2018 Conference

Strengthening the New Economy
for the Common Good

New Economy Network Australia’s Annual Conference
Friday 19th to Sunday 21st October, 2018 – Melbourne

Today’s global economy is built on a growth-fueled industrial and financial system with immense productive capacity, but its extractive logic has created extreme wealth inequality, social injustice, and ecological devastation on an unprecedented scale. At the heart of the transition to a new economy lies the commons: the wealth we inherit and create together which includes the gifts of nature, civic infrastructure and knowledge in all its forms. Across Australia, people and communities are working to strengthen the commons through better food systems, co-operative enterprise and innovative legal models that protect the rights of nature and ensure a just transition for people and the planet now, and into the future.

NENA’s second annual conference “Strengthening the New Economy for the Common Good”, held in Melbourne, invited people to come together to share stories of success, address challenges and join the broader movement, to appreciate our shared purpose and create transformative approaches to a fairer and ecologically sustainable economy and society.

The 2018 New Economy Conference aimed to:

  • Bring together hundreds of people and organisations interested in moving beyond the current unsustainable and unjust economic system that currently dominates Australian society;
  • Enable people to share, learn, listen, play, and work together to co-create a strong, vibrant economic system that’s fair for all Australians and cares for our precious natural environment; and
  • Launch powerful new collective strategies for creating positive social and economic change, to achieve long term, liveable economies that fit within the productive capacity of a healthy environment.

News from the 2018 Annual Conference

  • Food Connect Raises $2 Million Through Equity Crowdfunding

    December 21, 2018

    An ethical food social enterprise has raised more than two million dollars through equity crowdfunding to become Australia’s first community-owned local food hub.

    Food Connect is a community supported agriculture enterprise that aims to create a fairer food system by connecting local farmers with local buyers.

    After spending 12 years and more than a million dollars renting ...

    Read more...

  • Ideas economic and edible flow at third new economy conference

    November 15, 2018

    By Russ Grayson

    Melbourne in spring. The weather swings from windy and cool to warm but not-quite sweat-generating. There’s the dynamism of the city centre that contrasts with the peace and quiet of the walking paths along the Yarra.

    Read more...

  • Dr Charles Levkoe’s visit to Australia

    November 14, 2018

    By Charles Levkoe

    For almost 20 years I have been working in the field of food systems, as a researcher and as a community organizer, food producer and educator. My work has been deeply rooted in engaging closely with communities as partners in the conception, design and implementation of research that meets peoples’ needs.

    Read more...

  • Reflections and highlights from the New Economy conference 2018

    November 2, 2018

    by Jussi Pasanen.

    I recently joined the New Economy Network Australia conference for three days here in Melbourne. It was fantastic. I’ll cover some of my reflections and highlights from the conference below…

    Read more...

Videos from the 2018 Annual Conference


Opening Plenary Session - Day 1

"First Nations Care and Management of the Commons"
Keynote Speaker, Adjunct Associate Professor Mary Graham, University of Queensland and Kombu-merri Person.


Plenary Session - Day 1

"How to Grow Distributed Leadership"
Alanna Irving


Plenary Session - Day 2

"Post Capitalism by Design not Disaster: Creating Common Wealth"
Samuel Alexander, The University of Melbourne


Panel Discussion - Day 2: Post-Capitalism

Tim Hollo, The Green Institute.
Dr Amanda Cahill, The Next Economy.
Dr Jose Ramos, Action Foresight.
Dr Stephen Healy, Western Sydney University

Facilitator: Darren Sharp


Panel Discussion - Day 2: Radical Urban Future Visions

David Holmgren, Holmgren Design
Samuel Alexander, The University of Melbourne
Lauren Rickards, RMIT

Facilitator: Morgan Koegel, 3000 Acres


Keynote - Day 2: Agroecology and Food Sovereignty:
Tools for de-commodifying our food system

Eric Holt-Gimenez


Keynote - Day 3: Doughnut economics and the ultimate end game:
building the new economy within ecological limits

Dr Michelle Maloney, AELA
Haydn Washington, CASSE NSW


Parallel Session - Day 3: Sharing Cities

Darren Sharp, Social Surplus/Shareable
Inka Santala and Pauline McGuirk, University of Wollongong
Ian McBurney, bHive Coop


Closing Keynote - Day 3: The future of the commons

John Thackara