1.1 Australian Government Indigenous Housing Policy Context
1.1.1 Previous Indigenous Housing Programs
It was announced in the 2007 Budget that funding for the Community Housing and Infrastructure Program (CHIP) would cease on 30 June 2008 and be replaced with the Australian Remote Indigenous Accommodation (ARIA) Program. The ARIA program was subsequently subsumed under the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing, and in January 2009 was replaced with the Remote Indigenous Housing Program.
1.1.2 Remote Indigenous Housing Program Outcomes
The Remote Indigenous Housing Program is a component of the Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure budget appropriation. Under the National Partnership Agreement (NPA) on Remote Indigenous Housing, the majority of the $5.5 billion in funding allocated to the Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure budget appropriation will be provided to the six State Governments and the Northern Territory Government for the delivery of new and refurbished houses.
The remaining funding from the Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure budget appropriation will be allocated by the Commonwealth for the delivery of municipal and essential services and a range of national programs to achieve the objectives of the NPA on Remote Indigenous Housing. Further details about the Remote Indigenous Housing Program are contained in Part B.
1.1.3 Aims and Objectives of the Remote Indigenous Housing Program
The aim of the Remote Indigenous Housing Program is to provide funding to eligible organisations to deliver a range of municipal and essential services and housing related services to remote Indigenous communities, in accordance with the objectives of the Australian Government and the Council of Australian Government’s Closing the Gap agenda.
1.1.4 Activities of the Remote Indigenous Housing Program
The types of activities that will receive funding under the Remote Indigenous Housing Program are those that meet the broad objectives of the Australian Government and the Council of Australian Governments Closing the Gap agenda, subject to the eligibility criteria contained in these guidelines, available funding and current and future policy imperatives. (For information about eligibility refer to Part B.)
Funding under the Remote Indigenous Housing Program is designed to supplement the efforts of state, territory and local governments to ensure Indigenous people have access to services consistent with and appropriate to their need. This funding is generally provided for activities such as essential services operation and maintenance; small scale housing construction repairs and maintenance; the provision of accommodation for Indigenous mothers; environmental health activities; and the management and delivery of municipal services.
1.1.5 The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) – A Partnership with all Governments
The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) is the principal forum through which the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments have committed to closing the gap on Indigenous disadvantage. COAG have agreed to six Closing the Gap targets across urban, rural and remote areas. To support this work, COAG has also agreed to seven strategic platforms or ‘building blocks’ as a means of meeting those targets. One of these building blocks is housing as it is a fundamental contributor to improving living standards and life outcomes for Indigenous Australians in urban, regional and remote Australia.
In 2008, COAG agreed a number of National Partnerships to progress reforms in the delivery of Indigenous housing in remote Australia and to reform current service delivery to remote Indigenous communities. These include:
- National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing
- National Partnership Agreement on Remote Service Delivery
For more information about COAG and Closing the Gap, visit http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/indigenous/news/Pages/Closingthegap.aspx or http://www.coag.gov.au/.
1.1.6 National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing
The Council of Australian Governments has committed $5.5 billion over ten years to reform responsibilities between the Commonwealth, States and the Northern Territory in the provision of housing for Indigenous Australians in remote communities and to address overcrowding, homelessness, poor housing conditions and the severe housing shortage in remote Indigenous communities.
1.1.7 National Partnership Agreement on Remote Service Delivery
The Council of Australian Governments commitment to a National Partnership on Remote Service Delivery recognises the need for better service delivery in remote areas, and for improved coordination, implementation and accountability if investments are to help close the gap.
This National Partnership will improve the coordination and delivery of services by all levels of government in 29 remote Indigenous communities across the Northern Territory, Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia.
1.1.8 Commonwealth, State, Territory and Local Government Responsibilities
All levels of government have a responsibility for the provision of housing and related services to Indigenous Australians.
The Council of Australian Governments, through the National Partnership Agreements on Remote Indigenous Housing and Remote Service Delivery has broadly agreed that:
- State and Territory Governments have primary responsibility for the provision of housing, with the Commonwealth providing the majority of funding. Essential services are funded through a combination of monies provided by the Commonwealth and the States.
- Local governments are responsible for the delivery of municipal services and road maintenance when an Indigenous community is within local government boundaries. Funding comes from a combination of the usual local government revenue sources such as rates and charges and Commonwealth provided local government financial assistance grants.
Specifically targeted programs are meant to supplement and complement mainstream programs, and do not alter the fact that all levels of government have an obligation to ensure that residents in their jurisdiction have equitable access to services.
One of the objectives of the National Partnership Agreement (NPA) on Remote Indigenous Housing is to provide arrangements that will clarify areas of responsibility for the delivery of services to remote Indigenous communities.
In the Northern Territory, the Memorandum of Understanding Between the Australian Government and the Northern Territory Government on Indigenous Housing, Accommodation and Related Services September 2007, transitioned service delivery responsibility for housing, municipal and essential services to the Northern Territory Government with effect from 1 July 2008. The NPA on Remote Indigenous Housing subsumes those arrangements. As a result of these arrangements, FaHCSIA does not provide funding to Indigenous organisations to deliver housing or typical municipal and essential services to discrete and specific communities in the Northern Territory.
The Commonwealth will continue to work with States and the Northern Territory on a proposal for clearer roles and responsibilities and funding with respect to municipal and essential services and ongoing maintenance of infrastructure and essential services in remote areas, with new arrangements to be in place from 1 July 2012.