Media Release

March 23, 2003

OVERWHELMING demand has forced a change of venue for the inaugural Communities in Control conference examining the importance of community groups in Australia's wellbeing.

About 300 people were originally expected to attend the Communities in Control: Giving Voice - and support - to grass roots community and non-profit groups conference in Melbourne on April 7-8 but the original venue was sold out in a couple of  weeks.

The conference, co-convened by ourcommunity.com.au and Fr Joe Caddy from Catholic Social Services is now expected to attract over 1000 people. As a result it has been shifted from the Darebin Arts & Entertainment Centre to the larger Moonee Valley Racing Club.

The Communities in Control conference (April 7-8, 2003) will be held at:

Moonee Valley Racing Club
Members Gate 1, McPherson Street
Moonee Ponds (Melway reference 29 A7)

Ms Rhonda Galbally, the CEO of ourcommunity.com.au, said the response from community groups and community policymakers had been overwhelming. "It shows the incredible importance of community and the need for people to have some control over what happens in their own communities," Ms Galbally said.

Ms Galbally said the importance of strong local communities and the support for Australia's 700,000 community groups was even more important given the present situation in Iraq.

"At times like these many people start to look at what really counts in their life - and the reality is it is the strong network of families, friends and communities. We need strong communities and the best way to build them is to build strong community groups."

Two world leaders on the impact of community groups on health and wellbeing will address the conference as the first Pratt Community Fellows, thanks to the support of the Pratt Foundation. They are:

• EMERITUS PROFESSOR LEN SYME, School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley.

• PROFESSOR LISA BERKMAN, Professor of Public Policy and Epidemiology and Chair, Department of Health and Social Behavior at Harvard School of Public Health.

• The Hon. AMANDA VANSTONE, Federal Minister, Family and Community Services
• PROFESSOR FIONA STANLEY, AC, the current Australian of the Year and CEO, Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth.
• SIR GUSTAV NOSSAL AC, CBE, one of our most eminent community leaders, former Australian of the Year, and leading authority on immunisation and health.
• The Hon. BRONWYN PIKE, Victorian Minister for Health