Royal Commission into the Operation of the Housing Acts of Victoria and the Administration of the Housing Commission

Full description

The Royal Commission to enquire into report upon and make recommendations concerning the operation of the Housing Acts of Victoria and the administration of the Housing Commission was appointed on 1 February 1956. The Royal Commission was appointed to investigate the Housing Commission's costs, administration and standards relating to houses and flat rental, maintenance and production. It was also to investigate the collection of properties for sale to tenants and whether the Housing Commission needed re-organization to carry out its slum reclamation function (see Victorian Government Gazette, No.205, 8 February 1956, p.973).

The Royal Commissioners appointed were Mrs Gladys Adeline Hain, Patrick Deverer O'Connor, Esq. and Allan John Moir, Esq., who was later appointed Chairman. The Commission sat for forty-four days from 29 February to 9 July 1956 and produced a report which was presented to Parliament in August 1956. (VPRS 10724, Report of the Royal Commission into the Operation of the Housing Acts and the Administration of the Housing Commission).

The report contained a number of recommendations, one of which was that a slum reclamation authority, separate from the Housing Commission, should be set up. This recommendation was not implemented. Another recommendation, that was implemented, was that the Holmesglen Concrete House Project be continued.

Location of Records

Some records of the Royal Commission are held by the Public Record Office and are listed below.

Sources

New Houses for Old: Fifty years of Public Housing
Renate Howe Ed.
Ministry of Housing Construction Melbourne 1988
Victorian Government Gazettes