AARE 2000 Conference - Sydney Report

[This is an edited version of the report compiled by Brent Corish and presented by Judyth Sachs, Convenor of the AARE 2000 Conference].

1. Ultimately there were a total of 607 registrations. This figure included a very small number of subsequent withdrawals and 21 working students who received free registration in return for work.
2. Very positive comment was received about the quality of presentations in general. The small number of speaker "no-shows" also received positive comment.
3. Due to a lack of a viable number of registrations (15 spread over a range of workshops) the pre-conference workshops were cancelled.
4. Due to a lack of a viable number of registrations (3) the proposed Women's Day cancelled and a dinner substituted. We were fortunate to be able to get Wendy Macarthy as guest speaker.
5. Both advertised keynote speakers had to withdraw - Professor Ivor Goodson (early enough for participants to be advised) and Professor Sarah Michaels (who fell ill at the departure airport).

The conference is able to immediately repay the AARE $10,000 float and, in addition, operated "in the black" and will be able to transfer further funds to AARE. Accounts are still being received and paid so it remains difficult to provide an accurate figure at this time.

Potential bad debt is currently also being actively followed-up. Almost all of this results from declined credit cards or slow payment by institutions. It is anticipated that almost all of this will be recovered.

270 new AARE memberships (or renewal of existing memberships) were received by the University acting as agent for AARE. This figure comprised 190 full memberships and 80 student memberships. A total of $30,360.00 (including GST) is available for immediate transfer to AARE.

A percentage breakdown of attendance category -