Rewarding Excellence

ahi: Brighter Future Awards - 2025 Winners

This page contain winners from all of our jurisdictions as they happen in 2025.
Please scroll down the page to view all winners.

Congratulations to all VIC/TAS winners of our
Brighter Future Awards!


The Victorian social and affordable sector continues to excel. 

This year’s BrighterFutureAwards clearly demonstrates what an amazing collection of change makers we have.


From the power of cooperatives, tenant-led engagement, meaningful and impactful social enterprises through to leadership and connection, we saw it all. And we do make a difference.


Well done to everyone nominated. Well done to everyone who won.


We are ALL winners. We are ALL making a difference. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

The future is indeed bright!


----------------

Congratulations to everyone involved! The path to Perth continues...

Get your tickets for our Gala Dinner held in Perth - Tuesday, 14th October 2025 - below.




The 2025 VIC-TAS Winners:

  • Future Leader (Sponsor: Unis Goh)
    Samantha Ace
    Launch Housing
  • Leading Asset Management (Sponsor: SPM Assets)
    Grovedale Redevelopment
    Common Equity Housing Ltd
  • Tenant Led Initiative (Sponsor: Jacaranda Housing)
    Community Connections – Building Stronger Co-op Communities
    Common Equity Housing Ltd
  • Inspirational Team Member (Tie) (Sponsor: Big Picture Training)
    Sarah Carroll
    Haven Home Safe
  • Leading Community Engagement Practice
    For the Love of Good
    Servants
  • Leading Housing Development Project (Sponsor: SEMZ)
    The Harbour, Darebin
    Housing Choices Australia
  • Outstanding Achievement
    Karren Walker
    Launch Housing
  • Leading Innovation
    Old Walls, New Hope
    Servants
  • Anthony Hardy Award for Excellence in Social Housing
    Barwon Specialist Tenancy Team
    Haven Home Safe

Congratulations to all QLD winners of our
Brighter Future Awards!


The future is indeed bright in the Queensland as we celebrate the stars of the social and affordable housing sector.

 

The jurisdictional round of awards continues at full pace, as we meet to recognise the Queensland AHI Brighter Future Award winners in Brisbane. AHI CEO Harry Smith, President Sean Kelly SPAHIc and Queensland Director Jamie Muchall hosted a special breakfast event to celebrate success.

 

From inspirational team members to groundbreaking tenant led initiatives; from future leaders to examples of excellence in social housing design - we have it all covered under the AHI roof.

 

Congratulations to the impressive list of Queensland winners and to every superstar and organisation that was nominated.

👍 We see you

👍 We hear you

👍👍 We celebrate with you

Well done 👏👏👏

Congratulations to everyone involved! The path to Perth continues...

Get your tickets for our Gala Dinner held in Perth - Tuesday, 14th October 2025 - below.

The 2025 QLD Winners:

  • Excellence in Social Housing
    ACHC Housing Team
    Access Community Housing
  • Future Leader (Sponsor: Unis Goh)
    Clare Ravenhall
    BHC
  • Tenant Led Initiative (Sponsor: Jacaranda Housing)
    Michelle Stalley
    Gateway Community Group
  • Inspirational Team Member (Tie) (Sponsor: Big Picture Training)
    Nicola Middleton, BHC
    Maggie Cairns,         Coast 2 Bay Housing
  • Leading Community Engagement Practice
    HOWSS Community Education Workshops
    Footprints Community
  • Leading Housing Development Project (Sponsor: SEMZ)
    Aspley Crescent, Nirimba
    Coast 2 Bay Housing
  • Outstanding Achievement (tie)
    Andrew Elvin, Coast 2 Bay Housing
    Lizz Bott, Jacaranda Housing
  • Leading Innovation
    Home and Health
    BHC


Congratulations to all SA/NT winners of our
Brighter Future Awards!


Excellence in social housing was again celebrated at the 2025 SA/NT Brighter Future Awards in Adelaide! 

The event saw a record turn out at the Lion Hotel in Adelaide. 

Awards went to housing professionals judged to have made a significant and lasting difference: to tenants or service users; to their community; to their colleagues; and to their profession, and the night proudly showcased the many and varied success stories within our diverse and expanding sector.

The awards were MC’d by AHI CEO Harry Smith, alongside AHI President Sean Kelly SPAHIc, and AHI SA Branch Director Jonathon Armstrong.


Congratulations to everyone involved! The path to Perth continues...


Get your tickets for our Gala Dinner held in Perth - Tuesday, 14th October 2025 - below.

The 2025 SA/NT Winners:

  • Excellence in Social Housing
    Purpose-Built Housing Program
    Access 2 Place Housing
  • Future Leader (Sponsor: Unis Goh)
    Jules Ford
    Junction
  • Leading Asset Management (Sponsor: SPM Assets)
    Mobile Maintenance Service
    Believe Housing Australia
  • Tenant Led Initiative (Sponsor: Jacaranda Housing)
    Casey Amos
    Westside Housing
  • Inspirational Team Member (Sponsor: Big Picture Training)
    Kelly Lewis
    Community Housing Central Australia (CHCA)
  • Leading Community Engagement Practice
    Millicent Lions Park Placemaking Project – Stage 1
    Unity Housing
  • Leading Housing Development Project (Sponsor: SEMZ)
    Mansfield Park Affordable Housing Development
    Believe Housing Australia
  • Outstanding Achievement (tie)
    Darren Huitema,         Believe Housing
    Sonia Sheppard,         Junction
  • Leading Innovation
    Marltarra Tiny Homes Campus
    Junction


Congratulations to all NZ winners of our
Brighter Future Awards!


The NZ Aotearoa branch 2025 Brighter Future Awards awards saw a record turn out this year, hosted at the magnificent Te Mahurehure Marae in Auckland.

 

Award winners were greeted with traditional waiata, manaakitanga and cultural acknowledgements as NZ’s excellence in social housing people and practices were celebrated.

 

The awards were MC’d by ahi CEO Harry Smith and attended by New Zealand ahi Branch Committee Chairs Ali Hamlin-Paenga EMBA MALP PGDPH and Robert Macbeth BA(Hons), MPPM, SPAHIc


Congratulations to everyone involved! The path to Perth continues...


Get your tickets for our Gala Dinner held in Perth - Tuesday, 14th October 2025 - below.

The 2025 NZ Winners:

  • Excellence in Social Housing
    Te Puawaitanga o Te Whakaaro
    Te Rūnanga o Kirikiriroa Charitable Trust
  • Future Leader (Sponsor: Unis Goh)
    Shalom Haenga
    Sheeran Associates Ltd
  • Leading Asset Management (Sponsor: SPM Assets)
    Vansh Bagga
    Home in Place
  • Leading Community Engagement Practice
    Nga Kalinga Manaaki
    Tauhara North Kainga Ltd, Te Kainga Atawhai, Mahurehure Marae
  • Leading Housing Development Project (Sponsor: SEMZ)
    Papakainga Developments
    Sheeran Associates Ltd
  • Outstanding Achievement
    Tracey and David Panapa
    Te Kainga Atawhai, Mahurehure Cultural Marae, Ahikiwi Marae
  • Leading Innovation
    Marae Housing ‘Build, Own, Operate and Transfer’ Model
    Tauhara North Kainga Ltd

Congratulations to all WA winners of our Brighter Future Awards!


Coming together for the awards in Perth, AHI President Sean Kelly and WA Director Jess Karlsson, together with CEO Harry Smith, we celebrated inspiration, excellence and innovation across the social and affordable housing sector. 


Every single day we turn up, show up and just get on with our jobs- providing safe, secure and affordable housing for thousands of people. But sometimes, we get a chance to draw breath, connect and acknowledge on the truly wonderful things that happen within our sector.

The 2025 WA Winners:


  • Excellence in Social Housing
    Karlup Service
    Ruah Community Services

  • Future Leader (Sponsor: Unis Goh)
    Ashlyn Martin
    Connect Victoria Park Inc

  • Inspirational Team Member (Sponsor: Big Picture Training)
    Haley Wright
    Stellar Living Ltd

  • Leading Asset Management (Sponsor: SPM Assets)
    Stellar Living Ltd

  • Leading Community Engagement Practice
    ACE Project
    Indigo Junction

  • Leading Housing Development Project (Sponsor: SEMZ)
    Angela Wright Bennett Centre
    Architectus

  • Leading Innovation
    ACHO Capacity Building Project
    Shelter WA

  • Outstanding Achievement
    John Lysaught
    Advance Housing