Minister for Family and Community Services Pru Goward today introduced a bill in support of a uniform national system of registration, monitoring and regulation of community housing providers.
“The National Regulatory System for community housing is a national initiative being led by the NSW Government. It will improve services by providing a regulatory framework that will give confidence to community housing providers, their clients and investors,” Ms Goward said.
“The Community Housing Providers (Adoption of National Law) Bill 2012 is part of this Government’s commitment to improved housing services by ensuring the viability, good governance and continued growth of the sector, now and into the future.
“The new system aims to grow the industry, create a level playing field for housing providers Australia-wide, and better protect tenants through consistent national standards for providers and their services.
“This is a key reform under the National Affordable Housing Agreement for community housing providers.
“The proposed system seeks to introduce nationally consistent regulatory arrangements to promote the growth of the not-for-profit housing sector across Australia.
“It also seeks to overcome the barriers, gaps and inconsistencies that have arisen through each State and Territory regulating community housing providers in a different way, replacing existing State and Territory systems where they exist.
“The proposed National Regulatory System builds on key elements of NSW regulation, with heightened enforcement powers to ensure compliance.
“The community housing sector is an important player in the provision of social and affordable housing. Mainstream community housing now manages or owns more than 20% of all social housing properties in NSW, having doubled in size since 2007.
”This is another way in which the NSW Government is improving services and lives – through real reform of the regulation of community housing providers to sustainably grow the sector and benefits for social housing tenants.”
Simon Fontana - 0467 738 139
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