The Australian Institute of Architects has announced that it has entered into a new partnership with the private sector, for-purpose initiative Housing All Australians (HAA), noting that the partnership recognizes the need to do more in the face of Australia’s worsening social and affordable housing crisis.
The two organizations have executed a Memorandum of Understanding setting out a process of collaboration and a range of joint activities.
National president Tony Giannone said architecture is not only for the wealthy and that architects had the capacity to achieve social good.
“Access to safe, appropriate and secure housing isn’t a luxury, it is a fundamental human need,” he 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 affects 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.”
The organizations said they would 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 practices 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.”
More than 155,000 people are currently on social housing waiting lists and the 2016 census identified 116,000 people as homeless – a figure that is expected to increase substantially when the results of the 2021 Census are released.
