Our Response to Development of a National Housing and Homelessness Plan

Earlier this year the Australian Government released an issues paper to inform the development of a ten year National Housing and Homelessness Plan. 

We were pleased to partner with Goldfields Indigenous Housing Organisation (GIHO) on a submission, particularly on aspects related to Aboriginal housing. We thank the GIHO CEO and Board for their input.

Our Submission

Our joint submission focuses on regional topics, with comments on: 

• Proposed timeframe of the Plan. 
• Housing for First Nations Australians and its role in the Plan. 
• Supporting diversity in regional housing stock. 
• Entrenched disadvantage and regional housing mobility. 
• Climate change and sustainable regional housing stock.

In summary, we welcome a coordinated national plan and believe that to maximise the opportunity this presents the 10-year timeframe mentioned in the Issues Paper should be reviewed as it does not provide enough certainty in the context of housing. We’re calling for a generational plan for several reasons, including the need for more certainty in investment.

While the Issues Paper addresses low rates of home ownership and overcrowding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, it makes only a brief mention of ‘cultural values’ in relation to housing. The firsthand experience of GIHO is that cultural considerations are place-based and central to tenancy, and therefore central to their operating model. We support the call for a separate plan and a WA Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Peak Body.

Highlighting the emphasis needed on supporting housing diversity in the regions, we also outlined a range of causes of the current housing shortage and possible ways to stimulate regional markets.

We also ask for greater awareness of the interplay between housing and how entrenched disadvantage in regional areas is being exacerbated, why housing mobility is crucial to functioning regional housing markets, and the issues with the current model of stamp duty. 

Finally, we highlight the need for coordinated planning for housing in the face of projected climate change, the retrofitting challenge, addressing extreme heat and the challenge to all levels of government.  

Our Impact

Did you know? Each year we dedicate our time and expertise to research and advocacy that benefits regional communities.

It’s part of our social impact commitment, and you can read more about this in our impact report.