LIVING CO-OPERATIVELY

Affordable Housing - Sustainable Communities

Petersham Town Hall, Sydney 13-14 February 2008

A two day symposium to develop a response at all levels of government to urban Australia’s ‘affordable housing’ crisis.  

Can co-operatives provide a solution to one of Australia’s most pressing social and economic challenges – the crisis in affordable housing?

Co-operative researchers, urban planners, state and national housing politicians investigate the link between co-operatives and strong, sustainable communities. The symposium will explore models and options for local government provision of affordable housing, and alternative financing arrangements for co-operative living in Australia.

This is a great opportunity to help set the agenda in housing policy in this new political environment.

Theme:

The theme “Living Co-operatively” will explore the complementary ideas of “living co-operatively” and “housing”, both fundamental concepts in a well balanced civil society. It captures the idea of communities living in a co-operative and democratic manner, and focuses on the co-operative organisational model, which in many other parts of the world is an integral part of community life.

Topics:

• Co-operative living – an international perspective (Gun-Britt Mårtensson: Keynote speaker)
• Building social capital through co-operative living: the civil society framework
• Affordable Housing: case studies, models and options
• Case studies of success in Australia
• Financing options for affordable housing
• Options for Local Government
• The State and Federal view
• Ideas and solutions: setting the agenda … more

 

The Symposium will be opened by the Hon Linda Burney, NSW Minister responsible for Fair Trading, Youth, Volunteering and Co-operatives.

 

 

 

 

Our keynote speaker, Gun-Britt Mårtensson is a Swedish co-operative leader and international co-operative housing expert. Her visit to Australia will provide an opportunity to learn from her vast experience, to reflect on the Australian situation, and inspire dialogue and ideas for future options.

 

Audience
The symposium should appeal to representatives of local and state government, housing bodies, political and social advocates and all those interested in the debate around housing and sustainable communities.

Living Co-operatively consortium

Presented by Living Co-operatively Consortium: University of Technology Sydney (CCS), Marrickville Council, Parramatta City Council, Association to Resource Co-operative Housing (ARCH), Co-operative Federation of NSW and The Mercury Centre.

Email lc@mercury.org.au to be on our alert list for updates to this site.

 

Symposium Registration

Registration for Living Co-operatively Symposium is available online or by downloading a PDF form that can be faxed or posted.

For enquiries and media please contact Suzanne Henderson 0407 104 268