This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
PRIME Minister Anthony Albanese has announced that former Mirvac boss, Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz will be permanent chair of the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council, which will advise the government on its housing reform agenda which includes the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) and the National Housing Accord.
The statutory body commences next week on Wednesday following the passage of legislation earlier this year, replacing the interim Council.
Lloyd‑Hurwitz will led the interim Council since it was established.
She will be joined on the Council by urban economist Marcus Spiller as deputy chair, who has also been a member of the interim Council.
They will be joined by:
- Michael Lennon, current chair of regional housing and planning at the University of South Australia
- Gail McGowan, current chancellor of Murdoch University and director of Foundation Housing WA
- Rachel Ong ViforJ, a housing economist and incoming 2024 vice‑chair and member of the steering committee for the Asia‑Pacific Network for Housing Research;
- Carolyn Viney, CEO Super Housing Partnerships which focuses on build‑to‑rent housing with a mix of affordable, social housing, market rate and specialist disability accommodation;
- Helen Waters Silvia, CEO of the Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre, a specialist homelessness service for women and families in crisis including escaping domestic violence
- Neil Willmett, CEO Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Queensland.
ViforJ and Waters Silvia were also on the interim Council.
The first meeting of the statutory Council will take place in early 2024.
“This new Council will play a key role in providing independent expert advice to the Albanese government to help boost housing supply and improve affordability,” Minister for Housing, Julie Collins said.
“We want to ensure that our approaches to increasing the supply of all housing – more homes to buy and more homes to rent – are informed by advice from some of Australia’s leading housing experts.”
The HAFF will seek to deliver 30,000 social and affordable homes over five years. It will be preceded by the $2 billion Social Housing Accelerator that the federal government committed to across the states and territories in negotiations with the Greens as it sought to get the minor party’s vote in the Senate.
The National Housing Accord aims to build 1.2 million “well-located” homes nationally, with each state and territory given an individual delivery target.
The federal government this month released an updated investment mandate for Housing Australia that will guide the body’s delivery of social and affordable rental homes under HAFF and as funds committed under the National Housing Accord.
Draft funding documents relating to funding under the HAFF and the National Housing Accord are being released this week by the federal government for consultation. Housing Australia is expecting to launch the formal application process in mid-January for the first round of funding for projects under the HAFF and the Accord.
The programs are being delivered through Housing Australia which already administers the Affordable Housing Bond Aggregator and National Housing Infrastructure Facility.
Housing Australia expects to select successful applicants and make offers of financial support in mid‑2024, with funding to be available from 2024‑25.
Draft standard funding documents are being released for consultation this week to make it easier to apply for funding for eligible applicants such as community housing providers and organisations that provide housing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island organisations.
As part of the launch of the application process, Housing Australia will also provide applicants with access to a standardised financial model to assist them in preparing their applications if they choose to use it.
Applications will be assessed independently by Housing Australia in accordance with its investment mandate.
