Housing key workers in Australian cities

This free webinar presented findings from the AHURI research project — Housing key workers: scoping challenges, aspirations, and policy responses for Australian cities — led by Catherine Gilbert, The University of Sydney. The scoping study examined evidence of housing affordability challenges amongst a range of key worker occupation groups in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as whether governments in Sydney and Melbourne and select international jurisdictions (the USA and UK) consider key worker housing needs and how they support key workers to access appropriate housing.

Speakers

Dr Catherine Gilbert, The University of Sydney

Catherine is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the School of Architecture, Design and Planning at the University of Sydney and currently holds an AHURI Postdoctoral Fellowship. Catherine has a professional background in urban planning and a research interest in housing. Her recent research has focused on examining the implementation and outcomes of planning reforms and inclusionary planning policies designed to increase the supply of affordable housing, as well as on examining evidence of the impacts of declining housing on specific cohorts, including key workers. Catherine has led and collaborated on numerous AHURI research projects since 2011, as well as an ARC discovery project and had undertaken research for government and industry organisations in Australia and the UK.

Leonie King, Chief Executive Officer, City West Housing (respondent)

As Chief Executive Officer, Leonie is in charge of City West Housing and works with the Management team and Board of Directors to meet our purpose – to build stronger communities and improve people’s lives by providing affordable housing. She has over two decades of senior executive experience in the government and non-government sectors. Leonie has specialised in social and affordable housing and disability services in roles such as policy, strategy, program and regulatory design, statutory planning and community and affordable housing industry development. Leonie is currently a Director on the Board of the national industry body, Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA), and is the Vice Chair of CHIA NSW.

Dr Michael Fotheringham, Managing Director, AHURI (facilitator)

Michael is a research and policy development specialist with experience in a wide range of areas including housing and homelessness, public health, urban and community services planning. After joining the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute in 2014, he was appointed Executive Director in 2017 and is now responsible for setting the strategic direction of the Institute and leading the development of a contemporary and policy relevant evidence-base on housing, homelessness and urban issues. Michael has expertise in building research programs and policy agendas with not-for-profit, government and academic organisations. He currently serves on a variety of expert advisory panels including the Australian Government’s Smart Cities Reference Group, the Housing Supply Expert Panel, the Queensland Housing and Homelessness Research Alliance, The Urban Futures and Sustainable Living Expert Research Advisory Group, and the Homes for Homes Housing Advisory Group.