness today? She highlighted the pivotal role of financial counsellors in rebuilding trust and fairness within communities.
Her call for intersectional and diverse voices underscored the need for inclusive leadership. Zoe reminded us that hope and vision emerge from grassroots efforts – through kitchen table conversations and community-driven initiatives. Michele Padbury captured the essence of Zoe’s message perfectly when she said that anyone can make change by identifying issues, collaborating, and working with ideals like fairness and respect, and that everyone can be a leader.
The Housing and Homelessness Crisis
The block continued with Sarah McKenzie from Per Capita, who tackled the urgent issue of housing and homelessness. Sarah challenged us to rethink the language of “crisis,” arguing that Australia’s housing challenges are chronic and edging toward catastrophe.
She highlighted systemic failures that disproportionately affect women, older Australians, and people experiencing family violence, disability, or low income. Sarah called for bold, urgent action, advocating for a national planning authority to coordinate housing policy across states and councils.
With public housing stock at just 3%, she urged us to aim for 6% and adopt models like South Australia’s statewide scheme for affordable housing. Her closing message was clear:
Our identity is tied to our homes. We must act now, and we must act together.
Day One, Block Two: Energy, Equity, and Empowerment
The second block of the day shifted focus to energy – a theme that sparked passionate discussion about affordability, fairness, and systemic change.
Ranking the Energy Retailers
We opened the block with a video overview of our Rank the Energy Retailer project – a collaborative effort between Financial Counselling Victoria (FCVic), in partnership with Financial Counselling Australia (FCA), the Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC), and Energy Consumers Australia (ECA).
The video featured insights from Sarah Duane, a financial counsellor at Westjustice and Convenor of our Essential Services Network, as well as representatives from retailers mentioned in the report, including EnergyAustralia and Engie. This introduction set the stage for a deeper conversation about accountability and the role of energy providers in supporting vulnerable consumers.
Energy Affordability and the Case for a Social Tariff
The first panel brought together Eirene Tsolidis-Noyce, David Bryant, Rory Anderson, and Sarah Duane to explore energy affordability and the concept of a social tariff. The discussion was grounded in dignity – ensuring that people can afford essential energy without sacrificing health or wellbeing.
The panel highlighted the stark reality: in Victoria, energy prices rose by an average of 14% last year. While rebates and concessions exist, they rely on consumers navigating a market that is complex by design. This complexity creates barriers, particularly for those already experiencing hardship.
Speakers drew attention to the energy-health nexus – the way energy rationing impacts health outcomes. For example, people may forgo heating or cooling, compromise food preparation, or struggle to buy medications because they are prioritising bill payments. Client stories revealed themes of shame and stigma, which make it harder for people to seek help. A social tariff would ease these burdens, reduce administrative barriers, and restore dignity by making energy affordable for all.
Click here to view the slides for this presentation.
Driving Change Through a Consumer Duty
Next, we heard from Catherine Wolthuizen, CEO and Ombudsman at the Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria (EWOV). Catherine delivered a compelling case for introducing a Consumer Duty in the energy regulatory framework to better protect Victorian consumers.
She explained that rapid changes in the energy market – including growing complexity and the uptake of technologies like rooftop solar and battery storage – create new risks. Current prescriptive regulations are struggling to keep pace, particularly around affordability and hardship. Catherine argued that a Consumer Duty would embed fairness in regulation and shift responsibility for minimising harm from consumers to businesses, who are better placed to identify and reduce risks.
“A Consumer Duty would create an adaptive and flexible framework that moves with the market,” Catherine said, noting that principles-based protections have worked effectively in other sectors. While not a cure-all, this approach would make a meaningful difference.
Catherine also reflected on the importance of embedding societal norms into service delivery and considering individual circumstances when people seek help. As cost-of-living pressures grow, the role of financial counsellors is more critical than ever.
Regulatory Insights from the Essential Services Commission
The block continued with Gerard Brody, Chairperson of the Essential Services Commission (ESC). Gerard opened by discussing the recently announced reforms to the Energy Retail Code of Practice, which was met with enthusiasm from the audience. He then outlined enforcement actions taken by the ESC, including penalties for breaches of the Payment Difficulty Framework, family violence protections, and marketing rules – totalling $5.3 million in the past financial year.
Gerard also highlighted ongoing work with Greater Western Water on proposed remedies, upcoming family violence protections, and the ESC’s new strategic plan. He closed by thanking financial counsellors for their input into the Rank the Energy Retailer report and for their continued advocacy in shaping fairer energy systems.
Putting Safety at the Centre for Essential Services
Our pre-lunch panel brought together Ciara Sterling, Gerard Brody, Sarah Duane, Lisa Anelli, and Amanda Kennedy to explore how safety can be embedded across essential services. The discussion began with a clear message: consistency is key for family violence responses. Some suppliers, such as AGL and Yarra Valley Water, were highlighted for having executive-level responders to family violence reports – a practice described not just as a regulatory expectation but as a societal one, reflecting the need for good governance and a culture of care.
The panel noted that large organisations can be vulnerable to misuse, where internal communication gaps allow perpetrators to exploit systems. Feedback loops and strong governance were identified as critical to reducing these risks. Speakers emphasised the importance of broadening language to identify people experiencing family violence and building awareness of available protections.
Two key takeaways emerged: everyone needs to be aligned on family violence responses, and trust is fundamental – trust between financial counsellors and essential service providers, trust from providers to consumers, and trust from consumers that reporting will lead to safety. Ultimately, this comes back to culture and governance, which underpin effective and compassionate responses.
This block reinforced a powerful message: energy and essential services are not just utilities – they are lifelines. Ensuring affordability, safety, and dignity requires systemic reform, collaborative advocacy, and a shared commitment to protecting those most at risk.
Thursday Afternoon: Learning, Launches, and Looking Ahead
After lunch, delegates had the opportunity to dive into a series of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) breakout sessions designed to challenge, inform, and inspire. The program offered something for everyone – from practical skills to complex casework insights. Sessions included unpacking insurance products like TPD, income protection and life cover; exploring professional dangerousness and ethical shadows in practice; peeling back layers of complexity in client work; building workshop skills to engage and empower communities; identifying and safely engaging with adults who use family violence; and understanding and preventing vicarious trauma. This diverse spread of topics reflected the breadth of knowledge and resilience required in financial counselling practice today.
FCVic members can access the slides from Conference CPD sessions via the CPD Library, in your Members’ Portal.
Launching the Future of Financial Counselling
At 4:00pm, we gathered to launch Growing Financial Counselling in Victoria: The Next 10 Years – a landmark series of reports that includes our Victorian Workforce Strategy, economic and social impact analysis, and evidence-based caseload guidelines. This work sets out a bold vision for sector growth and sustainability, and we’re thrilled with the reception so far.
Thank you to everyone who joined us in person at the FCVic Conference in Lorne, tuned in online, or has since read the reports. Your engagement with this important piece of work means a lot. You can read a separate update here and watch the video launch here on YouTube.
Speakers included Zyl Hovenga-Wauchope (CEO, FCVic), Georgina Molloy (Projects Coordinator, FCVic), Jean Cameron (RMIT), and Brad Ruting (Impact Economics), who shared insights into the strategy and its implications for the future of financial counselling in Victoria.
Financial Counselling Karaoke
After the launch, the glamorous Debt-Free Divas took the stage for a financial counselling-themed rendition of Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5. It was a light-hearted moment that brought smiles and energy to the room before the day’s final updates.
Introducing the FCVic Strategic Plan 2025–28
We then introduced FCVic’s new Strategic Plan for 2025–28, a roadmap for strengthening financial counselling in Victoria over the next three years. This plan focuses on securing sustainable funding, building trusted relationships, growing and supporting the workforce, and driving systemic advocacy. It positions financial counselling as a vital, respected part of Victoria’s social and economic safety net.
From Advocacy to Action: FCVic’s Year in Review
Zyl Hovenga-Wauchope delivered an overview of FCVic’s achievements over the past 12 months, highlighting major reports, systemic advocacy wins, parliamentary engagement, and initiatives to champion the profession. From launching the Workforce Strategy to deepening relationships with government and regulators, the update showcased how member insights and collaboration have powered progress.
Key highlights included:
- The launch of Growing Financial Counselling in Victoria: The Next 10 Years.
- Engagement with MPs through FCVic’s first Parliamentary Briefing.
- Advocacy on workforce conditions and funding stability.
- A 126% increase in CPD points awarded and expanded support for financial counsellors through training, supervision, and networks.
Excitingly, Zyl announced that early next year, we will be holding a Community Disaster Resilience Forum. We will be announcing the date, speakers and further information soon. If you want to get involved, please contact FCVic’s Disaster Recovery Lead, Kellie Davis: [email protected]
Gala Awards Dinner
The evening concluded with the FCVic Gala Awards Dinner – a night of celebration, connection, and sparkle. Pre-dinner drinks began at 7:00pm, followed by a seated dinner at 7:30pm. The event honoured long-serving financial counsellors and award winners, with a full photo album and highlights available in a separate article — click here to read.
Day Two: Trust, Change, and Community
The second day of the conference opened with a sense of continuity and purpose, building on themes from Day One – particularly trust, which emerged as a secondary thread throughout yesterday’s discussions.
FCA Update
Dr Domenique Meyrick from Financial Counselling Australia began with reflections on trust – a theme that surfaced repeatedly yesterday, including in Zoe Daniel’s keynote and in conversations about why people hesitate to seek help.
Domenique outlined FCA’s ongoing work to raise awareness of financial counselling among decision-makers, a priority shared with FCVic. She highlighted four critical questions now being asked by government: What is the need? What is the demand? What is the outcome? What is the supply? Answering these requires robust evidence and alignment with both national and state workforce strategies.
She acknowledged challenges for new entrants to the sector, First Nations workers, and solo practitioners, reinforcing the importance of workforce development initiatives.
Funding the Future of Financial Counselling
Next, Elissa Freeman provided an update on the Financial Counselling Industry Fund (FCIF), tracing its origins through two decades of advocacy. Elissa explained the fund’s principles and grant strategy, including rounds focused on expansion, innovation, and workforce development. She echoed Domenique’s earlier point: the sector must demonstrate need, demand, outcomes, and supply to secure sustainable funding.
Click here to access the slides from this presentation.
Power in the Pause: Menopause in the Workplace
Grace Molloy delivered a compelling session on menopause in the workplace, blending medical insight with practical implications for employers. She explored symptoms such as brain fog, fatigue, and reduced concentration, and how these can lead to feelings of inadequacy and early workforce exit – with significant financial consequences.
Grace made a strong business case for menopause-friendly workplaces, noting the cost of losing experienced staff and the long-term impact on financial security. Her message was clear: change starts with education, open conversation, and reducing stigma.
Click here to access the slides from this presentation.
Beyond Blue: Supporting Small Business Wellbeing
A short video from Beyond Blue highlighted mental health challenges faced by small business owners and introduced the NewAccess for Small Business Owners (NASBO) program. This early intervention service offers coaching and structured support, with over 7,500 participants to date.
Small Business Financial Counselling in Victoria’s West
Shane Annett from Rural Financial Counselling Service Vic West / Finwell provided valuable insights into small business financial counselling in rural communities. He contrasted in-person and tele-counselling models, noting that face-to-face engagement often builds trust – a recurring theme of the conference – while noting that tele-appointments are a lifeline against isolation in the rural context. Shane described the unique pressures faced by farmers and small businesses, where external factors like weather amplify stress.
He also spoke about the role of community spaces, such as local sports events, in fostering resilience and connection, and how these informal settings often lead to new client relationships.
Click here to access the slides from this presentation.
Minister’s Address
We were thrilled to hear from The Hon. Nick Staikos MP in person, who expressed strong support for the financial counselling sector. The Minister highlighted recent rental reforms, the portable rental bond scheme, and upcoming work to define financial hardship in council rate contexts.
He praised programs like Mortgage Stress Victoria for preventing foreclosures and acknowledged the health-financial counselling nexus through Cancer Council Victoria funding. Nick also noted that Consumer Affairs Victoria-funded financial counsellors assisted more than 21,000 clients in 2024–25. He congratulated the sector on its Workforce Development Strategy and the Growing Financial Counselling in Victoria: The Next 10 Years initiative launched yesterday.
This morning block reinforced the importance of trust – between clients and financial counsellors, between sectors, and within workplaces – as a foundation for systemic change and community wellbeing.
After a final round of CPD sessions and lunch, we gathered for the closing sessions of the conference – a mix of art, insight, and forward-looking discussion.
Bringing Hidden Voices to Light Through Art
We began with Nelson Nghe and Lina Miao. Nelson is a visual artist and gambling harm activist, and Lina is the Convenor of the FCVic Gambling Issues Network. They shared Nelson’s deeply personal art practice exploring the harm caused by gambling on poker machines – known as “tiger machines” in Cantonese. Nelson spoke about the devastating impact gambling has had on his family and community, costing homes and stability.
A Western Sydney-based artist, Nelson works across painting, photo media, and assemblage, using mixed media and playful abstractions to illuminate lived experiences of gambling harm. His exhibition LOSSES DISGUISED AS WINS reimagines hidden domestic moments through evocative found objects and images, highlighting the emotional toll on loved ones – particularly children, who are often silent sufferers.
Nelson’s work amplifies these hidden voices and challenges the societal structures that allow gambling harm to persist. For those who missed the session, we recommend listening to this ABC Art Show recording: click here.
Click here to access the slides from this presentation.
Financial Counselling: The Next 10 Years
Our final panel brought together Zyl Hovenga-Wauchope, Sarah Davidson, Rob Roles, and Bronwyn Davis to reflect on the future of financial counselling.
Rob opened with a call to embrace technology to reduce administrative burdens, while stressing that financial counsellors must learn to use AI tools ethically and practically. Bronwyn spoke about meeting clients where they are – shaping a more flexible approach to service delivery.
Zyl addressed how FCVic will support agencies to adopt caseload guidelines from the Growing Financial Counselling report series, using tools like Agency Manager Network meetings. Rob returned to the importance of data for advocacy and systemic change, noting that AI could assist with language translation for CALD communities and trend analysis – but emphasised that technology should never replace human connection.
Bronwyn reflected on challenges ahead for family violence clients, citing housing, Centrelink, and SCHADS Award changes as areas of concern. Zyl reiterated that equitable access depends on more funding, while Rob highlighted the need for flexibility across local government boundaries to reduce service silos.
The panel closed with a strong message: financial counselling is “AI-proof” because its core lies in empathy and human interaction – qualities no algorithm can replicate.
Lighting the Change
We ended with an uplifting activity led by FCVic Training Manager Tanja Haeusler, demonstrating how individual lights can come together to illuminate a large space – a metaphor for the collective impact of financial counsellors. Claude Von Arx, FCVic’s Board Chairperson, and Zyl Hovenga-Wauchope reminded us that while our sector is small, its influence on clients and communities is immense.
This closing block captured the spirit of the conference: creativity, collaboration, and a shared commitment to shaping a future where financial counselling remains accessible, ethical, and deeply human.
As always, our thanks goes out to Conference Coordinator, Melanie Keenan, for organising a spectacular event. Thank you to all our partners, speakers, CPD presenters, the staff at the Mantra Lorne, and our members, for whom we strive to put together an interesting, informative and fun Conference!
If you have noted any errors or omissions in this article, please email Susan Boag, Communications Coordinator: [email protected]