Defence & veteransStatutory authorityExists today
Defence Housing Australia
DHA
22 November 2006 – present
Previously Defence Housing Authority (1988–2006).
Government business enterprise that provides housing and relocation services to Australian Defence Force members and their families, financing its housing largely through sale-and-leaseback to private investors.
Names over time
- Defence Housing Authority1988–2006
- Defence Housing Australia2006–present
How it came into existence
Continued the Defence Housing Authority under a new name from 22 November 2006, when Schedule 1 of the Defence Housing Authority Amendment Act 2006 (assented to 22 May 2006) commenced; the amendments also renamed its Act the Defence Housing Australia Act 1987, broadened its powers and removed its Commonwealth tax exemption.
Legislation: Defence Housing Australia Act 1987
Main functions
- Housing for ADF members and families
- Relocation services for ADF members
- Property development and acquisition
- Sale-and-leaseback investment program
Where it sits
In the portfolio of Department of Defence.
- Type of body
- Corporate Commonwealth entity
- Portfolio
- Defence
- Accountable authority
- Board of Directors – Defence Housing Australia Act 1987 sections 11 and 11A, with reference to section 21 note (membership section 12)
- ABN
- 72 968 504 934
Lineage
Loading lineage…
Sources
Primary sources
- List of Commonwealth entities and companies under the PGPA Act, 1 July 2026 (Department of Finance)
- Australian Government Organisations Register (Department of Finance, data.gov.au) (listed from 11 December 2014 to the latest release (30 June 2026))
- Defence Housing Authority Amendment Act 2006 (Federal Register of Legislation)