63 George Street, Brisbane

+61 7 3012 6349

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Our Story

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Queensland has been a national leader of housing advocacy, advice, projects and services since our incorporation in 2021.

We are seen as an expert on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander housing, accommodation and homelessness matters and frequently provide independent, evidence-based expert advice to other peak bodies and governments in Australia. We exist to eliminate the disparities in housing experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Queensland.

Housing Queensland is a non-political organisation and a registered charity with Public Benevolent Institution (PBI) and Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status that operates in Queensland, Australia.

Housing Queensland is governed by an experienced skill-based Board of Directors, chaired by Mary Doctor and led by CEO, Neil Willmett. The members of our peak body—the people we serve—include Queensland-based Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community housing providers (CHP).

In addition to being a housing peak body, we are a leading Australian domestic think tank, a strategist, collaborator, and trusted partner.

Since our incorporation, Housing Queensland has had a well-earned reputation as a reliable organisation and partner. This has been built through effective working relationships and our evidence-informed approach to creating better housing outcomes and reshaping housing policy.

Our experienced team come with a range of backgrounds in housing management and asset services, health, business, policy, strategy, project development, regulation, professional services and administration. This gives Housing Queensland broad capabilities. Year after year, our small team has demonstrated that we have the necessary capabilities to deliver impact.

We pride ourselves on working in close partnership with our members, service providers, other peak bodies, industry associations, charities and governments to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander housing outcomes.

Our Mission

  • Represent and strengthen the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Housing Provider Sector
  • Ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and solutions are embedded into housing leadership, design, policy, programs and service delivery
  • Utilise quality data and evidence to reshape housing policy.

Our Responsibilities

Housing Queensland’s responsibilities are described in the “Objects” in the 2021 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Queensland Limited Constitution. Our main responsibility is to relieve poverty, sickness, distress or helplessness experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders through our Objects.

These Objects include:

(a) providing housing, crisis accommodation and housing services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders affected by poverty, sickness or disability;
(b) working with the community housing sector to improve access to and management of community housing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless;
(c) advocating and negotiating for, and developing and delivering improvements in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander housing and infrastructure to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and education outcomes;
(d) fulfilling the functions of a peak state body representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander housing in Queensland at a State and National level, as well as working with government and directly responding to the needs and interests of Indigenous Community Housing Organisations (ICHOs);
(e) providing education, training and other services to support and assist ICHOs, committees, prescribed body corporates and other organisations involved in providing community housing, including advising on strategies to improve the economic sustainability of community housing and infrastructure;
(f) developing constructive partnerships and relationships within the housing, building, construction and corporate sectors to improve housing infrastructure management, availability and suitability for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people;
(g)

collecting data and participating, collaborating and leading research that seeks to:

  • create efficiencies and other benefits in the Community housing sector;
  • improve the availability and suitability of housing and infrastructure for the Community; and
(h) doing all things necessary or incidental to achieving the above objects and activities.

 

Our History

The establishment of Housing Queensland is a direct result of the advocacy by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community housing providers and community leaders who have called for a peak body on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander housing in Queensland since 2005.

This advocacy and the historic foundation work of the former ‘South East Queensland Regional Indigenous Housing Organisations (SEQRIHO)’ and the ‘Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Council (QATSIHC)’ in 2010, led to the establishment of Housing Queensland in January 2021 and our formal registration with Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) on 13 May 2021.

The founders of Housing Queensland included former QATSIHC members, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community housing providers (ICHOs) and community leaders from across Queensland. We celebrate their vision and significance on ‘Founders Day’ each year on 13 May.

These founders wanted to create a leadership organisation that could leverage the expertise of members and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander housing experts to continually improve housing and accommodation support services in Queensland.

The following is a short summary of our establishment history click here.