Wednesday, 8 July 2015  – Media Release by Brad Hazzard, Minister for Family and Community Services, Minister for Social Housing

An inaugural advisory committee to help tackle one of the biggest challenges in NSW – reform of the social housing system – has been established by the Minister for Social Housing, Brad Hazzard.

Mr Hazzard announced the six one-year appointees to the Ministerial Advisory Committee today:

• Bruce Morgan (Chair) Chairman of Sydney Water Corporation

• Jim Betts CEO, Infrastructure NSW

• Michael Coutts-Trotter Secretary, Department of Family and CommunityServices

• Sam Haddad Principal, SG Haddad Advisory

• Carrie Hamilton Associate, Housing Action Network

• Scott Perkins Director, Woolworths

“I am confident that these appointments will help the NSW Government build the strongest possible ideas for delivering more social housing at a time of substantial need,” Mr Hazzard said.

“The NSW Government is very committed to trying to find innovative ways of delivering more social and affordable housing to give residents a fairer go when it comes to finding housing.”

The social housing advisory committee has been carefully selected to offer strong independent, expert advice from representatives in the fields of: housing economics, superannuation, finance, infrastructure and planning.

The members will also liaise more broadly with the social housing and private sector as they consider the options for reform.

The new Ministerial Advisory Committee will be accountable to the NSW Minister for Family and Community Services and Minister for Social Housing, with the appointment terms lasting until May 2016.

New Appointments:

Bruce Morgan (Chair) – Chairman of Sydney Water Corporation. Mr Morgan has a long and distinguished career in professional services, including as a partner with PWC for over 25 years.

Jim Betts – CEO, Infrastructure NSW. Mr Betts’ 25 years experience spans strategic transport planning, infrastructure delivery, and transformational structural reform.

Michael Coutts-Trotter (Deputy/Co-Chair) – Secretary, Department of Family and Community Services. Mr Coutts-Trotter was appointed Director-General (now Secretary) of the NSW Department of Family and Community Services on 29 July 2013. Mr Coutts-Trotter held similar positions with the NSW Government as well as Chief of Staff to the NSW Treasurer for seven years.

Sam Haddad – Principal, SG Haddad Advisory. Mr Haddad has worked in the private sector in project management and infrastructure development, and has held senior and executive positions with the NSW Department of Planning and its predecessors – being appointed its Director General in 2005 (until 2009).

Carrie Hamilton – Associate, Housing Action Network. Ms Hamilton is an affordable housing finance expert and city planner, with 20 years experience in the United States and Australia.

Scott Perkins – Director, Woolworths. A leading corporate adviser, advising local and international companies across a broad range of markets on strategy, mergers and acquisitions and capital markets matters.