History of past national conferences

National conferences have been held since 1995, initially on a biennial basis and currently on a triennial basis. In 2012, it was decided not to hold a national conference to avoid conflicting with the International Federation for Home Economics (IFHE) congress in Melbourne, allowing attendees to focus on the international event. The 2020 national conference was postponed due to COVID-19, and in 2021, a hybrid conference format was held to adapt to the ongoing circumstances. Each conference has been hosted by a different division, contributing to the continued growth and collaboration within the field of home economics.

Year

Location

Theme

1995

Perth

Policy

1997

Melbourne

Challenge, direction, action!

1999

Brisbane

Meeting the future: Home Economics at work

2001

Canberra

Home Economics; A new century, a new future

2003

Adelaide

Home Economics: Reflect and revitalise

2005

Hobart

The choice is ours. Sustainable futures and home economics

2007

Sydney

Horizons in Home Economics

2009

Darwin

Daring to dream—Preferred futures through Home Economics

2014

Perth

Trending—Home Economics

2017

Melbourne

Home Economics without borders

2021

Brisbane (hybrid)

Igniting critical agendas

2024

Adelaide

Provenance, presence and prospects: Home economics storytelling