House proud
Bernard Theddius Tipiloura, Tiwi Islands, NT.
Tiwi leader Bernard Theddius Tipiloura wants his people to look after and be proud of their homes and gardens.
It’s been around twelve months since senior traditional owner Bernard Theddius Tipiloura and his family moved into their new home at Wurrumiyanga on Bathurst Island in the Tiwis. The 76 year old Tipiloura is setting a high standard to encourage others to be house proud.
He points out new garden beds, the paving he has laid despite old footy injuries and the children’s cubby house he is building.
“I’ve tried to set an example here in my yard and my home for my people, and also for our Aboriginal community. Be proud of your home and set a good example for your grandchildren, your children and your community.”
He’s set some new rules for visitors too, making sure no-one smokes inside and things are kept clean.
New housing, rebuilds and refurbishments are changing the face of Wurrumiyanga, previously known as Nguiu. It is change Tipiloura is experiencing first hand.
“It’s a big difference. In my home, the fence is much better, the toilet is much better than the old house and the shower as well.”
As a member of his local Housing Reference Group, Tipiloura is ensuring other Tiwi residents live in healthy homes.
“It’s about having a better home. I’m leading a team and will bring people here and say, ‘We can do it like this.’ Healthy homes, new and old.”
And he has a straightforward message for younger generations. “Don’t be shy to make a proud home.”
Find out more
As part of its work to close the gap on Indigenous disadvantage, the Australian Government wants to assist more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to live in healthy homes. It’s working to reduce homelessness and overcrowding and to improve the standard of housing.
And it’s assisting Indigenous people to own their own homes, as the percentage of those who are home owners is only half that of other Australians.
National partnerships on housing
To deliver on these agendas the Australian Government is working in partnership with State and territory governments to improve the supply and affordabilty of housing.
This is through a National Affordable Housing Agreement, a Social Housing Initiative, and national partnerships on remote Indigenous housing, social housing, and homelessness.
The National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing recognises that improving housing conditions is fundamental to achieving improvements in health, education and employment and to closing the gap in Indigenous disadvantage.
This agreement will see the construction of 4,200 new homes, and the upgrading of 4,800 existing homes in remote Indigenous communities across Australia, and so far:
- in 2010–2011, 490 new houses and 2,288 refurbishments were completed in remote Indigenous communities across Australia, exceeding the target of 463 new houses and 2,012 refurbishments. All States and the Northern Territory at least met their new housing targets and exceeded their refurbishment targets.
- overall since the commencement of the national partnership on 1 January 2009 more than 800 new houses have been completed and 3,100 houses have been rebuilt and refurbished nationally.
- in addition to housing in remote areas, 28 houses have been acquired in regional centres to support Indigenous people from remote communities to access employment and training opportunities.
Decent housing is essential for protecting children, improving health, education and employment and for rebuilding positive community norms.
Working on the ground
As part of these national partnerships the Government is supporting several major housing initiatives, including:
- with the assistance of the non-profit sector, the Social Housing Initiative, which is supporting the construction of new public and community housing, and will see around 19,600 new homes built by June 2012. Over 15,700 of these homes are already complete. Households identifying as Indigenous have taken up tenancies on 14 per cent of the newly constructed housing.
- the Australian and Northern Territory Governments are working in partnership to improve the lives of residents of the Alice Springs town camps through the Alice Springs Transformation Plan. New homes and short-term accommodation are being constructed as part of the plan, and refurbishment and rebuilding of existing homes is under way. Local support services are also being strengthened.
Other initiatives
So that more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can live in improved housing the Government is also supporting:
- Indigenous Business Australia to provide home loans at a discounted rate to Indigenous people. IBA has assisted more than 14,000 Indigenous individuals and families into home ownership.
- The Office of Township Leasing manages long-term leases between the Australian Government and traditional owners. Township leases primarily provide certainty of tenure over the land within the township. The land itself remains the property of the traditional owners but is leased to the Executive Director to manage on a long-term basis. This means the businesses will be more willing to set up and operate within the township and lending organisations will be more likely to provide loan facilities to these businesses. Long-term leases also allow community members to effectively purchase their own homes, should they wish to.
- the National Rental Affordabilty Scheme, which subsidises landlords to rent homes to low income earners at 20 per cent below market rates.
- the Reconnect program, which supports homeless or at-risk people aged 12 to 18 years and their families to break the cycle of homelessness.
- the Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Program, which is supplying housing and construction training to remote Indigenous communities.
- the Household Organisational Management Expenses Advice Program, which helps families facing difficulties to maintain tenancies or home ownership.
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