Statement of Intent

Statement of Intent for Housing Australia

1. This Statement of Intent (Statement) outlines how Housing Australia will achieve our objectives, carry out our functions, and exercise our powers in fulfilling our responsibilities. This Statement responds to the Ministers’ Statement of Expectations for Housing Australia and should be read alongside that document, as well as the legislation that sets out how we operate.

Support for government housing agenda and national housing crisis response

2. We acknowledge our objectives, functions, powers, activities and governance arrangements as set out under the Housing Australia Investment Mandate Direction 2018 (Investment Mandate), the Housing Australia Act 2018, the Help to Buy Act 2024, and the Help to Buy Program Directions 2025.  

3. We will continue to pursue our purpose of improving housing outcomes for Australians, while contributing to the Government’s housing agenda and national housing crisis response by:

  • administering the Government’s social and affordable housing initiatives including the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) Program, Housing Australia Bond Aggregator, National Housing Infrastructure Facility and Crisis and Transitional Program to increase the supply of social and affordable housing through innovative financing mechanisms, strategic partnerships with community housing providers and leveraging our financing facilities to mobilise private capital for housing development;
  • supporting pathways to homeownership, through the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme and the Australian Government Help to Buy Scheme, while maintaining appropriate risk management;
  • using data and insights to inform investment decisions and assist the Government to measure housing outcomes and support evidence-based policy development; and
  • maximising housing outcomes from Government investment by improving efficiency through streamlined processes, better technology, and automation where appropriate.

In administering these programs, we will have regard to the latest Investment Mandate to inform the apportionment of funding  to support housing outcomes across Australia, and will also work closely with organisations that have the primary purpose of improving housing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other vulnerable cohorts.

Working with Government

4. In keeping with our role in delivering key programs in the Government's housing agenda, we will keep you and relevant Government agencies informed, in a timely and accurate manner, of significant matters relating to Housing Australia. We will:

  • provide written reports within 10 business days of each Board meeting, outlining key deliberations and significant decisions;
  • provide regular updates on our achievements and performance towards the Government's policy objectives and compliance with Ministers’ Statement of Expectations;
  • provide regular reporting on program performance as required by legislation, including the Investment Mandate;
  • work collaboratively with the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Finance in our role as a Specialist Investment Vehicle (SIV), including providing biannual portfolio reporting and engaging on investment strategy, risk management and broader Commonwealth financial exposure considerations;
  • advise Government of changes to key management personnel and any material changes to Housing Australia's operating environment, including providing a Board and Executive skills matrix annually or in the event of material change; and
  • ensure Housing Australia's publications, submissions, major speeches, media releases and any other matters of significant interest are readily available to Government.

Governance and operations

5. As a Corporate Commonwealth Entity, Housing Australia will comply with accountability, management, performance and reporting requirements specified in the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act). This means we will:

  • govern in a transparent and accountable way that promotes the proper use of public resources, achievement of our purpose and financial sustainability;
  • set remuneration structures that are transparent, appropriately aligned to key performance indicators and justifiable to Parliament and the Australian public; and
  • administer all programs in a manner that ensures ongoing integrity, equity and transparency including regularly communicating progress to our stakeholders.

6. To support our main priorities of delivering programs and adhering to the PGPA Act, we will exhibit the following key operational and governance attributes, as expected of high-performing SIVs:

  • Financial management and investment - making financial decisions in a way that is merit based, transparent, well documented, and subject to commercial discipline and an appropriate level of risk while having regard to Government priorities;
  • Risk management - continue to embed and sustain a culture of transparency, accountability and integrity that underpins decision-making, and maintain  appropriate and maturing systems of risk management, record keeping and internal controls;
  • People management – manage the affairs and people of Housing Australia to a high standards, in accordance with all applicable legislation and actively support employee engagement, wellbeing, and capability to support a high-performance culture; and
  • Stakeholder collaboration - regularly and openly collaborate and cooperate with key stakeholders and priority cohorts, where practical and appropriate, to pursue common objectives.

7. Our stakeholder collaboration includes collaborating with Commonwealth agencies and all levels of Government, the community housing sector, investors and the construction sector to ensure we deliver optimal housing outcomes.

8. We will consider the Commonwealth's broader financial exposure when entering into investments with, or collaborating and cooperating with, other Commonwealth entities so as to not overcommit the Commonwealth with a particular proponent or investment.

Environmental, Social and Governance framework

9. We will continue to be guided by an Environmental, Social and Governance framework to support sustainable activity. This includes identifying opportunities to support the orderly and positive economic transformation of Australia’s regions, industries, workers and communities’ transition to net zero emissions.

Corporate Plan and annual report

10. We will reference this Statement of Intent in our Corporate Plan and explain how our strategic priorities and related programs support it. We will explain how we will strive to adopt the expectations outlined in the Government's Statement of Expectations and include reporting against these in our annual report.

Housing Australia looks forward to continuing to work with the Australian Government in support of your housing agenda and national housing crisis response.

23 September 2025