February 2008

The group reconvened early in the New Year to reaffirm its status as an action based collective that undertakes projects that feed into policy such as the “Home is Where the Hurt Is” publication  available at the group’s site http://groups.google.com/group/the-queensland-womens-housing-network  and an REIQ and RTA collaborative Real Estate Agent training project.

The group has first hand and varied experience with the combined effects perpetrators violence against women and police and Child Safety policies and practices as they contribute to Women’s homelessness and separation.

The group nominated Denise Smith and Sarah Walker from Kyabra as co-delegates and considered its priorities for 2008.

The Network agreed to nominate new member Ali James to attend the Brisbane Regional Housing Council as to represent both Women’s and Indigenous interests.  

The Women’s Housing Network  is also considering sponsoring a media campaign  to redress the omission of domestic violence in the media .

Several members o f the group nominated to attend the Office for Women’s consultation in anticipation of its report on the United Nations Convention on the Elimination All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which is due in August of 2008.  The office is also sponsoring attendance at a series of forums in Canberra and will pay for a limited number of attendees to participate:

·         Migrant and Refugee Women – 5 March

·         Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women – 12 March 

·         Rural and Remote Women – 19  March

·         Women with Disabilities – 26 March.

Contact Anne O’Rourke or Emily Hall at the Office for Women on 1800-808-863 if you are interested in attending these forums.

Please email BRD [at] qshelter [dot] asn [dot] au (BRD [at] qshelter [dot] asn [dot] au) if you’d like to be included on the group’s mailing list.