Attendees at a national indigenous housing conference in Alice Springs have overwhelmingly voted for the immediate improvement of indigenous housing across Australia - calling for a target of at least 75 per cent of existing stock to be functioning to acceptable community standards by 2010.
Current research presented to the conference indicates third world conditions in much of Australia’s indigenous housing stock, with surveys revealing only one in three houses has a working shower, one in 20 a working kitchen, and one in 10 a safe electrical system. Only one in two houses has a working flush toilet. Of the 5,500 houses surveyed and fixed, 90 per cent of issues were the result of faulty construction or lack of maintenance, and 10 per cent through misuse or vandalism.
Among other issues identified by the conference’s 450 non-indigenous and indigenous attendees as necessary to improve the standard of indigenous housing are:
·The establishment of a national indigenous housing authority to act as an indigenous voice.
·Recognition by government of the different needs-based approaches to the provision of indigenous housing required in different parts of Australia at both communal and household levels.
·A national approach ensuring that indigenous housing services and infrastructure not be ‘mainstreamed’ into non-indigenous service providers, but ‘mainstream’ quality services be developed in the indigenous context.
·Government policy directing head leases for home ownership be vested communally - not by governments.
·The continuation of funding for existing successful community housing organisations.
·The enlistment of successful community housing organisations as models to help expand and increase capacity in other communities - building them to an appropriate size (for economies of scale and financial viability).
·The encouragement of direct community involvement.
·The use of local materials, local labour and local designs in indigenous housing, with a national survey of suitable materials for construction listed by availability in each region.
·The consideration of communities on a case-by-case basis - not on a ‘one size fits all’ policy approach.
Attendees at the two-day Which Way? Directions in Indigenous Housing conference included indigenous and non-indigenous community and government representatives, academics, housing organisation members, consultants, contractors and architects among others. Speakers included Community Services Minister Senator Nigel Scullion, Reconciliation Australia Director Fred Chaney, Tangentyere Council Executive Director William Tilmouth, Redfern Aboriginal Housing Company CEO Michael Mundine, economist Professor Helen Hughes of the Centre for Independent Studies, Aboriginal and Torres Straits Island Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma, and Healthabitat Directors Paul Pholeros and Dr Paul Torzillo.
Opening yesterday’s proceedings, keynote speaker Senator Nigel Scullion said the Federal Government was not proposing to close down remote communities and that “people have the right to decide for themselves where they live”. He said indigenous housing should be considered in the context of the broader housing market, and that indigenous people should be part of that market. He also reiterated that the Federal Government would fix town camps “to the same standards as normal suburbs but not if they are privately owned”. However, conference delegates recognised the success of community housing corporations and encouraged government to continue their role in housing management.
In addressing a question on government policy in a subsequent session, Fred Chaney warned that the Australian Government, or any incoming government, does not have the ability to deliver on new indigenous policy. He described government as administratively ill-equipped and running short of trained officials who had any adequate experience, training or background in indigenous affairs.
Professor Paul Memmott, chair of the Indigenous Housing Taskforce (an initiative of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects and organiser of the conference) said conference speakers and attendees had canvassed a diverse range of views as to how to secure acceptable housing standards for indigenous Australians.
“There was consensus from both indigenous and non-indigenous Australians that current conditions are unacceptable, and if anything are set to deteriorate further,” Professor Memmott said. “There was wide support for immediate moves by government to ensure 75 per cent of current defective housing be rectified within the coming three years. There was consensus this is an achievable task, using a commonsense, hands-on approach to basic maintenance issues, and that the current situation of poor health linked to poor housing is avoidable.”
“The Indigenous Housing Taskforce will assess all recommendations put forward at the conference for the immediate development of an appropriate call to action paper to government outlining the necessary steps forward to ensure a better quality of life for our indigenous population.”
Describing the current indigenous housing situation, closing session panel member Richard Ahmat of the Cape York Institute said it was “a crisis bigger than Cycle Larry that is getting eroded away every day” and which required immediate action.
Organised by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (Indigenous Housing Taskforce), the conference was generously supported by the Department of Families, Community Services & Indigenous Affairs (FaCSIA). Other key supporters included Northern Territory Government; West Australian Department of Housing and Works; Office of the Victorian Government Architect; Government Architect's Office, NSW Department of Commerce; Queensland Department of Public Works; Building Commission; Bluescope Steel; Arup; and Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre.
For more information log on to www.architecture.com.au/whichway.
Media Contacts (Royal Australian Institute of Architects):
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trish.croaker@raia.com.au
Kirsten Trengove, mobile 0439 555 427
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