Anti-Poverty Week at UNSW

AIDS expert Professor John Dwyer and Professor Ross Buckley, director of the Centre for Global Finance and Trade, will be among speakers at the launch of Anti-Poverty Week at UNSW.

Organised to coincide with UN Anti-Poverty Day on Thursday 17 October, the Week will focus on the causes and consequences of poverty, both in Australia and overseas, and the ways in which poverty can be addressed. Others speaking at events during the Week include Chris Caton, chief economist of BT Funds Management, Michael Raper, director of the Welfare Rights Centre, and the Reverend Bill Crews, of the Exodus Foundation.

Professor Julian Disney, director of the Social Justice Project at UNSW and former President of the International Council of Social Welfare, said the aim of the Week is to heighten awareness of national and global poverty, and encourage community involvement in combating it.

"Poverty is the most dangerous and destructive force - it destroys families, communities and countries," Professor Disney said. "The best way of promoting peace and security is to commit greater resources to combat poverty and deal more fairly with those who are poor."

Anti-Poverty Week at UNSW, 14 - 18 October. Major events include:

Monday, 4.30 - 6pm: Global Poverty: Causes and Consequences
Speakers: Professor John Dwyer (Clinical Dean, Prince of Wales Hospital), Eileen Pittaway (director UNSW's Centre for Refugee Research) and Professor Ross Buckley.
Venue: Council Chamber, The Chancellery, UNSW Campus, Kensington. ……

Tuesday, 4 - 6pm: New books on unemployment
'The Price of Prosperity' and 'Unemployment: The tip of the Iceberg'.
Speakers: Chris Caton, Professor Peter Saunders (director of UNSW's Social Policy Research Centre), and Professor John Nevile (UNSW School of Economics).
Venue: UNSW Bookshop.

Wednesday 1 - 2pm: Poverty in the Lucky Country
Speakers: Rev Bill Crews, Leah Godfrey, director of the Western Sydney Community Forum, and Michael Raper.
Venue: Jubilee Room, NSW Parliament House.

Thursday 4 - 6pm: New Research on Poverty
Speakers: Peter Saunders and Michael Bittman, from the Social Policy Research Centre, and Laura Adelman, from the Centre for Research on Social Policy, Loughborough University, UK.
Venue: UNSW Library Meeting Room (ground floor)

Anti-Poverty Week is co-ordinated by the UNSW Social Justice Network. All events will be open to the general public. For a full program check the Web site.

Media Contacts: Julian Disney, tel. (02) 9385 2850 (w) or 9804 0631 (h); Judy Brookman, UNSW Media Manager, (02) 9385 3249 or mob 0421 061 251.