The PowerHousing Australia National Awards 2023 was held at the Great Hall, Parliament House. The Awards celebrated the sector and showcased the individuals and teams in our membership who have gone above and beyond to support their colleagues and tenants. The Awards acknowledge our sector and the community at large, as well as highlighting the difference that PowerHousing Members make to the lives of tenants, local communities, and our nation.
Jordana Borensztajn joined us to emcee the event. Over 490 delegates joining us for dinner, dancing and the awards presentations. The event ended the year on a high note celebrating the PowerHousing Australia network.
PowerHousing Australia would like to thank all of our Affiliates and offer our sincerest gratitude and appreciation to the award sponsors who made our 2023 Awards possible: JLL, ANZ, Bunnings Trade, Everyone (a Division of Metricon), Harvey Norman Commercial Division, Karndean DesignFlooring, MRI, Content Security, Simonds Homes and Lighthouse Infrastructure. In addition to sponsoring, our Award Sponsors have also facilitated the winners, runners up and highly commended scholarships that are presented to award recipients in the individual categories.
The PowerHousing Academy Scholarship & Award recipients for 2023 are:
Tenant Engagement and Social Inclusion
Supported by Simonds Homes
The Tenant Engagement and Social Inclusion Award recognises and celebrates teams who have demonstrated a development and implementation of inclusive practices, programs or initiatives that have led to greater support, access, representation, participation or sense of belonging for either staff or tenants.
Winner
Haven Home Safe, Community Engagement Team
Runner up
Bridge Housing, Sustainable Communities Team
Highly commended
Housing Choices Australia, Specialist Housing Group, Renewal Program; and
Housing Trust, Customer & Tenant Engagement Team
Team Leadership and Culture
Supported by Content Security
The Team Leadership and Culture Award recognises and celebrates teams that have collaboratively developed, supported and lead innovative internal programs that have significantly improved the workplace culture, the mental wellbeing of their staff and tenants, and/or the workplace health and safety within their organisation.
Joint Winners
Junction, Housing Team
Pacific Link Housing, Executive Team
Runner up
Evolve Housing, People and Culture Team
Highly commended
Centacare Evolve Housing, Build Up Tassie
Business Partner
Supported by Bunnings Trade
The Business Partner Award recognises and celebrates successful corporate/commercial partnerships which have been established between PowerHousing Australia Members and external corporate/commercial organisations and/or industry consultants, where extraordinary collaboration and dedication have enabled both partners to achieve mutual goals for benefit of all parties, and the wider community housing sector.
Winner
Evolve Housing, Lidcombe Rise with Billbergia
Runner up
UnitingSA, Regency Green with Community Living Options (CLO) and AMES Australia.
Highly commended
Foundation Housing, 7A and 7B Carman Way, Bassendean with Activ Foundation; and
Mission Australia Housing – Clarence Plains Renewal with Ronald Young + Co Builders
Government Program Collaboration
Supported by Karndean DesignFlooring
The Government Program Collaboration Award recognises and celebrates programs and/or projects that have successfully demonstrated positive collaborative efforts and engagement between the PowerHousing Australia Members and State and/or the Commonwealth Government.
Winner
Housing Choices Australia, Djuripiny Mia
Runner up
Northern Rivers Housing, Temporary Accommodation Villages
Highly commended
- Evolve Housing, Ascot Vale
- Junction, Churchill Road Development
- Peppertree Place, UnitingSA
Modernisation of a Built Form Development
Supported by EveryOne, a division of Metricon
The Modernisation of a Built Form Development Award recognises and celebrates outstanding new and/or revitalised built-form development projects which feature groundbreaking innovative, and industry leading, environmental, universal design and/or wellbeing characteristics.
Winner
Bridge Housing, Glebe Aboriginal Women’s Housing Project
Runner up
Believe Housing Australia, Believe Place; and
Housing Choices Australia, Nightingale Bowden
Highly commended
HousingFirst, Marlborough Street, Balaclava
The Excellence in Customer Service and Business Support
Supported by MRI Software
The Excellence in Customer Services and Business Support Award recognises and celebrates individuals who have provided exceptional customer experience to their tenants and stakeholders and/or prioritised and provided extraordinary support in the strategical and/or operational processes of their organisation.
Winner
Elizabeth Kelso, BHC
Runner up
Matthew King, Beyond Housing.
Highly commended
- Liliane Tadros, Argyle Housing
- Kathryn Blake, Link Wentworth
Outstanding Achievement
Supported by ANZ
The Outstanding Achievement award recognises and celebrates individuals who have demonstrated, both professionally and personally, outstanding hard work, dedication and/or contributions to their roles, organisation, the community housing sector, as well as to the advancement of society overall.
Winner
Greg Coghlan, BHC
Runner up
Helen Tighe, Bridge Housing
Highly commended
Michelle Northcote, BlueCHP
Mark Glew, Pacific Link Housing
Rising Star
Supported by Harvey Norman Commercial Victoria
The Rising Star Award recognises and celebrates up-and-coming staff who are within the early stages of their community housing careers. Nominees of the rising star awards are individuals whose performance records reflects ongoing and exceptional growth, has contributed benefits to their organisation, and they have demonstrated increased levels of leadership, responsibility, and impact that has exceeded the expectations of their current roles. While eligible nominees have not yet reached a senior- or chief- level position, their track-record reflects a strong career trajectory with the possibility of forward advancement and potential for appointment at the highest levels of the profession.
Winner
Aileen O’Neill, Bridge Housing
Runner up
Zach Gregory, SGCH
Highly commended
- Alexandra Phillips, Home in Place
- Sarah Spicer, Southern Cross Housing
- Sheng Lin, Uniting Vic.Tas
Outstanding Sector Leadership
Supported by JLL Australia
The 2023 Outstanding Leadership award is nominated by the PowerHousing Australia Board and its winner is defined by the long-term commitment to social and economic impact for, and alongside, the people we serve and we employ. They have driven social change and have shaped the Sector, the standing of Community Housing Providers, and communities that we all operate within. Their shadow is cast long over the social and affordable housing advocacy outcomes that we all strive for today, and their work serves as a guiding light for our Rising Stars and Emerging Leaders, leaving an indelible mark for generations to come.
Winner
Jeanette Large, Women’s Property Initiatives
Lifetime Achievement
The Lifetime Achievement Award is nominated by the PowerHousing Australia Board and recognises the outstanding dedication, commitment and contribution to the Community Housing Sector in Australia.
Winner
Brendan Crotty