Improving housing outcomes for Aboriginal communities

What is the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing?

The National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing (NPARIH) is a ten year shared commitment by the Australian, State and Northern Territory Governments to address severe overcrowding, homelessness, poor housing conditions and severe housing shortages in remote Indigenous communities. Action is being taken by all jurisdictions including NSW on a number of related fronts including:

• Increased supply of safe and adequate housing
• The implementation of tenancy management reforms, consistent with public housing standards, including rent collection, tenant support, asset protection and strong governance arrangements
• Ongoing programs for the repair and maintenance of remote Indigenous housing
• Increased employment opportunities for local residents in remote communities.

Housing is an essential building block to Closing the Gap for Aboriginal people. Poor housing conditions and overcrowding has detrimental impacts on the health of residents and communities and can impact on education and employment opportunities.

What is the funding breakdown of the NPARIH?

Under the NPARIH, the NSW Government will receive $396.8 million from the Australian Government to deliver on the objectives and outcomes over ten years. This includes:

• Building and/or buying around 310 houses in remote and very remote NSW
• Funding to help undertake backlog maintenance on the 4,650 dwellings across NSW owned and managed by 230 Aboriginal community housing providers (ACHP)
• Specific funding to address repairs and maintenance of dwellings owned and managed by ACHPs in remote and very remote NSW.
• Purchasing properties in regional centres under the Employment Related Accommodation Program to facilitate access for Aboriginal people from remote areas to employment and training opportunities in regional locations.