20 Years of AHURI - Flipbook - Page 3
Letter from the Chair and Executive Director
2019 is a milestone year, marking twenty years since the Australian Housing and Urban Research
Institute (as it is currently structured) began its work in contributing to improved housing and urban
outcomes for Australians. This presents an opportunity to celebrate and reflect on the Institute’s
accomplishments, and an opportunity to look to the future.
AHURI is a unique partnership between the
Commonwealth and state and territory governments
and our Australia-wide network of university partners.
This partnership has delivered vital research and
insights that have guided governments and shaped
community thinking. These combined efforts have built
a vast and informative evidence-base and advanced
knowledge of housing and urban issues.
In addition to this we have created a powerful legacy
in the AHURI model which has set the standard in
governance and collaborative research between policy
and academia. This has inspired and informed the
development of similar research institutes in Australia
and internationally in housing and in other complex
policy areas.
Housing cuts across many dimensions of social life,
as the place in which households and communities
care for each other and secure their financial futures.
It is vital social infrastructure in Australia’s cities, towns
and regions. The provision of safe and secure housing
underpins policy addressing a range of social issues
including homelessness, mental health, domestic
and family violence and good educational outcomes.
AHURI has contributed key research spanning all of
these issues and more.
The reports highlighted in these pages represent a
small sample of the breadth and depth of the AHURI
evidence-base. The impact of AHURI research can be
seen in government programs such as the National
Housing Finance and Investment Corporation—with
its bond aggregator based on AHURI research—and
through the conceptualisation of the National Housing
Supply Council, National Rental Affordability Scheme
and City Deals. AHURI research has led understanding
of the role of housing systems in the productivity of
Australian cities and regions. AHURI has contributed
influential evaluations of the cost-offsets achieved
through homelessness programs, and of the impact of
shared equity programs to support home ownership for
Australians on lower incomes.
AHURI at 20 is not just reflecting on past achievements,
but is also looking forward to the future. We are excited
to broaden the evidence-base to influence knowledge
and understanding of the growth of Australia’s cities and
how they might develop into the future. The current Cities
Research Agenda features research projects investigating
diverse topics such as metropolitan governance, urban
transport and the delivery of social infrastructure.
With the support of government and university partners,
and the ongoing high quality of AHURI research, the next
20 years are shaping up to build on, and exceed, the
achievements of the two decades we’re celebrating.
Thank you to all of those who have contributed to the
success of AHURI. We hope you enjoy reading this
commemorative booklet which highlights the involvement
of so many individuals and organisations in this unique
venture. We look forward to our ongoing collaboration in
the years to come.
Mr Adrian Harrington
Chair
Dr Michael Fotheringham
Executive Director
Mission statement
AHURI’s mission is “to inform and impact better housing, homelessness, cities and related
urban outcomes through the delivery and dissemination of relevant and authoritative research.”
