Alternative Text for Defence Service Homes Timeline
Defence Service Homes Timeline
1918 - War Service Homes Act 1918 established War Service Homes Scheme (WSHS) and War Service Homes Insurance Scheme (WSHIS).
1919 - First home built in Canterbury NSW under WSHS, and insured through WSHIS.
1941 - WSHS and WSHIS expanded to include returned service members from the Second World War.
1951 - Eligibility to WSHS and WSHIS extended to Malaya and Korea.
1962 - Eligibility to WSHS and WSHIS is extended to ex-service members undertaking special duties in areas including Malaya, Borneo Sabah, Sarawak and South Vietnam.
1969 - 280,000+ homes provided through WSHS since its inception. 196,000 homes insured through WSHIS.
1972 - War Service Homes Act 1918 renamed to Defence Service Homes Act 1918 and eligibility for WSHS and WSHIS extended to peacetime service. WSHS renamed Defence Service Homes Scheme (DSHS) and WSHIS renamed to the Defence Service Homes (DSH) Insurance Scheme.
1976 - DSHS and DSH Insurance became part of the newly constituted Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
1988 - Westpac purchases housing portfolio from DSHS.
1990 - DSH Insurance provides access to contents insurance through partnership with Mercantile Mutual (who were subsequently bought by QBE Insurance (Australia) Ltd).
2012 - DSH Insurance provides access to other QBE insurance products including, for example, motor vehicle insurance, caravan insurance and landlord insurance.
2020 - Defence Service Homes Act 1918 amended from 1 January 2020 to expand eligibility to DSH Insurance to all current and former members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Reservists, peacekeepers and widows/widowers of ADF members are also able to access home building insurance through DSH Insurance.