Media Release – Minister for Housing and Public Works, Hon Tim Mander
Housing merger to improve local services
Social housing in the Fraser Coast region will take a big step forward today thanks to a merger between locally based Fraser Coast Housing Limited and Community Housing Limited.
Housing Minister Tim Mander said the partnership was a smart move for the locally based organisation.
“We need to create a flexible, efficient and responsive housing system to help our most vulnerable Queenslanders,” Mr Mander said.
“Community Housing Limited is a major player in the social housing sector with more than 4000 dwellings throughout the country.
“I am pleased to see two great organisations working together to boost services to the community.
“By 2020, we want to see up to 90 per cent of all social housing managed by the community housing sector so I wish the new organisation all the best as it responds to the important issues ahead.”Community Housing Ltd Managing Director Steve Bevington said the merger is the coming together of two like-minded organisations that share a common vision of providing quality housing and services to the community.
“Through our combined resources we will have increased efficiencies and capacity to offer enhanced development opportunities which will allow us to meet the growing housing demand in the region and the State overall,” Mr Bevington said.
Minister Mander said the merger is a great example of why the National Regulatory System is so important in Queensland.
“The national system aims to provide a consistent approach to social housing across Australia,” he said.
“We’re currently testing the system and providers will be able to register from 1 January 2014 so they can continue to provide their essential services.
“The new system complements the State Government’s recently released Housing 2020 and Homelessness-to-Housing strategies.”
For more information on the Government’s participation in the National Regulatory System for Community Housing, or for more details on other community housing-related initiatives, visit www.hpw.qld.gov.au.