Anika Legal's Housing Justice Forum 2026

Welcome to Anika Legal’s Housing Justice Forum—an annual gathering of leaders and innovators addressing Australia's most debated issue: housing. This year's speaker lineup features influential voices from government, legal, and community sectors.  

Co-hosted by Anika Legal and Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, The Forum will explore the growing gap between the rights Victorian renters hold in law and the rights they are able to safely and realistically exercise in practice.

Drawing on the findings of Evicted - Anika Legal’s latest action research report examining how retaliatory eviction can undermine renters’ rights across Victoria - the Forum will shine a light on the barriers preventing renters from exercising their legal rights.

Bringing together government, policymakers, community legal professionals, renter advocates and housing services, alongside the insights and experiences of those working across the sector, we will examine where the system is falling short of its own promises - and, importantly, what needs to change.

Because a right on paper is only meaningful if a renter can exercise it in practice.

Join us for what promises to be an important and thought-provoking conversation about the future of housing justice in Victoria.

Cost: Free

Speakers:

Dr Heather Holst, Commissioner for Residential Tenancies, Victoria

Heather is an expert in tenancy, homelessness and housing policy with experience across service delivery, organisational management, policy development and research. Prior to her role as the Commissioner for Residential Tenancies, Heather worked for many years in community homelessness services. Since 2025, Heather is also the Commissioner for Retirement Villages in Victoria as part of substantial reform to that sector.

Hon Kevin Bell AO KC

Hon Kevin Bell AO KC grew up in social housing.  He is a former justice the Supreme Court of Victoria, commissioner with the Yoorrook Justice Commission and director of the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law at Monash University (where he is now an adjunct professor and teaches international human rights law). He is the Patron of Tenants Victoria and currently works as an independent writer, researcher and educator in human rights, especially on the right to housing.   

Panel Moderator

Erin Turner, CEO Consumer Policy Research Centre

Erin Turner is the CEO of the Consumer Policy Research Centre, a think tank that champions ideas to make markets fairer for Australians.

She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a board member of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) and Way Forward. Erin is the Chair of ARC Justice, the community legal centre in Central and Northern Victoria, which includes her hometown Shepparton on beautiful Yorta Yorta Country.

Panellists:

Shane McGrath, Senior Housing for The Aged Action Group

Shane McGrath is the Senior Tenancy and Retirement Worker at Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG), which collaborated with Anika Legal on our latest report, Evicted. The Tenancy and Retirement team advocate for older renters across a range of housing types, including caravan and residential parks and retirement villages.

Danielle Haley, Paralegal Anika Legal

Danielle Haley is a law student with more than a decade of experience in the housing and homelessness sector. She is currently completing a Bachelor of Laws at Swinburne University and holds a postgraduate qualification in Housing Management and Policy.

Danielle also volunteers as a paralegal with Anika Legal, where she works across tenancy matters including bond disputes, repairs and retaliatory evictions. She is passionate about housing justice and improving access to legal support for people experiencing disadvantage.

Emily Southwell, Principal Lawyer Anika Legal

Emily is Anika Legal’s Principal lawyer and is responsible for overseeing Anika's legal practice. She has a background in public policy development and reform across the areas of justice, Aboriginal land rights and police and prisons accountability. Emily co-authored Anika Legal’s latest action research report, Evicted, which examines how retaliation can undermine renters’ rights in Victoria.