The Victorian Public Tenants Association (VPTA) is an incorporated not-for-profit organisation, recognised as the peak body representing public housing tenants in Victoria.
The organisation’s original aim of advocacy and representation of public housing tenants across Victoria remains the priority concern of the VPTA today.
We are engaged in regular consultation forums with the Department of Health and Human Services to discuss issues that affect tenants, including service provision and delivery.
We continue to advocate on behalf of public housing tenants to improve and expand public housing in Victoria.
Our Purpose
To provide benevolent relief and social welfare support services including the provision of counselling, advice, referral, representation and advocacy for people, including those who are homeless, or otherwise in significant distress regarding matters related to public housing; and to responsibly advocate for the provision of a viable public housing system for those who need it, including the broad community.
Our Values
Integrity- We treat all people with dignity and respect
Quality – We always strive to do our best and improve the way we do things
Collaborative relationships – We work together to achieve optimal results
Responsibility – We commit to the actions we take to achieve the best possible outcomes for the public tenant community
Client focus – We work towards improving the living environment for the public tenant community
Our People
Our Board comprises a maximum of nine persons, at least three of whom must be public housing tenants.
Board appointments are made on merit, based on consideration of skills and experience, for the purpose of providing ongoing advice and expertise to the Association. The Board selects the Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer of the Association from among its members.
Board appointments are for a two year term and are made by the presiding Board near the completion of its term of office. Completed Expressions of Interest for Board Appointment forms may be lodged at any time.
Our staff are motivated, qualified and passionate about working with public housing tenants. We are determined to help tenants resolve issues, connect with their communities and be heard on issues relating to their housing.
Margaret Guthrie
Chairperson
Margaret has lived in public housing for around 15 years and has been involved with the VPTA for most of that time.
Previously, Margaret has worked in psychiatric nursing, occupational health and safety, adult education and the trade union movement.
Throughout her career, Margaret has always focused on empowering people and communities to find their voice and advocate for their needs to be met.
Margaret enjoys volunteering, as it provides an opportunity to address issues she considers important, and helps make the world a better place.
She is vocal in her strong support for public housing – seeing it as providing stability and helping improve people’s circumstances.
Margaret believes the key role of the VPTA is to put forward innovation, politically palatable solutions to increase public housing supply and improve service delivery. She supports the growth and positioning of the VPTA by developing positive, constructive relationships with departments, lead housing agencies and governments of all persuasions.
Nina Xie
Treasurer
Nina previously served as the Finance and Administrative Officer for the VPTA for more than three years and is passionate about bettering people’s lives.
Nina believes that the success of a welfare system lies in the hearts of those who love and care for people in need. In the VPTA, she sees such spirits embodied through the way the team present and advocate for public housing tenants, and through the development of practical and effective solutions that are aimed at improving the management of public housing.
In the next 5-10 years, Nina sees the provision of public housing as essential to the social welfare system, as the demand for affordable housing increases. She is certain that the VPTA has a bigger role to play in this process, and is excited to be part of the team.
Mark Feenane
Executive Officer and Board Secretary
Mark joined the VPTA in 2012 to make a difference to people needing and living in public housing, and to have a constructive and influential voice with decision makers and Housing Office staff.
Mark has extensive experience in social justice and has previously held senior roles in the social security and local government sectors. He has also worked as a consultant in the private sector, including as part of the design and engineering team that won the Telstra and Australian Governments Business of the Year Award in 2004.
Dragan Todorovic
Board Member
Dragan has had a lifelong commitment to social justice and believes the VPTA has a major role in advocating for public housing tenants and providing them with a voice.
Early in his career, he worked as a Financial Counsellor for tenants in North Melbourne and Flemington, before obtaining a Social Work Degree and working in a variety of positions at the Department of Social Security/Centrelink, including at the Senior Executive level.
Dragan has also worked as a consultant in the private, community, local government, and health sectors.
He has extensive experience in organisational development, service needs and analyses, partnership development and service planning.
He is passionate about using his knowledge and skills to help make a difference to the VPTA and the tenants it serves.
Michael Aboujundi
Board Member
Michael has been a public housing tenant for 15 years, since arriving in Australia as a Syrian refugee.
He has worked as a volunteer on the Walker Street Public Housing Estate in Northcote and is also an advocate and spokesperson for the Walker Street Residents Reference Group.
Michael joined the VPTA team to improve public housing in Victoria.
He was involved for several years with the previous VPTA Committee of Management and looks forward to his continued involvement in an organisation that is eager to listen and help tenants.
Daniel Jordan JP
board Member
Daniel is an experienced Executive within the university and not-for-profit sectors, and currently consults in the private, government and non-government sectors on strategy, policy, governance, administration, human resources and industrial relations.
Previously, Daniel has also been an Executive Officer of Monash University Gippsland’s Student Union, which reported to a Board and was responsible for 50 staff, 150 volunteers and a $2 million annual turnover.
Victor de Beer
Board Member
Victor has dedicated his career to social justice, having worked for almost 20 years with the Department of Health and Human Services. During his career in the public service, he worked in multiple offices, including in Geelong, Morwell, Footscray, Fitzroy and Box Hill, where he held positions in youth justice, child protection, disability and public housing.
Victor holds Diplomas in Community Welfare and Business Management, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Social Science, public housing policy and management.
He believes that accessible housing is the key to social change, and that it offers stability by allowing a person to connect to their community and its services from a home base.
Staff Members
Mark Feenane
Executive Officer
Michael Aboujundi
Senior Tenant Advocate
Martha Haylett
Manager Policy and Communications
Matilda Hooper
Community Engagement Officer
Our History
Early incarnations of a public housing tenants’ association, such as the Public Tenants Union, were established in Victoria to represent the interests of Tenant Groups and public housing tenants generally, by advocating to Government and the Office of Housing on issues of concern. These organisations were all de-funded during the 1990s.
The Victorian Public Tenants Association (VPTA) was founded in 2000 to represent Public Housing Tenant Groups. Funding was provided by the Office of Housing, enabling the VPTA to employ staff. Interim funding was later replaced by three-year Service Agreements and a permanent office in Northcote. These achievements were thanks to the efforts of interested tenants, all volunteers, who had lobbied State Government during 1999-2000 to fund an organisation that could represent Tenant Groups effectively and establish new Tenant Groups where public housing tenants remained unrepresented.
Originally, VPTA membership and Committee participation was open only to Tenant Groups, but this was found to not fully represent public housing tenants across Victoria, many of whom did not have an active Tenant Group in their area. In 2008 a comprehensive review of the VPTA’s Constitution was undertaken, which resulted in the decision to change membership and Committee election to individual tenants, rather than Group membership.
A further review during 2015 resulted in the removal of membership provisions in the Constitution, enabling all public housing tenants to participate in, and be represented by, the VPTA. Member elections for Committee of Management positions were replaced by Board appointments that included, but were not limited to, public housing tenants, enabling the VPTA to seek external expertise on its governing body to support the Association’s mission.
The Department of Health and Human Services, under its Tenant Participation program, funds the VPTA as the state-wide peak organisation for public housing tenants. We provide services for public housing tenants and Tenant Groups around the State.
The organisation’s original aim of advocacy and representation of public housing tenants across Victoria remains the priority concern of the VPTA today. We are engaged in regular consultation forums with the Department to discuss issues that affect tenants, including service provision and delivery.
We continue to advocate on behalf of public housing tenants to improve and expand public housing in Victoria and strive to ensure that it is available for all who need it.
Pictorial History of the VPTA
To view the Pictorial History of the VPTA, please access our website on a desktop, laptop or tablet.
