The Australian Institute of Architects has entered into a new partnership with private sector, for-purpose initiative, Housing All Australians (HAA).
The two organisations have executed a Memorandum of Understanding setting out a process of collaboration and range of joint activities. The partnership recognises the need to do more in the face of Australia’s worsening social and affordable housing crisis.
More than 155,000 people are currently on social housing waiting lists – with some wait times extending more than a decade. The 2016 census identified a further 116,000 people as homeless – a figure that is expected to increase substantially when the results of the 2021 Census are released.
Meanwhile housing affordability continues to decline with more and more households plunged into housing stress.
National President Tony Giannone said architecture is not only for the wealthy and architects have a huge capacity to achieve social good and support the most vulnerable in our communities.
“Access to safe, appropriate and secure housing isn’t a luxury, it is a fundamental human need,” Mr Giannone said.
“This new partnership with Housing All Australians is a mechanism through which we as architects can do more to address a growing crisis that effects more and more people every year.
“The partnership builds on our strong advocacy in this area and will help showcase the efforts of individual members to provide lasting solutions that support those in the greatest need.”
HAA believes that just like the provision of roads, schools and hospitals – safe, affordable and stable housing for all our people, rich or poor, is fundamental economic infrastructure for a future prosperous Australia and the Institute agrees.
The Institute has made a commitment in its current Strategic Plan 2021- 2023 that through respected leadership we will make a powerful contribution to the community on behalf of the profession.
Together the two organisations will be pursuing opportunities for collaboration that can make a measurable difference to the supply of social and affordable housing in Australia. They have agreed to:
- develop a considered private sector led approach towards educating the Australian public of the need to provide shelter to all Australians, rich or poor, by focusing on the economic impacts to our country.
- develop a joint approach to advocate the development of a National Housing Continuum Strategy within Infrastructure Australia.
- agree/identify possible impact projects and delivery timeframes.
- encourage architectural practises around the country to participate, on a pro bono basis, with HAA projects and to show the private sector leadership that this country needs and deserves.
- acknowledge the collaboration in the development of relevant strategy and thought leadership.
- support and assist in coordination efforts with joint Government responses, as appropriate.
For media enquiries contact:
Fiona Scott on behalf of the Australian Institute of Architects
| M. +61 (0) 407 294 620 | fiona@fjpartners.com.au
