18 September 2025 | Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Victoria, Australia
2025 Co-operative Housing Summit Wrap-up
Co-ops Build a Better World
The iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground became a hub of ideas and action on 18 September 2025, as more than 130 delegates gathered for the second Australian Co-operative Housing Alliance Summit. The day pulsed with optimism and urgency, uniting government representatives, international guests, housing professionals and co-op members under this year’s banner: “Co-ops Build a Better World.”
Opening Momentum
Federal Special Envoy for Social Housing and Homelessness Josh Burns MP set the tone early, reminding the audience that the housing crisis demands bold, community-led solutions.
“What is clear about the co-op is that it’s a completely different way of thinking. It’s not about long-term rental, it’s about the sense of belonging and ownership of your own home and your own place. And I think that that’s a really important, fundamental way of thinking about housing, because housing is not about bricks and mortar. It’s about safety, it’s about security, it’s about the foundations of life.”
His call to embed co-ops in national housing policy resonated throughout the day.
Global and Local Lessons
International voices brought fresh perspective. Blase Lambert, Chief Executive of the UK Confederation of Co-operative Housing, shared how British co-ops scaled with government support:
Closer to home, Dr Marcus Spiller from the National Housing Supply & Affordability Council highlighted the urgency of structural reform:
“We need to build the institutional capacity so that co-ops can be ramped up at scale and at pace. And this is about having the right institutions for prudential supervision, and ongoing demonstration that this is a low-risk sector.”
Student-housing advocates Donald Proctor and Dr Scott Jennings energised the room with stories of young people taking housing into their own hands.
Sessions with Impact
From placemaking strategies to shared-equity models for over-55s, every workshop delivered practical tools.
Western Australia’s Kyloring Co-operative drew special interest for its approach to ageing in place, blending environmental sustainability with strong social networks.
New South Wales All Nations Co-operative demonstrated that when Federal, State and Local governments work together with Co-operative Housing providers and members, innovative co-op housing can become a reality.
A Movement Growing in Strength
The summit underscored a shared conviction: Australia is ready for co-operative housing at scale. Delegates left inspired and armed with policy ideas, financing pathways and governance frameworks to grow the sector.
As ACHA Chair Liz Thomas summed up the day, she captured the mood perfectly:
““Co-ops are proving that housing can be done differently, at scale, sustainably, and with people at the centre.”
The conversations sparked in the MCG echo well beyond its stands. With new partnerships forming and advocacy efforts gaining traction, the 2025 ACHA Summit proved that the co-operative housing movement is not just imagining a better future – it’s building it now.
Co-operative Housing – the Missing Piece in Australia’s Housing Puzzle
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We’re excited to build on the conversations sparked at the summit and continue working together to strengthen the co-op housing movement.
ACHA members and supporters
