Discovering Balance - Frequently Asked Questions
Use this page to find answers to frequently asked questions about the conference :
- Important Dates
- Questions about presenting
- Questions about registering
- Questions about location and venues
- Questions about the welcome reception and dinner
Q. I have a question that is not answered on this page. What should I do?
A. Email Theo Mackaay at conference@irjpr.net.au if you can't find the answer to your question here.
Important Dates
- Conference dates - 2 to 4 October (inclusive)
- Deadline for abstract submissions - 6 July
- Notification of submission acceptance - 14 July
- Deadline for earlybird registration - 1 September
- Conference registration closes - 30 September
- Welcome reception - 1 October (starting at 6.00pm)
- Conference dinner - 3 October (starting at 7.30pm)
Questions about presenting
Q. I'd like present at the conference - what do I do?
A. You should submit an abstract using our on-line submission form or post us a completed manual submission form. Your abstract should be a brief (less than 150 words) summary describing the key points of your presentation.
Q. Can anyone submit an abstract?
A. Yes. We encourage submissions from a wide range of delegates including academics, activists, interested individuals, students, community organisations, and any others interested in the key issues being addressed by the conference.
Q. When is the latest I can submit an abstract?
A. The deadline for abstract submissions is 6 July . If you are submitting an abstract by surface mail, please ensure that you post it allowing sufficient time for it to arrive before the submission deadline.
Q. How will I know that you have received my abstract?
A. If you use our on-line form you will receive an email confirming receipt of your abstract within 24 hours of submission. If you supply an email address on a manual submission form we will email you within a week of receiving your submission. Note that if you do not supply an email address on a manual form you will not be contacted confirming receipt of your submission.
Q. Will everyone who submits an abstract be able to present at the conference?
A. We will try to include as many submissions as we can in the final conference program. Unfortunately, however, because we only have a fixed amount of time available for presentations we may not be able to include everyone who wants to present. The organising committee will review all abstracts and advise submitters by if they have been accepted or not.
Q. How will I know if my submission has been accepted?
A. If you submit an abstract we will contact you by 14 July advising if your submission has been accepted or not. Please note that the organising committee's decision will be final.
Q. If my submission is accepted, do I have to register and pay for the conference?
A. Yes. All presenters will need to complete and pay for conference registration before the registration deadline (see our registration page for more information about fees etc).
Q. Will I be able to use PowerPoint during my presentation?
A. Yes. All rooms will have overhead projectors and computers with PowerPoint. Note that you do not have to use these tools. Please note that if you would like to use any specialised equipment during your presentation (e.g., video or audio, access to the internet, etc.) you should let us know well before your presentation.
Q. Do I need to give you a full copy of my paper before the conference.
A. No. We will not require a full copy of your presentation. We will be publishing proceedings of the conference after the event and you can choose to provide a full paper for inclusion if you like. Where presenters agree, after the conference we would also like to post copies of presentations on our web site. If you would like your presentation to appear on our web site you can give us a copy after the conference.
Questions about registering
Q. How do I register?
A. Complete our on-line registrations form before the registration deadline. A manual form is also available if you prefer to use surface mail - see our registration page for more details.
Q. There are three registration rates. Which amount do I have to pay?
A. To encourage a wide range of attendance we have three different registration levels :
- Full - for delegates working in the private sector, or for government or tertiary institutions
- NGO - for delegates employed by community or non-government organisations
- Unwaged - for student and unwaged delegates
We have endeavoured to keep all three registration levels as low as possible to encourage maximum attendance and will leave it to individual delegates to decide the correct level based on their circumstances. We will not audit the affiliations of individual delegates, however, we would very much appreciate it if you select a level appropriate to your circumstance when registering. See our registration page for up-to-date rates.
Q. When do I have to register by?
A. The deadline for early registration is 1 September after which all registration fees will increase by AU$50.00 . The final deadline for conference registration is 30 September .
Q. What is included in my registration?
A. Conference registration includes morning and afternoon tea, and lunch on the days you have registered to attend. Registered delegates will also be able to attend any conference session on the days they attend. When you first arrive at the conference you will be given a conference bag that contains a program booklet and other information about the conference and events.
Q. I have registered but can no longer attend the conference. Can I get a refund?
A. Yes. If you apply for a refund on or before 8 September we will refund your registration fee minus a AU$50.00 administration charge. Refunds after 8 September will be subject to an administration charge of 50% of the total registration cost (including the cost of any selected events). Please note that accommodation costs and refunds are handled directly by the hotel and separate policies will apply.
Q. How do I make a booking at the conference hotel?
A. Delegates should contact the hotel directly to make accommodation bookings. You can contact the hotel by email at enquiries@tradewindshotel.com.au or telephone on (61-8) 9339 8188. Further contact information is available from the Tradewinds hotel website.
The Tradewinds is offering reduced room rates to our conference delegates ($175 per room/per night). If you book at the Tradewinds, remember to tell the hotel that you will be attending the conference so that you are charged at the correct rate - specify that you will be a delegate at the Discovering Balance conference at Murdoch University.
Q. Do I have to stay at the conference hotel?
A. No, however, the Tradewinds hotel are offering a special rate for our conference delegates. If you are interested in seeking accommodation elsewhere there are a large number of accommodation providers in and around Fremantle to suit a range of budgets. Information about other accommodation options can be found on the internet - some links you might like to try are (in no particular order) :
- AussieWeb web site
- FreoFocus web site
- Fremantle Visitors Centre
- Hostels.com web site
- TotalTravel web site
- Wotif web site
Questions about location and venues
Q. Where is the conference being held?
A. The conference will be held on the South Street Campus of Murdoch University in Perth (10km from Fremantle and 19 km from Perth city). If you haven't been to Murdoch before, our on-line Google map will show you where we are, and how to get here.
Q. Where will specific conference sessions take place.
A. We will provide further details about specific rooms closer to the conference. In the meantime, in case you're not familiar with the Murdoch campus, you can view a campus map on-line that will show you the general layout of the campus
Q. Will I be able to park on campus?
A. Yes. On Thursday 2 and Friday 3, the first two days of the conference, delegates will be required to pay for parking. If you are staying for the whole day, it will be easiest to park in one of the Red or Green zone car parks (they're marked) and then purchases a day coupon (coupons cost around $4.00). The staff at the conference registration desk will be able to inform you how to purchase day coupons. Parking on Saturday will be free.
Q. Can I get public transport to the Murdoch campus?
A. Yes. Public bus services run regularly between Fremantle and Murdoch University throughout the day. More information about these services can be found on the Transperth web site. The Mandurah Line train also stops close to the Murdoch campus, however, you will then need to take a bus between the station and campus - see the Transperth web site for more information.
Q. How else can I get to the Murdoch campus?
A. The conference will provide a free bus for delegates between Fremantle and Murdoch University. The bus will leave for Murdoch from outside the Tradewinds Hotel, Fremantle early morning and return after the end of conference sessions. Please note that this will be a direct route - stops will not be made along the way.
Questions about the welcome reception and dinner
Q. Where will the dinner be held?
A. The conference dinner will be held on 3 October (starting at 7.30pm) in the historic Fremantle Town Hall.
Q. How do I book tickets for the conference dinner?
A. When you register for the conference, nominate how many dinner tickets you would like to include in your registration (see the registration page for more details, including ticket price).
Q. Where will the welcome reception be held?
A. The welcome reception will take place on 1 October (starting at 6.00pm) in Parliament House.
Q. How do I book tickets for the welcome reception?
A. When you register for the conference, nominate how many tickets to the reception you would like. Please note that there will be no charge to attend the welcome reception, however, for catering purposes, we do require you to let us know if you will be attending.
Q. Can my partner come to the dinner and/or welcome reception?
A. Absolutely! We encourage all delegates and their partners to attend both functions.
Q. Can my special dietary or access requirements be catered for?
A. We will do our best to cater for any special requirements you might have. Please remember to advise us of any special requirements during registration when you select your attendance at functions.