A spillover session is set for Nov. 6, but it’s unclear if Austin will attend. Her resignation is effective November 27.
Housing Australia chairperson Carol Austin has resigned.Credit: LinkedIn
The agency’s former general counsel and board secretary Rod Saville, who had complained to O’Neil about Austin, previously told this masthead that the chairman’s alleged behavior had led to the departure of six of the top eight executives – including himself – in a 12-month period. His claims against her included not listening to expert advice and reducing managers to tears in meetings. The crisis at the top of the organisation, Saville argued, was undermining Labour’s housing agenda, which is key to maintaining voter confidence, as the Albanian government has vowed to reverse decades of poor housing policy.
“It is compounded by the fact that most of the senior executives have left, so there is no knowledge of how the organization should work. And this is reflected in the poor conversion rate for [the Housing Australia Future Fund],” Saville told this mast on October 9.
Austin, who is a long-time board member of organizations including the Future Fund, Grattan Institute and HSBC Bank, was contacted for comment by phone and through Housing Australia. In her appearance for the October estimates, she said of this masthead’s reporting: “Many of the statements in that report are incorrect, and I dispute them.”
O’Neil thanked Austin for her contribution. “She helped Housing Australia scale up and build its capacity to deliver the government’s ambitious $43 billion housing agenda,” Mr O’Neil said. “Ms. Austin joins with my gratitude and best wishes.”
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Neither O’Neil nor Austin’s statement, which was issued Friday afternoon, was proactively distributed to reporters.
Bragg said the agency was “a hell of waste and dysfunction”.
“Two weeks ago we revealed the existence of a secret report about bedlam at Housing Australia. The government continues to cover it up,” Mr Bragg said, claiming there were still unanswered questions including the existence of an “observer” to monitor the board.
“Housing Australia is among the worst performing agencies in the Commonwealth,” he said. “Under this minister, Housing Australia has failed to do its one job – to build houses.”
In her statement, Austin cited achievements by Housing Australia during her tenure, including delivering two rounds of funding to 18,650 social and affordable homes, establishing an emergency housing program and expanding support for first home buyers.
“I thank my colleagues on the board, the Housing Australia team and Minister O’Neil for their unwavering support,” Mr Austin said. “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together.”
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