On Thursday 5 June, QIPNSW in collaboration with Shelter NSW hosted a thought-provoking presentation at Yirranma Place on the housing crisis facing Sydney’s LGBTQIA+ community.

✨ Kath Buden (she/her) Principal, Teremok presented her ground-breaking research on “Examining the intersectionality of housing needs for the LGBTIQA+ community across the City of Sydney”. Her research highlights the absence of the LGBTQIA+ (queer) community and their needs from housingpolicy. This leads to an identified need to provide additional targeted research, data collection and support in helping the queer community to access the housing market. A key theme discussed was the need for housing to be seen as a right, not a commodity, and for the necessity to make housing available for the queer community through all stages of life.

🏘️ The need for an LGBTQIA+ community housing provider was also discussed, with the announcement of the not-for-profit Beacon Housing (Your Safe Harbour, Your Community, Your Home) identifying the existing opportunities and a bright future.

The panel discussion focused on the role of housing in supporting an individual and community’s wellbeing, further highlighting housing as a fundamental human right, which is felt as being lacking in existing housing policy. Housing also has a major role in supporting an individual and the community throughout all stages of life.
🏡 Housing: it’s about a choice and a voice.

Special thanks to our panellists:

🌈 John Engeler (he/him) CEO, Shelter NSW

🌈 Zann Maxwell (he/him) Deputy Lord Mayor, City of Sydney

🌈 Caroline Tomiczek (she/her) Director, Urbis

The panel was moderated by Dayle Bennett (he/him) QIP NSW Chair with introductions by Lizzie Rix (she/her) QIP NSW Secretary. Special thanks to event partner Urbis, and co-sponsor DKO Architecture and our ongoing support from Yirranma Place, Patrick Moloney and Two Good Co.