NEWS
Housing Action Network associates are busy in the community - learning about best practice in housing and service provision. Many of our associates are active speakers at conferences, and run workshops and masterclasses
RECENT events
Jan 2021: The Network welcomes Ali Birbeck as an Associate, working through her new business Ali Birbeck Consulting. Ali has had a stellar career including senior roles at community housing provider Junction Australia, and before that international experience PwC and HSBC.
Dec 2020: On behalf of the Australasian Housing institute, Tony ran State of the Sector 2020 webinar - the first of an annual series of updates on the social housing sector in Australia and New Zealand
Sep 2020 onwards: Tony led a series of three 5 three-hour webinars on Social and Affordable Housing Industry Induction which helped new sector entrants understand the basics of the housing system
Ali Birbeck
Jun 2020: John and Tony publish a journal article in HousingWorks on Social housing: social media
Jul 2019 - Oct 2020: John and Tony managed the $1.5 million NHFIC Capacity Building Program on behalf of the Community Housing Industry Association.
The National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation (NHFIC) supports the provision of social and affordable housing through:
The Affordable Housing Bond Aggregator, providing loans to registered Community Housing Organisations (CHOs) on terms more favourable than offered through commercial markets. Loans can be used to buy or build new social or affordable housing, maintain current housing, provide working capital or refinance existing debt.
The National Housing Infrastructure Facility which provides finance for infrastructure projects that unlock new housing supply, particularly affordable housing.
While initial loans have been to larger CHOs, NHFIC wants to encourage applications from smaller and medium-sized CHOs. NHFIC has therefore funded CHIA to administer grants to eligible CHOs, for Professional Advisory Services from consultants on an approved Panel that will help with NHFIC loan applications.
REVIEW OF 2019
Sep-Nov 2019: Tony is coordinating and will lecture in the UNSW Masters course in Housing Management and Markets. This course is also open as a single unit to assist with professional development
Oct 2019: The AHI is hosting a Social Housing Leaders’ Forum in Sydney, facilitated by Tony
Aug 2019: John and Tony attending the National Housing Conference in Darwin, with Tony will be Master of Ceremonies at the AHI National Awards. See videos on:
July 2019: With assistance from John, a significant event in the changing landscape for registered Aboriginal community housing providers in Metropolitan Sydney and NSW has been achieved through the successful registration of Tharawal Housing Aboriginal Corporation under the National Regulatory System for Community Housing
John also worked on the partnership between Tharawal and Hume Community Housing to provide asset management services
Jul 2019: Led by Tony, the Southern Cross Community Housing study tour spent time with Northwards Housing, South Liverpool Homes and Your Housing Group. We also visited several social enterprises, including one aiming to ‘end furniture poverty’
Jun 2019: Tony attended the Chartered Institute of Housing conference in Manchester, along with Southern Cross Community Housing
The Manchester conference is the largest social housing event in the world
REVIEW OF 2018
Nov 2018: Tony became Treasurer of Shelter NSW
Nov 2018: Julie Davenport from Hume Community Housing with Tony (and supported by Shaun Walsh) published an article in Housing Works on Contemporary boarding houses: marginal living or lifestyle choice?
Nov 2018: Carrie is joint author of an AHURI report on Social housing as infrastructure: an investment pathway
Oct 2018: with Professor Hal Pawson on leave, Tony coordinated and lectured the UNSW Masters course in Housing Management and Markets
UNSW field trip to Mission Australia Housing, Sydney
Oct 2018: Tony presented at the Northern Rivers Housing Forum, Lennox Head
Oct 2018: publication of Housing Needs: Northern Rivers Housing Study 2018, authored by Tony with assistance from John and Shaun Walsh
Sep 2018: review of Champions of Change book in the South Sydney Herald
Sep 2018: Tony has been appointed to the board of Shelter NSW
Sep 2018: as part of the University of Sydney's Festival of Urbanism, launch of Tony's next book, Champions of change: Shelter NSW, community activism and transforming NSW's housing system
Book launch, September 2018
Aug 2018: HousingWorks published an article on Tony’s career in housing
Jun 2018: Tony, John and Sue attended CHIA NSW Affordable housing conference in Sydney. Tony facilitated two sessions and was master of ceremonies for the conference dinner, and Sue presented
Apr 2018: Tony facilitated a breakfast workshop with the NSW Housing Minister, the head of FACS and 27 Chairs of community housing providers
Mar 2018: findings of Pathways home project presented at workshop hosted by NSW Federation of Housing Associations and Homelessness NSW
Feb 2018: publication of Pathways home: NSW community housing's role delivering better outcomes for people exiting corrective services
Feb 2018: Tony and John based in South Australia for 6 weeks, running the Housing Action Network from the Adelaide office
REVIEW of 2017
Tony's role as MC at housing conferences continued with the largest event to date - 250 people attended the AHI's national awards for Excellence in Social Housing, Sydney. Housing Action Network sponsored the main award
Nov 2017: Tony publishes an influential and at times controversial assessment of the winners and losers from the NSW Social Housing Management Transfers
Nov 2017: The Network hosted a well-attended event for the community housing sector's leaders at the National Housing Conference, Sydney
Nov 2017: Tony presented at the National Housing Conference on a topic close to his heart - tenant participation (see photo below)
Nov 2017: Tony was master of ceremonies at the AHI national awards, held in Sydney. See photo
Sep 2017: Tony and Shaun Walsh published an article in Housing Works on the changes in social housing highlighted by the 2016 census. Shaun has a separate website showing the charts in greater detail
Oct 2017: for the Housing Quality Network in Britain, Tony published Learning from the wider world of social housing regulation
Oct 2017: the Network continues to expand geographical frontiers, now having completed work in 3 countries: Australia, New Zealand and Britain
Tony presenting on tenant choice and voice at the National Housing Conference. The role was to talk about tenant participation in Australia, which with his strong northern English accent might have been a little confusing to some in the audience ...
Oct 2017: Network associate Mark Williams has been appointed by Mission Australia Housing for a major new recruitment role, to help deliver the exciting Ivanhoe Communities Plus project
Sep 2017: Housing Action Network a proud corporate supporter of marriage equality. With Parliament passing legislation in December, this led to a network marriage!
Housing Action Network has provided philanthropic funding to Southern Cross Housing to help disadvantaged young people gain access to employment and training in the community housing sector
Jun 2017: Tony presented at the NSW Federation of Housing Association's Exchange in Sydney on a Snapshot of the community housing sector and divergent trends in tenancy management outsourcing contracts
Jun 2017: through a $10,000 donation by Tony, Southern Cross Housing launched their Pathways program. This is a commitment to expanding its workforce by 10% with the appointment of Traineeships providing full-time training and employment opportunities to recent school leavers from disadvantaged communities.
May 2017: Tony was master of ceremonies for the AHI's excellence in social housing awards in Adelaide
Apr 2017: Tony presented four masterclasses on Financing Affordable Housing in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth
2017: Housing Action Network sponsored the AHI state and national awards for 'Excellence in Social Housing'
REVIEW of 2016
In 2016 Tony took over the role of General Manager at Junction Australia, as Scott Langford moved as new CEO of SGCH in NSW
Dec 2016: Tony presented at the NSW Federation of Housing Association's Exchange in Sydney on Sustainable housing options for ex-prisoners
Nov 2016: Tony was a keynote speaker at the AHI's Mixed tenure seminar in Auckland
Oct 2016: Tony helped facilitate AHURI's Future of housing assistance conference in Adelaide
Jul 2016: Tony, Barbara and Carrie presented at the NSW Federation of Housing Association conference in Sydney
Jun 2016: Tony runs the Funding models for affordable housing masterclass in Sydney for Aventedge
Jun 2016: Tony completes 4 months as Acting General Manager of Junction Australia, a large South Australian community housing provider managing 1,700 homes
May 2016: Following completion of the course, exam and assignment for the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Tony receives the 'GAICD' award
Apr 2016: Tony facilitates the opening plenary (with economist Saul Eslake) and closing plenary (with Angela Lockwood, CEO of Britain's North Star Housing Group) at the PowerHousing Exchange, Melbourne
Apr 2016: Tony and Barbara presented at the Housing the South West in the 21st century conference, Bunbury Western Australia
Feb 2016: Tony facilitated PowerHousing Australia's Disability Housing Community of Practice workshop in Adelaide
Tony with the Junction Australia housing team senior managers, CEO, Acting CFO and director at the PowerHousing Exchange
REVIEW OF 2015
Network clients at our drinks reception held as part of the National Housing Conference, Perth
Dec 2015: Tony presented at Barossa Housing and Community Forum, Nuriootpa South Australia
Oct 2015: Carrie, Sue, Mark and Tony attended the National Housing Conference in Perth. Housing Action Network hosted a get-together for our clients
Oct 2015: Tony attended a community housing conference in Wellington, New Zealand
Sep 2015: Tony presented at the Australasian Housing Institute's Mixed tenure housing professionao practice seminar in Sydney
Jul 2015: Tony presented at the Affordable Housing Development Summit in Sydney
Tony presenting with Julian Ashby - Chief Housing Regulator for England, at the PowerHousing conference
Jun 2015: Tony gained recognition from the Australasian Housing Institute as a Certified Housing Professional
June 2015: presentation by Tony at a workshop on innovative Affordable Housing Finance and Delivery Models at the Sustainable Models for Affordable Housing conference in Brisbane, and Chaired the second day of the main conference
May 2015: Tony hosted plenary sessions and master classes at the NSW Federation of Housing Associations Conference in Sydney
April 2015: Housing Action Network opens our second office in Adelaide
March 2015: Tony facilitated various sessions at the PowerHousing Australia conference, Adelaide
PUBLICATIONS
Nov 2017: NSW social housing management transfers announced. Around the House, the Journal of Shelter NSW, Volume 110
Sep 2017: with Shaun Walsh: Tenure trends: local factors in the decline of Australian social housing. Volume 30 Number 7 of HousingWORKS, the journal of the Australasian Housing Institute
Sep 2017: . Housing Quality Network briefing paper. York, England
Feb 2017: Productivity Commission review into human services. Third submission by six community housing industry and peak bodies
Dec 2016: The long road to freedom: best practice approaches supporting ex-prisoners to access stable housing. Volume 11 Number 4 of HousingWORKS, the journal of the Australasian Housing Institute
Oct 2016: Productivity Commission review into human services. Second submission by the community housing industry and peak bodies
Sep 2016: Breaking the chain: how community housing can help deliver better outcomes for ex-prisoners. For the Community Housing Council of SA
Jul 2016: Affordable housing discussion paper. Submission to NSW Labor on behalf of the NSW Federation of Housing Associations
Jul 2016: Human services: identifying sectors for reform. Submission by the community housing industry and peak bodies
Mar 2016: Pathways to independence? Housing and welfare reform in Australia and Britain, published by Tony and Colette Manion in Volume 11 Number 1 of HousingWORKS, the Journal of the Australasian Housing Institute
Nov 2015: publication of Navigating change: a history of Compass Housing, authored by Tony with research support from Helen Karathomas
Nov 2015: Homelessness challenges: studios and one-bedroom apartments to the rescue. Published by Tony with Emmanuel Gruzman in HousingWORKS Vol 10 Number 14
Oct 2015: publication by Tony of Barossa regional study: housing and community commissioned by Junction Australia
Aug 2015: Cinderella comes to the ball: tenant participation and social housing transformation. Published by Tony in HousingWORKS, the Journal of the Australasian Housing Institute
Mar 2015: Reading the numbers: a snapshot of Australian community housing. Published by Tony in HousingWORKS, the Journal of the Australasian Housing Institute
Feb 2015: Tony helped write submission for Bridge Housing and Pacific Link Housing on the Social Housing in NSW discussion paper
Nov 2014: Tony prepared a submission for Pacific Link Housing on the Central Coast Regional Growth and Infrastructure Plan
Aug 2014: Tony helped prepare submissions to the NSW Parliament's inquiry into Social Housing Tenancy Management for The Housing Alliance, Pacific Link Housing and SGCH
A full list of publications is available here