2026 Housing Hub National Event: Disruptive Ideas in Disability Housing - Challenging the Status Quo
Housing Hub CE Alecia Rathbone explains why you should attend
Disruptive Ideas?
Whilst the NDIS has led to many life changing outcomes for people with disability, there's more to do to ensure that people with disability shape the systems and the housing decisions that affect them.
This national event will provide a platform for provocative and challenging conversations that test established ways of working, push boundaries and explore new possibilities for people with disability their families, and those who support them.
What does the event program look like?
Explore a full day of lived-experience perspectives, provocations, panels, debate and practical discussions. You can access the event program here.
How much does it cost to attend?
Community attendees * | $29
For people with disability attending in a personal capacity, family members & companions of people with disability
People with disability receive a $20 Bunnings voucher when registering in-person on the day of the event
Professional attendees *
For people with disability attending in a professional capacity, disability housing & support service providers, allied health & sector professionals | $499
SDA Alliance members | $449
Housing Hub Premium Plan holder * | $449
Housing Hub Growth Plan holder * | $474
If you're a SDA Alliance Member or a Housing Hub Premium or Growth Plan holder, contact us at events@housinghub.org.au to receive your access code to unlock these discounts.
Livestream Pass
To support participation and accessibility, we're offering a livestream pass for people that are unable to attend in-person.
Community attendees | $15
Professional attendees | $199
Prices exclude GST and Humanitix transaction fees.
* People with disability attending in a personal or professional capacity can bring one companion to the event free of charge. You'll need to provide details at check-out.
Why should you attend?
Bold conservations and live debates that challenge long standing assumptions and explore ideas that push beyond business-as-usual thinking | Lived experience in focus where the experience and opinions of people with disability and their supporters are front and centre. This is not an industry update. |
Innovation and future thinking that not only explores new possibilities across housing to expand choice, control and opportunity | Change in action that explores approaches that can might improve housing outcomes now |
Who is attending?
Our national event will bring together people with disability alongside their personal and professional supporters, as well as housing and support providers, allied health professionals, and industry and government representatives from across Australia.
Meet our Disruptors, Hosts & Guest Speakers
Dr George Taleporos (GAICD, PhD)
George is an experienced Public Policy professional with a demonstrated history of working in the government, non-government, disability and higher education sectors. He is skilled in disability rights, policy advocacy and management. George is CEO of Self Manager Hub, Independent Chair of Every Australian Counts, and a Board Member of InLife. George also has a Ph.D. in Psychology, and an Honours degree in Sociology.
Jeramy Hope (GAICD), CEO, Specialist Disability Accommodation Alliance
Jeramy has a complex neurological disability and chronic neuropathic pain and was diagnosed in adulthood after a workplace injury. Jeramy’s lived experience has significantly influenced his career as a CEO, systemic advocate and board director. His leadership emphasises dignity, inclusion, and the idea that systems should be co-created with those they are meant to serve. His work covers areas such as disability, housing, governance, and national policy, emphasising clarity, accountability, and outcomes driven by participants.
Dr Di Winkler (AM), CEO, Summer Foundation
Dr Winkler is an occupational therapist and researcher who has worked with people with severe brain injury for over 30 years. In 2006, she founded the Summer Foundation to improve housing and support for young people with disability, particularly those in aged care. Di completed her PhD at Monash University in 2012, focusing on young people in nursing homes. She was conferred with a Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa) by Monash in 2018 and appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2019 for her significant service to people with disability. Di is CEO of the Summer Foundation and an Adjunct Professor at La Trobe University’s School of Psychology and Public Health. In 2024, she received La Trobe’s Distinguished Alumni Award and has authored over 60 peer-reviewed journal articles.
Alecia Rathbone, Chief Executive, Housing Hub
Alecia has worked in the ‘for-purpose’ sector for the past 17 years and also has a strong commercial background. Alecia is the Chief Executive of the Housing Hub, a social enterprise that supports people with disability to find appropriate housing. She is responsible for the development and growth of products and services of the social enterprise including the Housing Hub website, where people with disability can search for suitable housing by housing type or location. Alecia holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Graduate Certificate in Management of Not-for-Profit Organisations. She is a Fellow of CPA Australia, a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and an alum of the Stanford Executive Program at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Belinda Aitken, Disability Housing Expert & Tenant
Belinda is a Bachelor of Commerce university graduate, facilitates the free housing options educational webinars for Housing Hub,and is co-host of the video series Bel & Shanais In SDA. In these sessions, Belinda shares her own experiences and expertise from her own housing journey with those that are just starting theirs. Belinda is passionate about people with disability having a voice and a say in their own housing journey, which will lead them to have the best support, choice and flexibility in how they live.
Shanais Nielsen, Disability Housing Expert & Tenant
Shanais is a Housing Outcomes Facilitator at Housing Hub, which allows her to share the knowledge and experience she has from her own Housing journey to help and inspire others. She co-facilitates workshops and is co-host of the video series Bel & Shanais In SDA.
Dr Dinesh Palipana (OAM), Gold Coast University Hospital Doctor & Lawyer, SDA Tenant
Dinesh was the first quadriplegic medical intern in Queensland and holds many titles including doctor, lawyer, and spinal cord injury researcher. Dinesh was a Senior Advisor to the Disability Royal Commission and is an ambassador to the Human Rights Commission’s IncludeAbility program. Currently working in Gold Coast University Hospital’s Emergency Department, Dinesh is also a Senior Lecturer and Researcher at Griffith University, as well as a doctor for the Gold Coast Titans disability rugby team. Dinesh is a current member of the Aruma Customer Committee and an Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) tenant.
Emma Olivier (GAICD, DLI), Disability Inclusion Expert & Twenty Percent Founder and CEO
Emma is the founder and CEO of Twenty Percent, a Disability Inclusion Advisory working with organisations across Australia. With over 30 years of consulting experience and having been born without a left hand, Emma understands from her own lived experience the challenges and opportunities of having a disability in corporate Australia. Emma’s vision as founder of Twenty Percent is to work with organisations to help unlock the power of disability in their own workforces, customer bases and how they engage in the communities they operate in. Emma is deeply passionate about moving the dial for disability inclusion and having conversations about disability in unexpected places. Emma is active in the community at the local and state levels. She's Victoria's first one-armed surf lifesaver and volunteer with Starfish Nippers, the life-saving skills program for children with a disability. Emma is a prior independent Audit, Finance and Risk Committee member for Life Saving Victoria, serving for 5 years from 2019. She has been a member of Bayside Council’s Disability Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee since its inception. In 2021, she was a nominee for Bayside Council’s Citizen of the Year in 2020. Emma is a non-executive director for Wannon Water, NVI TAFE, Housing Hub and Travellers Aid. She's also an independent committee member at Scope, Wellways and the Victorian Office of the Auditor General Australia.
Nick Taylor (PLY, GAICD), Philanthropy Executive
Nick is the Disability Portfolio Lead for a private Philanthropic Trust, and has a professional background in consulting and project management. Nick has had direct experience in disability service development within the government and Not-For-Profit sectors, in both executive and governance roles. He's an NDIS participant himself and has a deep connection to the disability community through his own lived experience, which he draws on alongside his professional experience, to be a strong advocate for a fully inclusive society. Nick is actively involved in adaptive sports and serves on the boards of Scope Australia, Wheelchair Basketball Australia and the Sargood Centre.
Mitchell Skipsey, Senior Solicitor, Justice & Equity Centre
Mitchell joined the Justice and Equity Centre in September 2021, since which time he has worked on disability rights and, in particular, government decision-making practices within the NDIS. Mitchell’s professional experience has centred on assisting marginalised communities and groups obtain fair and just treatment from governmental bodies. He has previously worked in refugee law at the Refugee Advice and Casework Service, overseeing casework, law reform, and litigation matters, as well as administering a multi-disciplinary practice in conjunction with social work, health and employment professionals from the Asylum Seekers Centre to deliver holistic outcomes for people seeking asylum.
Faye Minty, Disability Housing expert with 30 years' experience as a CEO
Faye Minty is a housing leader, advocate, and systems thinker driven by a simple belief: everyone deserves to feel safe, respected, heard, and in control of their home and the supports that shape their daily lives. As the founding CEO of Enliven Housing, Faye created the "Friendly Landlord" approach, challenging traditional landlord-tenant relationships by placing human rights, role valorisation, tenant voice, and meaningful relationships at the centre of the housing experience. She built the organisation from the ground up, shaping its vision, culture, tenancy framework, and customer experience model. Recognising that genuine choice and control must extend beyond housing itself, Faye also established Enliven Community and pioneered the Choice Collective and its independent Facilitator role. This innovative model was designed to ensure that people sharing disability supports have a genuine voice in how those supports are organised, delivered, and evaluated, helping shift the sector towards more participant-led approaches. Today, Faye works with providers, policymakers, and sector leaders to strengthen tenant influence, amplify the voices of people with disability, and create more responsive, person-led housing and support systems. She is particularly passionate about ensuring that people who use and fund supports are active participants in shaping the services that affect their lives. Known for her collaborative and values-driven leadership style, Faye is committed to advancing human rights, inclusion, and belonging through housing, support, and community.
Patrick Rory‑John, Psychosexual Therapist & Inclusion Specialist, Northcott
Patrick is a psychosexual therapist and inclusion specialist working at the intersection of sexuality, gender, and disability. As a queer, non-binary, and neurodivergent clinician, Patrick brings lived experience, authenticity, and compassion to every space they enter. Their work at Northcott has helped shape initiatives such as Love Rights, Peaches & Cream, and Feel the Vibe, a national disability and sexuality expo promoting choice, safety, and celebration. Patrick has presented as a keynote speaker at the Inclusive Impact Forum and at national sexology and inclusion conferences, sharing insights that bridge clinical evidence with lived experience. Patrick believes that when we centre dignity, pleasure, and belonging, we don’t just talk about inclusion, we create it.
Court Walters, HOME Manager, Milparinka
Court Walters works with Milparinka’s HOME team, supporting people with disability and their families to think differently about home, support and what it means to live a good life. His work focuses on shared-lives approaches to Individualised Living Arrangements, and on the thoughtful planning needed to create home lives that are safe, sustainable and make sense for the person. Court is particularly interested in the connection between belonging and safeguarding, and in the idea that all people are safer when they are known, valued and connected to others. Court is passionate about helping people avoid institutional ways of living, including the institutions we can create in our own thinking when we limit what we believe is possible in housing and support.
Libby Ellis, Individualised Living Program Manager, Mable
Libby Ellis has spent 30 years advancing self-determination, inclusion and independent living for people with disability. Inspired by her brother’s journey from group homes to self-directed supports, Libby has dedicated her career to helping individuals and families create support systems that put people in control of their own lives. She brings deep expertise in person-centred practice, home and living pathways, and translating complex systems into practical solutions. At Mable, Libby leads the Individualised Living program, working at the intersection of customer insight and service innovation to develop practical ways for people to navigate complex support systems and build successful lives.
Michael Tan, Homeowner
Michael is a 63-year-old man with intellectual disability whose life reflects the experiences of a generation who often fell between the gaps of education and support. Growing up in the 1970s, Michael struggled within both mainstream school and the limited special education options available, receiving little remedial assistance. Despite these challenges, he found purpose and independence through meaningful employment, working for 32 years as a Porter with the Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of Melbourne. Michael now lives at home with his elderly parents, who have been his devoted primary carers throughout his life. Their difficult experiences with disability services in earlier decades left them mistrustful of outside support, making future planning particularly challenging. Michael’s story highlights the importance of planning early to ensure a meaningful future as lifelong carers grow older.
Susan Tan-Loucas, Michael Tan's Sister
Susan is a former professional dancer and arts education professional, President of Southern Federation of Dance and a dance examiner, with a professional career spanning more than four decades in dance, dance education and event management. Her involvement in the disability sector, however, is a much more personal and recent journey. Susan is the younger sister of Michael, a 63-year-old man with intellectual disability who has lived with their parents throughout his life. In 2026, after decades of caring for Michael, Susan’s ageing parents made the difficult decision to hand over Michael’s future planning to her, and she became his NDIS Plan Nominee. With no previous experience navigating disability services, Susan along with her siblings have had to learn a complex system while confronting an urgent reality: her parents are ageing, time is no longer on their side, and Michael’s world had been becoming increasingly isolated following the loss of his part-time employment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Susan’s journey is about the challenges families face when the person who has always been the primary carer must begin to let go, and the importance of preparing for a meaningful life beyond the care of ageing parents. Her experience has reinforced for her that future planning cannot wait for a crisis — and that improving quality of life, connection and choice must remain at the heart of the process. “My parents have spent 63 years making sure Michael was safe. My challenge now is to help make sure he has a life.”
Kate D'Cruz, Associate Professor/ Research Team Manager, Summer Foundation & La Trobe University
Associate Professor Kate D'Cruz is an experienced researcher at the Summer Foundation and the Summer Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University. Kate leads research projects to evaluate the experiences and outcomes of people with disability. As a qualitative researcher, Kate enjoys partnering with people with disability in the co-design of research that is meaningful and impactful. Kate is also an occupational therapist with specialist skills and experience in supporting return to community living following acquired brain injury.
Sue Dymond, Advocate & Informal Supporter and Founder iDareU
Sue Dymond is a brave disruptor, entrepreneur, speaker, author, advocate and community leader who has spent more than 35 years challenging the disability sector to look beyond labels, policies and limitations — and see the person first. As the mother of Chloe, who was born with Down syndrome, Sue has spent decades advocating for greater expectations, opportunity, inclusion and purpose for people with disability. Her work has led her to found the NFP charity iDareU, create SD Connect, establish the Crafty Collective Market, and build Better Together, a networking community for small business owners. She has also contributed to Down Syndrome Victoria and mentors speakers and leaders through Ringwood Toastmasters.
Chloe Dymond, Artist
Chloe is an accomplished and passionate artist. She is a potter, painter, jewellery maker and published author of eight books, and she runs her own successful creative business, Crafted by Chloe. Her creativity is matched by her courage. Chloe is a recipient of the Maroondah Resilient Artist Award 2022, and in 2024 she took her message to the world stage, presenting at the World Down Syndrome Congress in Brisbane. Chloe is also a confident public speaker, a seasoned traveller and, most importantly, someone who has always been encouraged to try new things, take risks and discover what she is capable of. She has learned that failure isn't something to fear, it is simply a stepping stone towards success. In October 2025, Chloe took another important step towards independence when she moved into her own home in a private rental, sharing with another woman who has Down syndrome.
Leighton Jay (Parent & Advocate) & Paul Jay (Tenant)
Paul has been forging a path of independence since moving out of home in his early 20s. With individualised support that focuses on strengths rather than labels, Paul’s confidence and capability has grown. And he has brought many others along on his learning journey as he has done this. For several years now, he has been provided with good decision making support to be the key decision maker about who his support workers are. Leighton (Paul’s dad) describes Paul as his greatest teacher, helping him develop a deep understanding of inclusion, communication and supported decision making among other things. Since 2014, Leighton has worked with disabled people, families, service providers, peer organisations and the Federal and WA Governments to ensure that the voices of people with disability and their families influence decisions that affect their lives. Leighton currently chairs a Lived Experience Advisory Panel in WA and is near the end of a six year term on the NDIS Independent Advisory Council. He is presenting at the conference in a private capacity alongside Paul.
Jessica Walker, Head of Policy, Communications and Systems Change, Summer Foundation
Jessica joined the Summer Foundation in 2024, following more than 15 years in senior leadership roles in government, including at the National Disability Insurance Agency. Jessica brings broad experience in disability and social policy, communications and government relations
Jonny Clow, Managing Director & Founding Partner, Silver Lining
Silver Lining is a B Corp creative agency dedicated to helping purpose-led organisations connect with their audience and their values through creative that inspires, shifts behaviour, and drives action. Rather than being fixated on profit, we aim to make a difference, redirecting any profits into charity and social good.
Ash Smithies, Account Director, Silver Lining
Silver Lining is a B Corp creative agency dedicated to helping purpose-led organisations connect with their audience and their values through creative that inspires, shifts behaviour, and drives action. Rather than being fixated on profit, we aim to make a difference, redirecting any profits into charity and social good.
Oliver Pelling, Founder and Managing Director, Good&Proper
We’re Good&Proper, a creative communications agency based in Melbourne. We work with organisations that are protecting nature, reimagining our economy, and solving complex problems with care, compassion and creativity. We help our partners tell better stories, amplify their impact and fix the future, faster.
Taryn Stenvei, Head of Production, Good&Proper
We’re Good&Proper, a creative communications agency based in Melbourne. We work with organisations that are protecting nature, reimagining our economy, and solving complex problems with care, compassion and creativity. We help our partners tell better stories, amplify their impact and fix the future, faster.
Sijan Dahal, Disability Advocate & Lived Experience Consultant, Tenant Voice
Sijan is a disability advocate and lived experience consultant. At 18 years old, Sijan acquired a spinal cord injury and endured a two-year legal and administrative nightmare trying to get the disability support he needed to live independently. This experience inspired him to dedicate himself to preventing and helping others advocate for themselves in similar situations. After completing a Certificate IV in Legal Services at Victoria University, Sijan is now a first year Bachelor of Laws student at Monash University. He volunteers at the Office of the Public Advocate and the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre, where he is working together with other lived experience consultants to create a funding application for their Leisure Department. Sijan has also done extensive lived experience consultancy and co-design work with the Summer Foundation.
Tarus Fiu, Project Officer, VALiD
Tarus is a Project Officer and self advocate working in the Housing Justice Project at VALiD. Tarus has lived as a tenant in an SDA and SIL accommodation for the last five years, so he has personal experience on what its like to live in disability accommodation. Tarus lives in a new house which is tailored to his independence. Tarus has worked for VALiD since August 2024 where he was employed to work on a project called VALiD8. During this project Tarus and his team went into legacy SDA accommodations where they asked the tenant tailored questions about what it is like to live in their homes. They also wrote a report with a summary and recommendations of their findings. When the VALID8 project was complete. Tarus was re-employed by a VALiD to work in the Housing Justice Project. For this project, Tarus together with his colleagues put together a PowerPoint presentation with information about tenant rights living in an SDA or SIL accommodation. Tarus and his team received training on legal tenancy rights that was provided by Villamanta Disability Rights Legal Service.
Justin MacDonald, Managing Director, JustSDA
Justin has worked directly in the Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) sector since 2020 when the SDA market was starting to mature and gain traction in Queensland. His experience in the sector and his Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) studies at QUT, brings a unique blend of work and academic experience. Justin centred his Master’s Thesis work on ‘Creating pathways to home ownership for people living with complex disabilities’, and seeks this to be the legacy he leaves in the sector. He currently serves on the board for ENACTUS Australia, a social enterprise initiative for university students, and the Research for Development Impact (RDI) Network. Just also is an adjunct industry fellow at Griffith University and serves on the Advisory Board for Griffith University: Inclusive Futures: Reimagining Disability.
Emma Watts, CEO, Cultivating Community
Emma Watts is CEO of Cultivating Community, a Melbourne-based for-purpose organisation that creates inclusive green spaces where people can grow food, build connections and access meaningful work. The organisation manages community gardens across public and social housing communities and works with residents, housing providers and community partners to create places that support belonging, wellbeing and participation. Emma brings more than 25 years of leadership experience across the community, environmental and social purpose sectors. She is particularly interested in how thoughtful placemaking, community infrastructure and resident-led programs can turn housing developments into genuine communities where people of all abilities can connect, contribute and thrive.
Charlotte Jones, CEO, Mental Health Legal Centre
Charlotte is a highly experienced leader bringing international experience and national expertise in the community legal sector. After a successful career in London, as a Director during the establishment of what became the UK’s largest civil legal aid practice, she has since cross qualified in Australia. Since 2013, Charlotte has led the Mental Health Legal Centre in Victoria, becoming a leading expert voice and advocate and has developed a successful philanthropic, commercial and Government funding base. Charlotte has developed strategic expertise alongside governance skills enhancing her leadership capability.
FAQs
- What is the event date and time?
The event will be held on Tuesday, 6 October 2026 from 10.00 am - 5.00 pm followed by an optional networking session from 5.00 pm - 6.00 pm.
Registration and access to the event exhibition is available from 9.00 am.
The networking session is free for all attendees and support persons and includes free drinks and light food.
- Where is the event being held?
The event will take place at the Melbourne Conference and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) located at 1 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf.
The Melbourne Room is located on Level 2 of the Conference Centre.
- What does the event program look like?
The program is not about industry updates. The event will centre around challenging the status quo that currently exists in disability housing.
You can access the event program here.
- Do I need to choose sessions in advance?
No. This is an event where everyone attends the same sessions.
- Who can attend the networking session and what is the cost?
The networking session is free of charge and open to all attendees including companions. It will be held from 5.00 pm - 6.00 pm, and is optional. If you'd like to attend please make sure you let us know at check-out.
- Is there a dress code?
No. Please wear whatever is most comfortable for you. Air conditioning can fluctuate so please make sure you have suitable clothing with you.
- Do I need to bring anything on the day of the event?
Yes. Please bring your ticket confirmation from Humanitix to check-in at the registration desk. An information pack containing event information will be shared with attendees before the event.
- Will there be wi-fi available on the day of the event?
Yes. Free wi-fi will be available and we’ll share details when registering on the event day.
- Is catering provided at the event?
Yes. We'll provide catering throughout the day for those attending in person including morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. Drinks and light food will also be available for the post-event networking session.
- How do I let you know about my dietary requirements?
You can tell us about your dietary needs at check-out. We'll do our best to accommodate your requirements.
- Will the event be recorded?
Yes. We'll be taking photos, video, and audio recordings. By coming to the event, you're agreeing to be filmed and recorded. We might use these images and recordings for marketing and promoting Housing Hub on our websites and social media.
- Will presentation slides or materials be shared after the event?
Yes. We’ll share approved presentation materials after the event. Just remember, all content is for your personal, non-commercial use only.
- I’m a person with disability. Can I attend online?
Yes. To support accessibility we’re offering a livestream option for people with disability and non-professional support people who cannot attend in-person so they can still be part of the event.
- Why is the livestream only available for people with disability and non-professional support people?
This event is built around the in-person experience and being in the room. There is a strong focus on opportunities to connect and share ideas. The livestream is only available to people with disability and non-professional support people to support accessibility and participation.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
