Remote housing for Indigenous communities across Australia

More Indigenous people in remote communities are benefitting from new and refurbished homes completed as part of the $5.5 billion National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing.

In the 2011-12 financial year 595 new houses and 1,591 refurbishments were completed in remote Indigenous communities across Australia, exceeding the targets of 550 new houses and 1,493 refurbishments. All jurisdictions met or exceeded their new housing and refurbishment targets for the second consecutive year.

The substantial improvements in housing have been essential to tackling Indigenous disadvantage by addressing the high level of housing need in remote communities across Australia.

Decent housing is critical to protecting children, improving health, education and employment and for re-building positive community norms.

The National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing was renegotiated in late 2009 to provide greater financial incentives for jurisdictions to deliver new houses and refurbishments.

Under the revised arrangement, up to 25 per cent of a jurisdiction’s capital works funding allocation can be reallocated if agreed targets are not met.

Since 1 January 2009, more than 1,400 new houses have been completed and more than 4,700 houses have been rebuilt or refurbished, as part of the National Partnership Agreement.

This upward trend in delivery is set to continue, with jurisdictions commencing work ahead of schedule for 2012-13. Over 600 new houses and 1,100 refurbishments are planned to be delivered by June 2013.

We will continue to take strong action to improve the delivery of Indigenous housing across Australia.

2011-12 progress as of 30 June 2012