Defence Housing Australia

July 2016

• Shout Ridge, a precinct within our Crimson Hill development in Sydney (NSW), received a 6 Star Green Star Multi Unit Residential Design V1 rating from the Green Building Council of Australia. The apartments are the first in Australia to receive the prestigious rating, which represents world leadership in environmentally friendly design.

• We officially opened a 4,990m² water play park at our Breezes Muirhead development in Darwin (NT). The park engages children in active play, with water wheels, dams, switches and pumps demonstrating water management. It is the first water play park to be built within a residential community in the Territory.

• Archaeologists and Wonnarua Elders recovered Indigenous artefacts at our Wirraway development in the Hunter Valley (NSW). The artefacts, which are believed to be 3,000 years old, indicate Indigenous people hunted in the area.
• We held seminars at Campbell Barracks (WA) to inform Seaward Village residents of a proposal to upgrade the 153 houses DHA owns on base. A dedicated website (seawardvillage.com.au) was established to keep residents and the public informed.

August 2016

• We officially opened two state-of-the-art parks at our Bluewattle development in Townsville (QLD). ‘Birdwing’ and ‘Alfresco’ were chosen following a public naming competition. The larger of the two, Birdwing Park, is butterfly themed with butterfly motifs decorating the top of the 10 metre tower and slides.

• Our First Response Program was named as a finalist in the Comcare Work Health and Safety Awards (Category 1—Prevention Award). The Program comprehensively manages risks associated with field work and includes e-learning and SafeTCards (mobile duress devices) for field staff.
• Over 100 families attended a community event to celebrate the official launch of stage six of our development at Woondella, Sale (VIC). The development features 47 new lots. We will retain 22 lots and build housing for ADF members and their families.
• Representatives from the Fort Scratchley and Stockton historical societies toured our sites at Fort Wallace in Stockton and the Rifle Range at Fern Bay in Newcastle (NSW) to provide ideas and feedback on how to best preserve and respect the sites’ history. Over 100 residents attended community information sessions to discuss our development plans for the sites.
• Work began at our Palm Beach site, a former caravan park, in Rockingham (WA). We are building approximately 350 apartments and will retain 145 for ADF members.

September 2016

• We turned the first sod at our Victoria Rise development at Edmondson Park, Sydney (NSW). The development is named in honour of the suburb’s strong Defence links. The suburb was named after local John Edmondson, who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross medal for bravery in World War Two.

L to R: DHA Managing Director, Ms Jan Mason, DHA Chairman, Hon Sandy Macdonald, Federal Member for Werriwa, Ms Anne Stanley MP, and Lieutenant Colonel Phillip Coleman.

• We donated $30,000 to Soldier On through the sale of our popular lime green Viking beanies to Canberra Raiders fans. Soldier On supports men and women who have been physically or psychologically affected by their military service.

L to R: DHA Chairman, Hon Sandy Macdonald, Soldier On Chief Executive Officer, Mr John Bale, DHA Managing Director, Ms Jan Mason, and Canberra Raiders Chairman, Dr Allan Hawke.

• We were named as a finalist in three categories of the Customer Service Institute of Australia’s (CSIA) 2016 Australian Service Excellence Awards (Customer Service Organisation of the Year—Government, Service Excellence in a Medium Contact Centre and Customer Service Executive of the Year). We achieved a score of 8.15 out of 10 from CSIA as part of our annual accreditation process, positioning us for ‘international recognition’ in terms of customer service.
• Our First Response Program was a joint winner at the 2016 Comcare Work Health and Safety Awards (Category 1—the Prevention Award).

L to R: DHA Manager, Safety, Health, Environment and Quality, Ms Chelsea Cook, and Comcare Chief Executive Officer, Ms Jennifer Taylor.

• Our Prevention First management system was named as a finalist in the 24th National Safety Awards of Excellence (Category 1—Best Continuous Improvement of a WHS Management System).
• On 23 September 2016 we launched DHA Invest, a new Facebook page for our property investment program that provides current and prospective investors with updates on properties for sale, events and news. The page complements our corporate Facebook page which focuses on engaging ADF members and their families and Defence stakeholders.

October 2016

• We celebrated the completion of 44 three-bedroom townhouses at Enoggera, Brisbane (QLD). Our development was named after Major General Adrian Clunies-Ross AO MBE (Rtd) who had a distinguished military career, including commanding the 8th/9th Battalion which was formed at Gallipoli Barracks in Enoggera in 1973. All properties are being retained for ADF members and their families.

L to R: DHA Managing Director, Ms Jan Mason, Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Slaughter, Major General Adrian Clunies-Ross AO MBE (Rtd) and DHA Chairman, Hon Sandy Macdonald.

• Our General Manager, Property and Tenancy Services, Mr Brett Jorgensen, won the Customer Service Executive of the Year award at the CSIA’s 2016 Australian Service Excellence Awards. As a former ADF member, Mr Jorgensen really understands the needs of ADF members and families. He has been a driving force behind changing and improving DHA’s customer service delivery model since being appointed General Manager five years ago.

• We opened the display suite and launched a sales campaign at Arkadia, our $60 million 152-apartment development project in Alexandria, Sydney (NSW). Architects DKO and Breathe Architecture won a design excellence competition for their innovative plan. The building will be constructed predominantly from bricks in keeping with the site’s history as a former brickworks.

• We were awarded a high commendation at the 24th National Safety Awards of Excellence for our Prevention First management system (Category 1—Best Continuous Improvement of a WHS Management System). This is a great achievement given the number and calibre of nominations received.
• Our property investment program Look forward advertising campaign won an ACT Division Australian Marketing Institute Marketing Excellence Award (Marketing Communication Business to Consumer and Business to Business category). The Look forward campaign was also named as one of five finalists in the national award, competing with major industry players such as Meat and Livestock Australia and Toyota.
• Our Asche Duplex at Breezes Muirhead in Darwin (NT) won two awards at the 2016 Urban Development Institute of Australia Northern Territory Awards for Excellence (Environmental Excellence and Innovation in Development categories). Asche Duplex, which was designed by Troppo Architects and built by PTM Group, sets a benchmark for sustainable compact housing within the Darwin market.

November 2016

• The Board appointed Ms Jan Mason as DHA Managing Director for a five year term. DHA Chairman, Hon Sandy Macdonald, credited Ms Mason for her hard work to encourage communication, collaboration and teamwork throughout DHA, as well as her commitment to supporting ADF members and their families during her 12 months as Acting Managing Director.
• We honoured our best and brightest at our 2016 Staff Awards of Excellence ceremony. Staff were awarded for excellence, teamwork, customer service and commitment to work, health and safety. Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin AC, was the keynote speaker and presented Employee of the Year, Mr Danny Williams, with his award.

L to R: DHA Employee of the Year, Mr Danny Williams, and Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin AC.

• We celebrated the completion of 28 purpose-built Member Choice Accommodation (MCA) properties in Stafford, Brisbane (QLD) which contributed to us delivering more than 1,000 properties into the MCA portfolio. We first trialled the MCA program in Darwin in 2006 then, with agreement from Defence, rolled the program out nationally in 2012. MCA properties have proven hugely popular with single and unaccompanied ADF members as an alternative to private rental accommodation.

• We officially opened the sales office and display suite at our Liv Apartments development in Fremantle (WA). Liv will comprise approximately 166 one, two and three-bedroom apartments when complete. Of these, 65 will be retained for ADF members and the remainder will be sold to the public.
• Over 70 guests including new owners, Defence tenants, staff and contractors attended the official opening and plaque unveiling of Shout Ridge at our Crimson Hill development in Sydney (NSW) named in honour of Victoria Cross recipient Captain Alfred Shout VC.

December 2016

• Twelve months on from His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales, turning the first sod at The Prince’s Terrace Adelaide (SA), representatives from his Australian charity toured the site to see the construction progress firsthand and meet the local contractors. The development was the first project in Australia to achieve a 6 Star Green Star design rating from the Green Building Council of Australia.

• The peak Defence relocation period spans from the beginning of November to mid-January each year. On 19 December, our property management workforce experienced their busiest day of the year completing 628 inspections across the country. This included:
  • pre-vacation property inspections before an ADF member relocated
  • inspections after an ADF member vacated a property
  • welcome visits when an ADF member first moved into a new service residence (DHA-managed property).

• We acquired our first MCA properties in Ipswich (QLD) for single and unaccompanied ADF members working at RAAF Base Amberley. All 21 properties were reserved by ADF members within 24 hours. MCA properties are now available in most capital cities and in four regional centres across Australia.
• Standard & Poor’s confirmed our corporate credit issuer rating of AA+ and a standalone credit rating of BBB+. This profile rating is one notch above the target credit rating for GBEs specified by the Australian Government.

January 2017

• We completed another successful Defence peak relocation period with:
  • 43,488 calls to the housing contact centres
  • 33,231 calls to the maintenance contact centre
  • 2,764 service residences vacated
  • 20,271 property inspections completed
  • 10,182 maintenance items raised
  • 2,946 service residences reserved by ADF members.

Of note, 93 per cent of ADF members had a home allocated prior to arriving in their new location.

• Construction commenced at our Liv Apartments development in Fremantle (WA). Liv was also officially accepted to apply to the prestigious One Planet Living program. The program is an initiative of Bioregional Australia to make sustainable living a reality. If successful, Liv Apartments would be the fifth endorsed One Planet Community in Australia and one of fewer than 20 worldwide.

February 2017

• We hosted the first of our ‘The Inside Word’ events for existing DHA investors in Canberra (ACT) and Sydney (NSW). Keynote speaker, Mr Chris Gray, one of Australia’s leading independent property market experts, shared his strategies on creating wealth in the current property market and gave investors tips on how to build their property portfolio.
• We launched the latest display village at our Breezes Muirhead development in Darwin (NT) with an outdoor street party. Attendees enjoyed displays from local radio station Hot 100, Greening Australia and the Territory Wildlife team, as well as face painting and a jumping castle.
• Staff and our mascot, Rex D. Dog, attended over 15 Defence Community Organisation (DCO) Welcome Days around the country in January and February. DHA is a proud co-sponsor of the events as they are a great opportunity for Defence families to get to know each other and learn more about the services and support networks in their new area. Our story book Sticking Together was a big hit, with many families taking a copy and joining Rex’s database to be kept up to date with Rex’s fun adventures. Visit our website (dha.gov.au/rex) for more information about Rex and to download free activity sheets.

Rex D. Dog loved meeting all the Defence children and getting to pose for so many photos.

• We hosted a ‘Welcome to Wirraway’ event for new residents at our development in Thornton, Hunter Valley (NSW). Attendees enjoyed the free barbeque lunch, jumping castle and face painting. It was a great opportunity for current residents (ADF members), future residents (land purchasers who are building their own homes), representatives from the Defence community (DCO and RAAF Base Williamtown), neighbours from the surrounding area and DHA representatives to meet and socialise.

March 2017

• Over 190 Toowoomba (QLD) locals, including neighbours, local business people, community organisation representatives and elected officials, attended a community information day to discuss our Mount Lofty development project. Community consultation is an important part of each of our development projects as it provides welcome feedback into our masterplanning process.

April 2017

• Our Chairman, Hon Sandy Macdonald, The Prince’s Trust Chief Executive, Dame Martina Milburn DCVO CBE, and The Prince’s Charities Australia Trustee and Project Leader, Mr Dominic Richards, laid the first bricks at The Prince’s Terrace Adelaide development in Bowden (SA). The project is committed to sustainable choices and has a strong focus on local, low carbon materials. The bricks used were more than 100 years old and have been re-used from former Bowden industrial buildings. Wherever possible, local builders and tradespeople have been employed to stimulate local economic growth and employment.

DHA Chairman, Hon Sandy Macdonald, laid one of the first bricks at The Prince’s Terrace Adelaide.

• We launched a new Defence Community Hub website for ADF members and their families posting to a new location. The Community Hub is a collaborative project with DCO and Defence Families of Australia (DFA). It is designed to connect ADF families to Defence and public community groups and centres, as well as provide local information about childcare, schools, healthcare services and public transport options. Refer to the website (defencecommunityhub.org.au) for more information.

• We were proud to host the ANZAC Lunch for Legacy in Sydney (NSW) for the third consecutive year in support of ADF members and their families. The event was attended by 175 guests and raised $20,760 for Legacy Sydney. Television personality, Ms Melissa Doyle, was master of ceremonies. The keynote speakers were Ms Margaret Jackson AC, Chairman of The Prince’s Charities Australia, and Mr Curtis McGrath OAM, an Australian Paralympian who took up canoeing after having both his legs amputated as a result of a mine blast while serving in the Australian Army in Afghanistan.

May 2017

• It was with great sadness that staff mourned the sudden death of our Chief Financial Officer and Head of Corporate Services, Mr Jon Brocklehurst, on 30 April 2017. Mr Brocklehurst worked with distinction at DHA over two terms, totalling over 10 years’ service. We created an in memoriam book which included messages from Board members and staff and presented it to Mr Brocklehurst’s family. DHA Managing Director, Ms Jan Mason, put an interim organisational structure in place to ensure service levels to ADF members and our investors were not affected.

Mr Jon Brocklehurst served at DHA for more than 10 years as Chief Financial Officer.

• Architectus won the Contemporary Design award at the Ku-ring-gai Architecture & Urban Design Awards for Shout Ridge, which is part of our Crimson Hill development in Sydney (NSW). The architecture was chosen for its responsiveness and acknowledgement of the surrounding Lane Cove National Park and former university campus. The project was also highly commended in the Sustainable Building Design category.
• We launched a sales campaign for The Residences at our Crimson Hill development in Sydney (NSW). The Residences are located in the Hamilton Corner precinct and are a boutique collection of double storey two and three-bedroom homes.

June 2017

• Troppo Architects won the Residential Architecture—Multiple Housing Award at the NT Australian Institute of Architecture Awards for the Asche Duplex at our Breezes Muirhead development in Darwin (NT). The duplex incorporates innovative design techniques and materials that supplement the energy efficiency provided by a solar powered system. It is an innovative approach to architecturally designed homes that can support more compact and sustainable living in the future.

• We completed another successful year supporting ADF members and their families who had to relocate with:
  • 148,637 calls to our housing contact centres
  • 142,603 calls to our maintenance contact centre
  • 7,281 service residences vacated
  • 69,059 property inspections
  • 247,575 maintenance items raised
  • 7,743 service residences reserved by ADF members.

Of note, 95.9 per cent of ADF members had a new home allocated prior to arriving in their new location.

• Parliamentary approval was granted for the upgrade of 153 houses we own on-base at Seaward Village (WA). The houses were constructed during the 1980s and 1990s and no longer meet current Defence housing minimum standards in terms of amenity. In agreement with Defence, we are undertaking upgrades in three phases over the next three years.
• Our Board of Directors and Senior Executive Group visited Townsville (QLD) and Brisbane (QLD) as part of their annual field trip. Highlights included meeting with staff in our regional offices and contact centres, tours of housing and developments and a visit to Gallipoli Barracks in Brisbane to meet with ADF members and stakeholders.
• Our 2015–16 annual report won a Silver Award at the Australasian Reporting Awards 2017. This was the third consecutive year we have been awarded a Silver Award for our annual report.
• We formed a community reference group for our Mount Lofty development in Toowoomba (QLD). The group is a forum for meetings between DHA, neighbours who live near the site and other interested parties to discuss the masterplan and development process.