Department of Housing and Public Works

Last updated

Department of Housing and Public Works
Queensland Government logo.svg
A department of the Queensland Government
Department overview
Jurisdiction Queensland, Australia
Headquarters 1 William Street, Brisbane [1]
EmployeesIncrease2.svg 5,436 (2019) [2]
Annual budgetIncrease2.svgA$1.365 billion (2019–20) [3] [4]
Minister responsible
Department executive
  • Liza Carroll, Director-General [6]
Child agencies
Website hpw.qld.gov.au

The Department of Housing and Public Works (HPW) was a ministerial department within the Queensland Government, tasked with providing housing (including homelessness and building standards), sport, digital technology, and urban design and architecture services to Queensland individuals and businesses. [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] HPW was also responsible for providing procurement, office space and digital services to Queensland Government departments (including 27 ongoing services through Queensland Shared Services). [12] [13] [14] [15]

Contents

Following the 2020 Queensland State election, machinery of government changes and administrative arrangements were implemented, dissolving the Department of Housing and Public Works and forming the Department of Energy and Public Works and the Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy. The content of this site is now historical and is not maintained by a Queensland Government agency.

Executive leadership and structure

Minister for Housing and Public Works

HPW is overseen by its Minister, Hon Mick de Brenni, the member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Springwood. He represents the Australian Labor Party. In addition, he is also the Minister for Digital Technology and Minister for Sport, and has held these three ministerial roles since 12 December 2017. [5] In his roles, the Minister is also responsible for: Stadiums Queensland, the Residential Tenancies Authority, the Queensland Building Construction Commission, the Board of Professional Engineers, and the Board of Architects. [16]

Director-General

The department is run day-to-day under the leadership of its Director-General, Liza Carrol. Having started the role of Director-General on 3 August 2015, Carrol formerly held the role of Associate Secretary (Head of Indigenous Affairs) for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and before that, the Deputy Secretary for the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Carrol holds a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Education (Hons), majoring in Sociology. Carrol was also awarded the Public Service Medal for her work on the "Ahead of the Game: Blueprint for Reform in the Australian Public Service" project. [6] [17]

Leadership structure

Under the Minister and the Director-General, HPW has three Deputy Director-Generals (Housing, Homelessness and Sport; Building Policy and Asset Management; Portfolio Strategy), an Assistant Director-General, and the Chief Customer and Digital Officer, as well as a Transition Advisor. The Deputy Director-General (Portfolio Strategy) also operates as the Chief Advisor Queensland Government Procurement. The other two Deputy Director-Generals (Housing, Homelessness and Sport; Building Policy and Asset Management) are also supported by their own Assistant Director-General. [16]

Supporting agencies

Queensland Shared Services

Queensland Shared Services (QSS) is an agency within HPW that provides whole-of-government support and services. QSS supports departments by operating public and internally facing services such as government human resources (including payroll), finance, procurement, telecommunications, and mail services. [15] QSS provides services to 27 of the 29 Queensland Government departments, excluding only Education Queensland and Queensland Health. [14] Resident-facing services, such as the 13 QGOV (13 74 68) phone number and the Queensland Government website, are managed by a division within QSS called Smart Service Queensland. [18] [19] QSS is part of the Queensland Government Consumer and Digital Group within HPW. [20]

QFleet

QFleet is the Queensland Government's vehicle fleet management agency, lying within HPW. QFleet provides vehicle procurement, sales, leasing, maintenance, safety, and policy services to Queensland Government departments, and government-funded entities such as statutory authorities, government owned corporations, some local governments, and some not-for-profit organisations. [21]

Queensland State Archives

The Queensland State Archives are the governance and culture archives of all of Queensland. Queensland State Archives is part of the Queensland Government Consumer and Digital Group within HPW. [20]

Responsibilities

Housing and homelessness

HPW, hinted by its name, is primarily responsible for housing and homelessness services throughout Queensland. They provide commercial renting and tenancy support, crisis accommodation and state housing services through the Queensland Government's Service Centres in Brisbane, Cairns and Maroochydore. In more regional areas, HPW provides their services through their own Housing Service Centres. [7] [22]

Public works

Through internal agencies, like Queensland Shared Services and QFleet, [12] HPW is also responsible for providing support to Queensland Government agencies, including procurement support. [13]

Other

HPW is also responsible for other elements of governance, often in collaboration with other departments, agencies, and authorities. These governing responsibilities include:

Beyond this, HPW also administrative and consumer services to the Queensland Government. These services include Smart Service Queensland and the Queensland State Archives. [20]

Legislation

HPW is responsible for administrating various articles of state-wide legislation, and for supporting industries and individuals in complying with legislation. These include the:

Housing Legislation (Building Better Futures) Amendment Act 2017

The Housing Legislation (Building Better Futures) Amendment Act 2017 includes amendments to several acts, for which HPW is responsible for providing support to the relevant industries. The acts amended are:

History

Before federation (pre-1901)

1862

Old Government House Old Government House, Brisbane 09.jpg
Old Government House

The Lands and Works Department was created in 1862. [29]

1866

In 1866, the Lands and Works Department was divided into the Lands Department and the Public Works Department. [29]

1887

The Public Works Department merges with the Mines Department. [29]

1890

The Public Works Department was established from the former Mines and Works Department. [29]

1901–2000

1909

The early 20th century marks the Queensland Government's first involvement in housing when it introduces The Workers' Dwellings Act 1909 to provide subsidised housing for workers. [29]

The Workers' Dwelling Branch is established shortly after and is responsible for lending money and providing house construction expertise to Queenslanders. [29]

1911

In Queensland's early years, the Workers' Dwelling Act 1909 financed the construction of basic four to six-room dwellings. [30]

1920

The Workers' Dwellings Branch was transferred to the State Advances Corporation. [29]

1939

Australia was at war from 1939 to 1945. During this time, Townsville became a major military base for both Australian and overseas Armed Forces. It was therefore deemed necessary for Public Works staff to relocate to the area to assist with defence projects. Substantial quantities of materials were required for these projects and procurement and transportation was rapid. As a result, the department becomes heavily involved in defence projects including the construction of the Garbutt Air Base, large warehouses at depots at Macrossan and Breddan, and a military hospital at Blackwater. [29] The department was also involved in procuring and sending food supplies. [31] The Department of Public Works' Townsville office becomes the epicentre for the department's work during World War II.

As the war escalated, Townsville was deemed too dangerous for Works staff due to the imminent risk of bombing and invasion. It was decided therefore that offices were to be moved to Charters Towers. Staff remained there for several months. On the night of their return to Townsville, Japanese bombs were dropped on the city. No lives were lost and structural damage was minimal. [31]

1945

Post-war reconstruction including housing provision was a top priority for the State and Commonwealth Governments. In 1945, Queensland Premier Frank Cooper signed the Commonwealth and State Housing Agreement with the five other states. The Commonwealth Government's increased contribution was recognition that housing had become a national problem and heralded the beginning of significant federal-state involvement in Australian housing policy and public rental home construction. A few days later, the Queensland Housing Commission was established. [32]

1947

To meet the demand for housing, the Queensland Housing Commission started building the State's first rental homes. [33]

1970

During the next three decades, the Queensland Housing Commission faced a changing Queensland population. [29]

With alterations to the Family Law Act introducing no-fault divorce, the 1970s saw movement away from the nuclear family with a growing number of single parent households. An increasing number of households were of people living alone, older people or people with a disability, all with special housing needs which had to be considered. [29]

To meet changing client demand, the Commission branched out from large estate developments to unit blocks and attached houses. [29]

1975

Design begins on the most significant group of public buildings ever completed by the state – the Queensland Cultural Centre. [29]

The Queensland Cabinet initially asks the Public Works Department to investigate the feasibility and construction cost of a new art gallery to replace the state's aging gallery in Bowen Bridge Road. The site nominated for the building is on the South Bank of the Brisbane River. [29]

By January 1975 the project has expanded to include not only the Art Gallery but also a Performing Arts Centre, Museum and State Library. Together these buildings become known as the Queensland Cultural Centre. [29]

1989

The Administrative Services Department is established which includes the former Public Works Department. In the same year, the Department of Housing and Local Government is formed. This department becomes the face of housing provision in Queensland. While the Commission continues to exist as a legal entity for almost another 15 years, the creation of the department sees the emergence of a whole new philosophy of service provision. [29]

1992

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning is formed. Responsibility for the Aboriginal Rental Housing program transfers to the Queensland Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning. [29]

1996

The Public Works and Housing Department is formed. [29]

1998

The Public Works and Housing Department separates into two portfolios. The Department of Housing is formed as a single entity dedicated to meeting Queensland's housing needs. This reinforces the importance of housing for Queenslanders as the cornerstone for a healthier and more stable life. [29]

The Smart Housing initiative was introduced. [29] The Community Renewal program was established. [29]

2000 onwards

2001

The department wins the Royal Australian Institute of Architects' Harry Marks Sustainable Architectural Award for the design of Redcliffe City Council library and gallery. [29]

2002

QFleet won the Australasian Fleet Managers Association (AFMA) 2002 Fleet Environment Award for its ongoing corporate fleet environment practices. QFleet also became the first organisation to receive all three of AFMA's major industry awards, also winning the Fleet Safety Award and later the Fleet Manager of the Year award. [29]

In the same year, the Department of Public Works was recognised for its heritage conservation efforts with a gold award, the John Herbert Heritage Award from the National Trust of Queensland for the restoration of the 173-year-old convict-built Commissariat Store in William Street, Brisbane. [29]

2003

So in 2003, after many years of development and consultation, new housing legislation was tabled in Parliament to replace the obsolete State Housing Act 1945 and to provide a modern basis for the Department of Housing's activities. In January 2004, the Housing Act 2003 took effect and officially marked the end of 58 years of the Queensland Housing Commission. [34]

The legislation was a turning point that provided an opportunity to reflect on close to 60 years of hard work, innovation and commitment to meeting housing need in Queensland, through times of hardship and prosperity. It also allowed the department to embrace the changing direction its activities had taken and to pursue new partnerships and solutions. [34]

2005

The department assumes a leadership role for the Queensland Government's four-year Responding to Homelessness initiative after earlier leading work aimed at improving cross-agency responses to homelessness. [29]

2008

The department commences RentConnect, and becomes the Queensland conduit for the National Rental Affordability Scheme, a Federal and State Government initiative to stimulate the supply of 50,000 new affordable rental dwellings across Australia. [29]

2012

The Department of Housing and Public Works is formed from the previous departments of Housing and Public Works. [29]

Related Research Articles

Home Dwelling place used as a human residence

A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for an individual, group or family. It is a fully or semi sheltered space and can have both interior and exterior aspects to it. Homes provide sheltered spaces for instance rooms, where domestic activity can be performed such as sleeping, preparing food, eating and hygiene as well as providing spaces for work and leisure such as remote working, studying and playing. Physical forms of homes can be static such as a house or an apartment, mobile such as a houseboat, trailer or yurt or digital such as virtual space. The aspect of ‘home’ can be considered across scales, from the micro scale showcasing the most intimate spaces of the individual dwelling and direct surrounding area to the macro scale of the geographic area such as town, village, city, country or planet.

Civil Rights Act of 1968 United States law

The Civil Rights Act of 1968 is a landmark law in the United States signed into law by United States President Lyndon B. Johnson during the King assassination riots.

Building regulations in the United Kingdom are statutory instruments or statutory regulations that seek to ensure that the policies set out in the relevant legislation are carried out. Building regulations approval is required for most building work in the UK. Building regulations that apply across England and Wales are set out in the Building Act 1984 while those that apply across Scotland are set out in the Building (Scotland) Act 2003. The Act in England and Wales permits detailed regulations to be made by the Secretary of State. The regulations made under the Act have been periodically updated, rewritten or consolidated, with the latest and current version being the Building Regulations 2010. The UK Government is responsible for the relevant legislation and administration in England, the Welsh Government is the responsible body in Wales, the Scottish Government is responsible for the issue in Scotland, and the Northern Ireland Executive has responsibility within its jurisdiction. There are very similar Building Regulations in the Republic of Ireland.

Housing NSW is an agency of the Department of Communities and Justice that is responsible for the provision and management of public housing services with the aim to prevent homelessness in the state of New South Wales, Australia.

Alberta Municipal Affairs is a ministry of the Executive Council of Alberta. Its major responsibilities include assisting municipalities in the provision of local government, administering the assessment of linear property in Alberta, administering a safety system for the construction and maintenance of buildings and equipment, and managing Alberta's network of municipal and library system boards.

The Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) is an agency of the Wisconsin state government which provides a range of services and programs, from operations, technology, and logistical support for the state, to assistance programs for low-income homes, to state gaming. The department's services to other state agencies and offices include personnel management, payroll, accounting systems, technology solutions, and legal services. The Department is central to the state budget process, advising the Governor and state agencies on their budget submissions and analyzing solutions to fiscal problems. The Department also administers state information systems, procurement policies and contracts, fleet transportation, and risk management, and oversees buildings owned and leased by the state, facilities planning projects, and the Wisconsin Capitol Police.

Government procurement Purchases made by the government

Government procurement or public procurement is the procurement of goods, services and works on behalf of a public authority, such as a government agency. Amounting to 12 percent of global GDP in 2018, government procurement accounts for a substantial part of the global economy.

Founded in 1967, BC Housing is a provincial Crown agency under the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing that develops, manages and administers a wide range of subsidized housing options across the province. It is located in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. They license residential builders, administer owner builder authorizations and carry out research and education that benefits the residential construction industry, consumers and the affordable housing sector.

In the Victorian political system, the State Minister for Housing is a State Government cabinet position responsible for Housing. The Minister for Housing is responsible for the Office of Housing ; and is one of four state ministers responsible for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

[[File:Australian Census 2011 demographic map - Australia by SLA - BCP field 5106 Rented State or territory housing authority Total.svg|thumb|right|400px|Dwellings rented from a Public housing in Australia is provided by departments of state governments. Australian public housing operates within the framework of the Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement, by which funding for public housing is provided by both federal and state governments. According to the 2006 census, Australia's public housing stock consisted of some 304,000 dwellings out of a total housing stock of more than 7.1 million dwellings, or 4.2% of all housing stock.

Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 United Kingdom legislation

The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 is a UK Act of Parliament on English land law. It sets bare minimum standards in tenants' rights against their landlords.

Empty dwelling management order

Empty dwelling management orders (EDMOs) are a legal device used in England and Wales, which enable local authorities to put an unoccupied property back into use as housing. EDMOs were created by the Housing Act 2004, with the relevant legislation coming into effect in mid-2006; in the three and a half years to the end of 2010, however, only 43 had been issued.

All European countries show eGovernment initiatives, mainly related to the improvement of governance at the national level. Significant eGovernment activities also take place at the European Commission level as well. There is an extensive list of eGovernment Fact Sheets maintained by the European Commission.

The Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) is a self funded statutory authority providing targeted and dedicated services to meet the diverse needs of the Queensland residential rental sector. The RTA is available to assist all Queensland tenants, residents, lessors, property managers, caravan park managers and residential providers.

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform who is assisted by two Ministers of State.

National biosecurity in Australia is governed and administered by two federal government departments, the Department of Health and the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. The Biosecurity Act 2015 and related legislation is administered by the two departments and manages biosecurity risks at the national border. The Act aims to manage biosecurity risks to human health, agriculture, native flora and fauna and the environment. It also covers Australia's international rights and obligations, and lists specific diseases which are contagious and capable of causing severe harm to human health. Each state and territory has additional legislation and protocols to cover biosecurity in their jurisdiction (post-border).

Harris Terrace, Brisbane

Harris Terrace is a heritage-listed terrace house at 68 George Street, Brisbane City, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by J & G Cowlishaw and built from c. 1866 to c. 1867 by Mr Clarke. It is also known as Harris Court. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.

Affordable housing by country

Affordable housing is housing which is deemed affordable to those with a median household income as rated by the national government or a local government by a recognized housing affordability index. The challenges of promoting affordable housing varies by location.

<i>Accessible Canada Act</i> Legislation to prohibit disability discrimination

The Accessible Canada Act (ACA) builds on the Canadian Human Rights Act, focusing on the prohibition of discrimination based on disability. Carla Qualtrough presented Bill C-81 for its final reading on June 21, 2019, where it received Royal Assent. This is a Canada-wide accessibility act that applies to the federal public sector, Crown Corporations, and all federally regulated organizations. It is the first national Canadian legislation on accessibility that affects all government departments and federally regulated agencies. The federally regulated organizations include the following industries:

References

  1. ↑ "Our locations" (PDF). Department of Housing and Public Works. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  2. ↑ "Annual Report 2018-19" (PDF). Department of Housing and Public Works. 13 September 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  3. ↑ "Appropriation Act 2019". Queensland Legislation. 5 September 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  4. ↑ "Appropriation Act 2018". Queensland Legislation. 29 August 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  5. 1 2 "Member Details – Hon Michael (Mick) de Brenni". Queensland Parliament. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  6. 1 2 "Executive leadership". Department of Housing and Public Works. 17 March 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  7. 1 2 "Housing and homelessness". Department of Housing and Public Works. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  8. 1 2 "Building and plumbing". Department of Housing and Public Works. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Sport and recreation". Department of Housing and Public Works. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  10. 1 2 "Digital". Department of Housing and Public Works. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  11. 1 2 "Urban design and architecture". Department of Housing and Public Works. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  12. 1 2 "Services for government". Department of Housing and Public Works. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  13. 1 2 "Procurement". Department of Housing and Public Works. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  14. 1 2 "Contact Queensland Shared Services". Queensland Shared Services. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  15. 1 2 "About us". Queensland Shared Services. 19 May 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  16. 1 2 "Organisational chart". Department of Housing and Public Works. 31 March 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  17. ↑ Palaszczuk, Annastacia (5 June 2015). "Premier welcomes DG appointments". Queensland Cabinet and Ministerial Directory. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  18. ↑ "Provide services through 13 QGOV (13 74 68)". Smart Services Queensland. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  19. ↑ "About the Queensland Government website". Smart Service Queensland. 28 April 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  20. 1 2 3 "Queensland Government Consumer and Digital Group". Department of Housing and Public Works. 20 April 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  21. ↑ "QFleet". Department of Housing and Public Works. 28 January 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  22. ↑ "Contact a Housing Service Centre". Department of Housing and Public Works. 12 April 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  23. 1 2 3 4 "Current legislation". Department of Housing and Public Works. 29 November 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  24. ↑ "Plumbing legislation changes". Department of Housing and Public Transport. 14 February 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  25. 1 2 "Manufactured homes legislation changes". Department of Housing and Public Works. 29 November 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  26. ↑ "Residential services legislation changes". Department of Housing and Public Works. 29 November 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  27. ↑ "Retirement villages legislation changes". Department of Housing and Public Works. 29 November 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  28. ↑ "Residential tenancy and rooming accommodation legislation changes". Department of Housing and Public Works. 29 November 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  29. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 "Department of Housing and Public Words: Our History". State of Queensland. Archived from the original on 29 December 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  30. ↑ "Department of Housing and Public Works: Our History: 1911". State of Queensland. Archived from the original on 29 December 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  31. 1 2 "Department of Housing and Public Works: Our History: 1939". State of Queensland. Archived from the original on 29 December 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  32. ↑ "Department of Housing and Public Works: Our History: 1945". State of Queensland. Archived from the original on 29 December 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  33. ↑ "Department of Housing and Public Works: Our History: 1947". State of Queensland. Archived from the original on 29 December 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  34. 1 2 "Department of Housing and Public Works: Our History: 2003". State of Queensland. Archived from the original on 29 December 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.