The Australian Federal Government is attempting to address the chronic housing crisis and severe overcrowding in the remote communities that have been set up for indigenous people across the country…
A former Government Minister, Gary Johns, has said that properties in Australia should not be provided to remote Aboriginal communities where there are no jobs and people are unable to pay rent or service a mortgage.
This highly controversial no-job-no-house rule should ‘apply to all future housing developments in the remote Aboriginal communities,’ he says.
Mr Johns, who is now President of the Bennelong Society, which aims to promote debate on Aboriginal policy, said, “The Government should only finance new housing if residents can afford to pay rent or a mortgage.”
As some of the communities have already failed and don’t offer residents solid job or life prospects, they should be shut down. Mr Johns argues that permanent housing should not be offered to communities unless they can show they are economically viable.
“Some of the existing communities are, in many cases, beset by major social problems: high rates of sexually transmitted disease, domestic violence and homicide combined with poor health, education and housing.
Bad tenant behaviour has led to many houses becoming derelict as landlords are not present and children are not being forced to go to school.
The £939.4 million investment in Aboriginal housing over the past decade has resulted in only 471 new homes, a mere two per cent increase.
In the Northern Territory, housing has decreased despite the higher investment, leading to 271 fewer homes than five years ago.
“The decline of these communities both in a social and population sense raises serious doubts about the level of Government assistance that should continue to be provided to them,” he added.
In order to encourage the success of any new communities, residents must be aware of the consequences of not complying – under Mr Johns’ plans, Government assistance will be removed and homes will only go to those who do meet welfare responsibilities and have a job.
Indigenous Leader Warren Mundine says housing policy should indeed be tied to economic development and employment, but that excluding ‘depressed’ communities from new housing is not the answer.
“The first step is to see what can be done about creating economic stimulus in some of these areas and then come to conclusions after that,” he said.
Mr Mundine said issues surrounding native title and land rights also need to be taken into account.
“If you are forcing people off land how does that affect their native title and land rights? These questions need to be answered first.”
Housing Spokesman Scott Ludlam said it would force migration away from traditional communities into town camps where there is already rampant unemployment.
“Mr Johns’ solution reeks of an antiquated, outdated methodology, one more suited to colonialism than modern governance,” Senator Ludlam said.
Many feel that Mr Johns’ comments fly in the face of the Government responsibility – to provide equitable housing for all Australians, particularly those most disadvantaged.
For future ref…
In developing future policy for remote communities, the Government will need to distinguish between emergency accommodation, such as hostels for men and shelters for women and children, where the need is proven and transitional accommodation such as caravans for Aborigines visiting remote areas.
There is also the option of more permanent accommodation such as private housing or housing commission-style accommodation in permanent communities, but only where there is a reasonable prospect of a maintenance programme and work.
Many feel that the Government should explore the location and eligibility for each form of accommodation on the basis that Aborigines, when informed of their options, may consider them and then make decisions about where to live.
For more information on Australian properties and the market in general, please visit http://australia.themovechannel.com/
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
TheMoveChannel.com is a property website that was founded in 1999 as an online resource for buying, selling and learning about property. It now receives as many as 300,000 visits per month and advertises over 50,000 properties in nearly 90 countries, which are listed by over 500 partner organisations.
For further information as well as images and interview possibilities, please contact:
Dan Johnson
Managing Director
www.themovechannel.com
0207 952 7650
