Past Events

This conference will explore the new ‘consumer-centric’ transformation evolving in essential services across Australia. It will allow delegates to consider what this transformation will require of businesses, their customers and of governments.  It will support the essential services sector to better understand the needs, experiences and genuine priorities of customers, as well as explore how providers can work to integrate these views into their business practices.

The conference will also attempt to make transparent the different roles played by consumers, consumer representative organisations, consumer experts, and consumer panels and consultation forums.

Building on the success of SACOSS’ energy, water, telecommunications and transport conferences over the past seven years, the 2019 conference will again bring together a broad range of stakeholders including international, national and local experts, businesses leaders, consumers, consumer advocates, service providers, policy makers, government officials, community service organisations and regulators from across the energy, water and telecommunications space.

This Conference is one in a series of SACOSS Vulnerability and Affordability Conferences for the essential services sectors.

One session of the conference, "Consumers & the Telecommunications Consumer Protection Code" featuring John Stanton (Communications Alliance) and Teresa Corbin (ACCAN) will be livestreamed. Find out more.

If you are a member of the public and would like to attend but are unable to afford the ticket price, we encourage you contact us on 08 8305 4224 or email sacoss(link sends e-mail)as we may be able to subsidise your place. If you require special assistance such as a hearing loop, visual assistance guide or AUSLAN interpreter in order to fully participate in the conference we will make every effort to provide for your needs. All areas of the venue are wheelchair accessible.

After a long negotiation, the State Government has introduced new standardised contracts for all new Service Agreements and Grants to the not-for-profit sector. These contracts will apply to all new not-for-profit funding and provide an easier-to-use template with standard terms and conditions across all departments and agencies.

The new con​trac​ts came into effect on 1 January 2019 and all contract negotiations begun after that time should use the new templates. Existing contracts remain unaffected, but Master Agreements will not apply to the new contracts.

The South Australian Council of Social Service and Volunteering SA&NT are running information and training sessions on the new contracts. All welcome, but registration is essential. 

There are five information sessions to choose from, each session covering the same areas: background, grant or procurement, contract structure, and detailed examination of all key clauses. The sessions will be held as follows:

Thursday 7 February, 2.30pm - 4.30pm

Community Room, Marjorie Black House
47 King William Street, Unley 
(Rear of building - enter from Young Street)

Register for this session here

Friday 8 February, 9.30am - 11.30am

Community Room, Marjorie Black House
47 King William Street, Unley 
(Rear of building - enter from Young Street)

Register for this session here

Friday 8 February 2.30pm - 4.30pm 

Community Room, Marjorie Black House
47 King William Street, Unley 
(Rear of building - enter from Young Street)

Register for this session here

Wednesday 13 February, 10am - midday

Webinar - log-in details to be provided on registration

Register for the webinar here

Wednesday 13 February 1pm - 3pm​

Sport SA
Military Road
West Beach SA 5024
(opposite Adelaide Shores Caravan Park)

Register for this session here

The new contract templates are available at: https://treasury.sa.gov.au/Our-services/not-for-profit-sector-funding-and-contracting

From auditing requirements to indexation, intellectual property to staff screening, terminations and unused funds – and everything in between, come and find out your rights and responsibilities under the new contracts.

SACOSS invites all members and supporters to join our staff, Board and Policy Council for our 2018 Annual General Meeting. Come along to hear what we have achieved over the last year and what is planned for next year.

3.30pm Guest Speaker—The Hon Michelle Lensink, Minister for Human Services

4.00pm AGM

5.00pm Drinks & nibbles

Please RSVP here

Pudney Meeting Space, level 1, ECH 174 Greenhill Road, Parkside

Please note that parking is limited in the area due to an afternoon clearway on Greenhill Road, so you may need to allow extra travel time.

SACOSS Essential Services and Consumers Living with Disability Conference 2018: Energy, Water, Telecommunications and Transport

Everyone has a right to affordable and equitable access to essential services such as energy, water, telecommunications and transport. With over four million people in Australia with some form of disability, essential service businesses can ensure that people living with a disability are well considered. In this context, it is vital to deliver best practice, affordability, consumer protection, and effective regulation to enable access, participation and choice in the energy, water, telecommunication and transport sectors.

The 2018 SACOSS Essential Services and Consumers Living with Disability Conference will bring together businesses, government, community sector workers including disability advocates, service providers and consumers living with a disability (including families and carers) in the energy, water, telecommunications and transport space. Delegates will share and hear about the needs and experiences of those living with a disability and explore how essential service businesses can address disadvantage for those in vulnerable situations.

This Conference is one in a series of SACOSS Vulnerability and Affordability Conferences for the essential services sectors.

If you are a person living with a disability and you are unable to afford the ticket price but would like to attend, we encourage you contact us on 08 8305 4224 or email gabie@sacoss.org.au(link sends e-mail)as we may be able to subsidise your place. If you require special assistance such as a hearing loop, visual assistance guide or AUSLAN interpreter in order to fully participate in the conference we will make every effort to provide for your needs. All areas of the venue are wheelchair accessible.

Our keynote speaker Cosmo Graham is a Professor of Law at the School of Law, University of Leicester and Director of the Centre for Consumers and Essential Services. He specialises in the regulation of public utilities and is co-editor of the Utilities Law Review. Professor Graham was a member of the UK's Competition Commission (1999-2008) and the European Commission’s working group on vulnerable consumers in the energy sector.

Tickets and registration

Delegate Access and Venue Information

See speaker bios

Download Program

Download Sponsorship Prospectus

Download a Copy of the Conference Slides

Conference Major Sponsors: 

Conference Event Partner: SA Water

Conference Sponsors: ESCOSA - International Keynote session sponsor | Baptist Care SA - Industry Showcase session sponsor | Origin Energy - Power of Choice session sponsor | Energy Australia - Catering sponsor | Australian Gas Infrastructure Group - Post Conference Networking session sponsor | HESTA - Community Sector sponsor | The Royal Society For the Blind - Community Sector sponsor