Hon Bill English

Minister Responsible for Housing New Zealand Corporation

Hon Paula Bennett

Minister for Social Housing

30 October 2015 Media Statement
New Zealand thrashes Australia

New Zealanders have beaten stiff competition from Australia, picking up multiple awards at a ceremony celebrating excellence in community housing this week.

Housing New Zealand Corporation (HNZC) and VisionWest Chief Executive Officer Lisa Woolley were honoured at the Australasian Housing Institute’s 2015 Professional Excellence in Housing Awards held in Perth on Wednesday.

HNZC won the Excellence in Social Housing Award for its Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Programme, in which it has repaired 5,000 properties and rebuilt close to 700 in the wake of the devastating earthquakes.

Mrs Woolley was the winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award, recognising her continued commitment to supporting families and the social housing sector.

Housing New Zealand Minister Bill English acknowledges the monumental task faced by HNZC in Canterbury following the earthquakes.

“Over 95 per cent of its properties were damaged, disrupting the lives of thousands of tenants. This award is recognition of the hard work of HNZ to deliver warmer, safer, more modern homes in response,” Mr English says.

“Our community housing providers work with some of the most vulnerable New Zealanders, so it is outstanding to see our people recognised,” Social Housing Minister Paula Bennett says.

“I have seen first-hand the results of HNZC and Lisa’s work with VisionWest’s, and it is clear proof that our community housing providers are some of the best in the world.”

© Scoop Media