Keystart

Office address: Level 3 502 Hay St, Subiaco WA 6008
Website: keystart.com.au
Year established: 1989
Company type: government trading enterprise (GTE)
Employees: 130+
Expertise: home loans, low deposit lending, affordable housing, shared ownership, risk management, customer service, financial inclusion, community impact, government-backed lending, digital tools
Parent company: Housing Authority
Key people: Mark Tomasz (CEO), Felicity Zimmermann (chief risk officer), John Patmore (chief information officer), Nicole Brown (CFO), Claire Properjohn (chief people and corporate services officer), Liam Loan-Lack (chief customer officer)
Financing status: government-owned

Keystart is a GTE in Subiaco, WA, set up by the state government. The company helps locals who may not meet bank rules buy homes with low deposit loans and flexible lending. It has supported over 124,000 Western Australians, including singles, families and first home buyers, into home ownership.

History of Keystart

Keystart was founded in 1989 by the WA State Government, starting as an initiative of the Labor State Government to help more locals buy homes.

The company has enjoyed steady support from both sides of politics and is now seen as Australia’s leading government-backed home loan provider. Across its history, Keystart has marked these milestones:

• 2016: Bendigo and Adelaide Bank acquired part of Keystart’s loan portfolio
• 2021: named on the AFR Best Places to Work List
• 2023: Urban Connect Home Loan expanded to one-bedroom apartments, praised by REIWA
• 2024: launched Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) to support reconciliation
• 2025: completed transition to GTE with no service disruption

Keystart was also recently updated by the WA Government to improve housing affordability and help more first-home buyers. New low-deposit loans for modular homes and a Shared Equity Scheme were introduced. These changes aim to make home ownership possible for even more Western Australians.

Keystart’s products and services

The firm offers a range of home loan options to help Western Australians find the right fit for their needs and situation:

• Low Deposit Home Loan: buy a home with a smaller upfront payment, covers modular homes as well
• Shared Ownership Home Loan: purchase a place together with the Housing Authority as a partner
• Urban Connect Home Loan: choose apartment living close to city centres or public transport
• Aboriginal Home Loan: tailored support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander borrowers
• Urban Connect Plus Loan: get help with the deposit for off-the-plan apartments
• Access Home Loan: made for customers with disability needs or their carers

All Keystart home loans feature low deposits, no lender’s mortgage insurance and no monthly account fees. It also provides financial wellbeing tools to help customers understand their finances and habits.

Company culture and values

Keystart’s culture is built on fairness, support and making a real difference for Western Australians. The company values wellbeing, teamwork and finding solutions where others might not.

Every department shares a vision to help more people own homes and to foster a positive workplace culture. These values are seen in each of the firm’s 10 core teams:

1. agility and change: drives company priorities and guides how work gets done
2. executive services: connects leaders with government and key partners
3. business intelligence: turns data into clear, useful insights
4. credit decisioning: reviews and approves home loan applications
5. customer experience: builds strong relationships with clients and brokers
6. finance: manages payments, budgets and financial records
7. credit management: supports customers facing financial challenges
8. ICT: develops and maintains digital tools and systems
9. risk and legal: manages compliance and improves company policies
10. organisational capability: grows talent and ensures a safe, diverse workplace

Keystart uses daily, weekly or fortnightly team stand-ups to keep business priorities on track. Flexible work options like ‘Dress for your Day’ and ‘Desk for your Day’ support an agile and value-driven culture.

It also values a workforce made up of people from many backgrounds, cultures and beliefs. The company welcomes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, all ages, abilities, genders and sexualities. Different perspectives and unique thinking help drive the firm’s growth and new ideas.

About CEO Mark Tomasz and key people

Mark Tomasz is Keystart’s CEO and also serves on the board of Nakuru Hope. He joined the firm in 2024 after holding senior executive roles at HSBC across many regions. Mark is a CPA Australia accountant with over 20 years’ experience in financial services.

Keystart’s leadership team brings a wide range of skills and experience to support its mission:

• Felicity Zimmermann leads as chief risk officer, overseeing risk management and compliance across the business
• John Patmore serves as chief information officer, managing digital systems and technology strategy
• Nicole Brown is CFO, guiding financial planning and reporting for Keystart
• Claire Properjohn acts as chief people and corporate services officer, driving HR, culture and organisational change
• Liam Loan-Lack works as chief customer officer, focusing on customer experience and engagement initiatives

Keystart’s leaders are dedicated to helping more Western Australians achieve home ownership. Their expertise ensures all loans offer low deposits and no lender’s mortgage insurance, making buying a home more accessible.

The future at Keystart

In 2025, Keystart raised its loan price caps to reflect rising property values in Perth. Higher loan amounts make it easier for buyers to enter the market with a 2% deposit and no lender’s mortgage insurance.

These updates help more Western Australians qualify for a home loan as prices change. The firm continues to make home ownership possible for more people across the state as it adjusts its products.