We have now opened registration, rates are as follows:

Early Bird Rate: $350 (until 31st October 2009)
Standard Rate: $400 (after 31st October 2009)
Concession Rate: $225 (government pensioner, full time student, unemployed)

Single Day Rate: $225
Single Day Concession Rate: $120

We are also offering a special discounted price for those who would like to attend the Society of Heterodox Economists (SHE) Conference and the above CofFEE Conference. The SHE Conference is held the Monday and Tuesday following the CofFEE Conference (7th and 8th December) at the University of NSW.

2 in 1 Early Bird Rate: $500
2 in 1 Standard Rate: $540
2 in 1 Concession Rate: $280

Please note that both the full CofFEE conference rate and full 2 in 1 rate include the CofFEE Conference dinner to be held on Thursday 3rd December.

This conference explores the current global financial downturn and its relation to labour underutilisation, unemployment and underemployment. How can we avoid major labour market devastation?

The conference is the 11th Path to Full Employment Conference and the 16th National Conference on Unemployment and will be held at the University of Newcastle from Thursday 3rd to Friday 4th December 2009.

This year will be the first for some time that official unemployment rates will rise. The overall predictions are that there could be around a million people unemployed in Australia by year's end. The underemployment rate will also rise. At present, around 10 per cent of the available labour force is unable to get enough work. If this downturn approaches the depth of the 1991 recession, this figure will jump to 20 per cent or more. A strong employment-centric federal response is needed to avoid an escalation in joblessness. This year's conference will be particularly important in sharing ideas from the best researchers in the area about how we can avoid major labour market devastation.

Papers are particularly welcome in the following research and policy areas:

* What are the origins of the global financial crisis? Is the Australian government's response adequate? How could it be improved?
* Any research on unemployment - its dimensions, causes, cures.
* The increasing problem of underemployment and marginal workers.
* Why has work become more precarious? Is it a problem? What are the solutions?
* What is full employment? How is it defined and measured? How close are we to achieving full employment? What are the challenges that remain?
* How can the new Federal Government's social inclusion agenda be designed and implemented?
* Employment guarantees - why are several countries now turning to Job Guarantee-type policies to combat poverty and unemployment? What are the lessons for Australia?
* Why do disparities in regional labour markets persist? What is the extent of the problem and its solutions? Spatial patterns of work and housing.
* Long term, youth, disabled and indigenous unemployment.

Call for papers is now open and abstracts are due 13th July 2009. Please see our conference website: http://e1.newcastle.edu.au/coffee/conferences/2009/index.cfm for more information regarding paper submission.

We are please announce our key note speakers for this year are:
Professor Robert McCutcheon
Dr Jesus Felipe
Professor L. Randall Wray
Ms Louise Tarrant
Mr Warren Mosler
Professor Philip Harvey and
Professor Jose Carlos de Assis