Defence Housing Australia (DHA) delivered a disciplined, solid and resilient performance in 2016–17, once again demonstrating that it is one of the Government’s most successful business enterprises.
It gives me great pleasure to introduce DHA’s Annual Report 2016–17. DHA achieved a great deal in the past year and, despite internal and external challenges, never lost sight of its purpose and its commitment to service delivery.
Our support of the Defence community
We continued to deliver a high quality, diversified housing portfolio and related services to Australian Defence Force (ADF) members and their families. In doing so, we supported Defence capability by ensuring that service men and women can focus on their job at hand—defending our nation and maintaining the security of our region.
We also continued to support the broader Defence community. In 2016–17 we contributed approximately $235,500 and goods in kind to various Defence community groups and not-for-profit organisations. Notable contributions included:
- $92,600 to upgrade 27 Defence Community Organisation (DCO) community centres so that they could increase their capacity to serve ADF members and their families
- $104,600 in support of Defence-related programs, including:
- The Prince’s Trust Australia Lead Your Own Business Program which supports ADF members transitioning out of military service to start a small business or consultancy
- The Road Home which raises awareness and funding for research into health and wellbeing conditions affecting military veterans and emergency services personnel and their families
- $38,300 in support of Defence-related events, including DCO welcome days where ADF members and their families come together to get to know each other and learn more about the services and support networks available in their local area.
Our support of the Australian Government
We completed all outstanding work arising from the recommendations of the Government’s Forensic Review into our operations. We demonstrated we are one of the Government’s most successful and reliable business enterprises by achieving a higher than budgeted dividend payment for the tenth consecutive year. We also continued to achieve industry recognition for our innovation, which reflects well on Government.
I would like to thank the Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, the Minister for Finance, Senator the Hon Mathias Cormann, and the Minister for Defence Personnel, the Hon Dan Tehan MP, for their continued support of DHA in 2016–17.
DHA Board members, the Senior Executive Group and staff based at our regional office in Brisbane with ADF members and representatives from the Department of Defence, Defence Community Organisation and Defence Families of Australia at Gallipoli Barracks (QLD).Our support of the broader community
We continued to contribute to local and regional economies through our commitment to employ local businesses and tradespeople wherever possible to help us deliver quality housing and timely maintenance services. The Board and I are always pleased to see the great work done in helping us deliver a high quality property portfolio and new award winning, sustainable communities.
We also welcomed hundreds of new investors in 2016–17, which contributed to DHA managing 13,149 leased properties as at 30 June 2017. We value the contribution of investors to our business and look forward to offering more investors the opportunity to build wealth through our successful property investment program in 2017–18.
Appointments
I welcomed stability on the Board in 2016–17 following a period with multiple vacant positions.
We welcomed two new commercial Board members, Ms Andrea Galloway and Mr Ewen Jones, in November and December 2016 respectively. Ms Galloway has considerable community housing experience and Mr Jones has experience in commercial property before a political career. Both have been very useful additions to the Board.
I was pleased that Commodore Vicki McConachie CSC RANR was reappointed to the Board for another three years in December 2016 as the nominee of the Chief of the Defence Force. All Board members very much value Commodore McConachie’s Defence experience and legal acumen.
The Board was also delighted to formally appoint Ms Jan Mason as DHA Managing Director for a five year term in November 2016. Ms Mason’s appointment brings discipline and energy to DHA. The organisation has already benefited greatly from her hard work to improve communication, collaboration and teamwork.
I am pleased that DHA’s Board composition brings together a diverse range of skills and experience and, with four out of nine directors being female, complies with the Australian Government’s target for women on government boards.
Acknowledgements
In closing, I wish to acknowledge Mr Jon Brocklehurst, DHA’s Chief Financial Officer and Head of Corporate Services, who died suddenly on 30 April 2017. Mr Brocklehurst contributed much to DHA over a decade of service through his good humour, people skills, persistence, leadership and first rate professionalism. The organisation feels his loss; DHA and Australia lost a fine public servant and citizen.
In adversity we found strength and I acknowledge and admire the efforts of Ms Mason, the executive team and all staff in the wake of Mr Brocklehurst’s death. In these sad days, staff continued to support each other and ensure our customer service levels were not affected. The Board and I thank all the DHA team for staying on task.
Each time I travel to one of DHA’s 20 regional offices I am impressed by the professionalism, passion, energy and commitment to service that staff display. Our people, often far distant from Canberra, are the reason for much of our success and, for that, the Board and I thank you.
I look forward to the year ahead as we celebrate 30 years of DHA’s operations.
Hon J.A.L. (Sandy) Macdonald
Chairman