Mirvac Boss to Lead Affordable Housing Council

The Federal government’s move to establish a National Housing Supply and Affordability Council has been welcomed by one of the industry’s peak bodies.

Outgoing Mirvac chief executive Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz will lead the  interim council.

The Property Council of Australia chief executive Ken Morrison said the independent advice of the newly formed council would be critical in addressing the growing housing supply and affordability gaps.

“The interim Housing Supply and Affordability Council will ensure the government’s ambition to boost housing supply and affordability is supported by expert independent advice,” he said.

Lloyd-Hurwitz’s appointment by housing minister Julie Collins was also welcome news, Morrison said.

“In selecting a leader as well-regarded and experienced in creating housing supply as Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz, the minister has demonstrated her serious intent to tackle one of the country’s most persistent public policy challenges.”

But Morrison warned the “sustained support and goodwill of state, territory and local governments via the new Housing Accord will also be essential to making headway”.

Lloyd-Hurwitz announced in October she would retire as chief executive and managing director of Mirvac after a decade at the top. 

She joined the Australian property group from LaSalle Investment Management in 2012 and is the immediate past chair of the Green Building Council of Australia, a past national president of the Property Council of Australia and the current chair of Chief Executive Women.

She is due to step down at Mirvac in June.

In a prepared statement Lloyd-Hurwitz said she was honoured to be chairing the council as it looked to address the housing affordability crisis.

And she joined Morrison in calling for a united approach to the challenge.

“The responsibility for affordable housing requires all levels of government, the property sector, the community housing sector and the broader community to work together, and I’m looking forward to collaborating with all parts of the housing industry to ensure we have sufficient supply, diversity and choice of housing.”

▲ Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz is stepping down from Mirvac after 10 years at the top of the Australian property group.

Housing minister Collins said Lloyd-Hurwitz’s appointment was an important step in implementing the government’s ambitious housing agenda.

“We want to ensure our investments are underpinned by expert advice,” Collins said.

“That’s why we’re creating a National Housing Supply and Affordability Council to deliver independent advice to government on ways to increase housing supply and affordability.

“Lloyd-Hurwitz’s experience in the sector will be invaluable as we continue working to ensure more Australians have a safe and affordable place to call home.”

Lloyd-Hurwitz will be joined on the interim council by Housing Choices Australia’s managing director Michael Lennon, who becomes deputy chair.

The interim board will also include Asia-Pacific Network for Housing Research committee member Professor Rachel ViforJ, chief executive of the Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre Helen Waters Silvia, urban economist and planner Dr Marcus Spiller, and Urban Renewal Authority director David O’Loughlin.

The PCA’s Morrison said one of the early tasks of the interim council would be to review barriers to institutional investment to create new housing for Australians.

“Australia needs all the new housing it can get, so it makes sense to address the taxation settings which prevent more investment creating the new rental housing the country needs,” Morrison said.

“As countries such as the United States and the UK have demonstrated, with the right settings, build-to-rent housing could give Australians more choice in the housing market and become a key solution to the affordable housing equation,” he said.

The interim council begins work in the new year and will operate until permanently established by legislation.

The council announcement comes as the federal government released draft legation for its planned $10-billion Housing Australia Future Fund, which aims to deliver 30,000 social and affordable rental homes over a five-year period. 

A planned 10,000 of those homes would be for frontline workers such as police, nurses and cleaning staff.  Another 4000 would be allocated to women and children experiencing domestic and family violence and older, at risk, women on low incomes.