Advocacy in Action conference
2025-06-16 09:00 - 2025-06-17 15:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Rydges Bell City Hotel, date215 Bell Street, Preston, Victoria, 3072
Registration is Now Open
The 2026 Advocacy in Action Conference will be held on
June 22nd & 23rd 2026
9.00 am to 4.30 pm each day at
Novotel Hotel Function Centre, (formerly Rydges Bell City) 215 Bell St. Preston
Optional Social event

held from 4.30pm – 5.30pm on Monday 22nd June
include drinks and nibbles
cost $40 per person
must be booked when you register

The Advocacy in Action conference is going to be an amazing opportunity to dive into important discussions about disability advocacy and key issues impacting people with disabilities. We’ll have a fantastic lineup of topics, including:

Perspectives on the changes to the NDIS
Disability issues and the Victorian State Election
Funding systems in the disability sector
Health care for people with intellectual disability

Speakers will include:

Kevin Stone, VALID Founder
Sara Gingold – Disability Services Consulting, Editor-in-Chief
Iwan Walters MP – Parliamentary Secretary for Disability
The new Victorian Public Advocate, Dan Stubbs
Naomi Anderson – Villamanta, Legal Practice Manager
Rod Carracher – NDIS Commission, Deputy Commissioner
Julia Hawkins, National Centre for Excellence in Intellectual Health
also featuring a live VALID Voice webinar

Keynote Speaker flyer download
Don’t miss this chance to connect, learn, and advocate in a time of uncertainty!
Final program will be available in May 2026.

Registration Information
All the details including refunds are available in the Easy Read info in the Terms & Conditions so don’t forget to read or download this doc.

Catering: lunch and morning and afternoon teas are provided
Please advise of your dietary requirements when you register
Registration is not confirmed until it is paid
Registrations not paid by June 15th 2026 will be cancelled

Ticket Types include:

** Concession registration fees are available to people who have Pension Concession Cards or Health Care Cards
Early Bird registration fee is only available on or before the 15th May 2026
## Support workers do not pay a registration fee, only a catering fee of $40 per day.
## To be eligible for Support Workercatering fee the worker or family member needs to be providing direct care, supervision, and support, without which the participant with disability wouldn’t be able to attend

Registration Costs
Registration EARLY BIRD rate is available until Friday 15th May 2026

Registration Now Open
Parking
Parking is available in the Novotel underground carpark during conference hours as part of your registration fee.
To make sure you go into the correct carpark, please read the parking info sheet.
Public Transport

You can take the Number 86 tram to 45 Bell St/Plenty Road Preston, which is a 5-minute walk to the hotel.
Bell Station is the closest train station, a 10-minute walk from the Novotel hotel, or Preston Station is a 17-minute walk.
Buses like 251, 513, 514, 552, and 553 also stop near the Novotel

For More Information
Contact Christine on Mob: 0475 698 884 Email: christine@valid.org.au or the VALID Office Phone: (03) 9416 4003 Email: info@valid.org.au
