A real way forward: an Indigenous housing strategy endorsed by First Nations and government representatives

New findings of an Inquiry into Indigenous housing reveal a system where governance arrangements are complex and poorly coordinated, and efforts at reform have fallen short.

The AHURI-funded Inquiry proposed an alternative – a long-term governance and resource framework for sustainable and effective Indigenous housing.

Inquiry lead Associate Professor Megan Moskos from Adelaide University said the Inquiry’s first report established First Nations people had the highest levels of unmet housing need.

“Around 45,700 low-income Indigenous households had unmet housing needs in 2021 –that’s one in every eight, and almost double the rate for all Australians,” she said.

Having revealed the scale of need, the Inquiry looked forward, creating a blueprint for action that was given weight by endorsement from an Inquiry Panel of government officials and Indigenous leaders.

“The support of government and Indigenous representatives across the country speaks to this framework being built on self-determination, addressing the issues, and being actionable and achievable,” she said.

The Inquiry’s second report, released today alongside the final report, reviewed Indigenous housing systems at federal, state and territory level via document analysis and 60 stakeholder interviews.

“We found a fragmented system,” said University of Sydney Research Associate Richard Benedict, who led the second report. “At least seven national agencies administer core Indigenous housing policy, but no national agency or minister has designated overall responsibility for it.”

Positive initiatives like the 2020 Closing the Gap agreement and 2022 Housing Policy Partnership (a national platform co-chaired by the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Association and Treasury) required governments to formalise shared decision making and give First Nations peoples say in delivery of housing services.

However, Mr Benedict said these had not resolved governance issues or fulfilled commitments.

“Closing the Gap requires governments to grow the sector, but we found only 13% of Indigenous social housing tenancies were managed by registered Indigenous community-controlled housing organisations (ICCHOs) in 2024/25,” he said.

The share of tenancies managed by registered ICCHOs also varied greatly across jurisdictions – from 0% in the ACT and Tasmania to 28% in Victoria.

The Inquiry was overseen by an Indigenous Advisory Committee comprising First Nations housing experts and the final report proposed a strategy framework comprising four key pillars:
 

Strengthening governance

The Inquiry recommended legislation of – and investment in – the Housing Policy Partnership to ensure governments respect its processes and deliver on its recommendations.

Establishment of Indigenous housing peak bodies as leaders and advocates for the Indigenous community-controlled housing (ICCH) sector has been positive nationally and in jurisdictions where it has occurred. The Inquiry recommended these be strengthened and long-term funding committed.

The Indigenous Advisory Committee called for audits of Closing the Gap performance to hold governments accountable.

Ensuring sufficient investment

Associate Professor Moskos said despite recent increases in social and affordable housing investment, and Indigenous people being recognised as a priority group, there was little transparency on how much Indigenous households and organisations benefitted.

The Inquiry recommended long-term government funding for Indigenous social housing to address unmet demand.

Boosting community-controlled housing

The Inquiry found the ICCH sector lacked a growth plan and recommended progressively increasing housing stock owned and managed by the sector.

The Inquiry also recommended establishing geographic cost benchmarks for services and subsidies to address funding gaps between rent revenues and costs.

Enhancing tenure choices and pathways

Indigenous households had lower home ownership rates, higher rental rates, and relied more on dwindling social housing than non-Indigenous Australians.

The Inquiry recommended governments promote culturally appropriate home ownership pathways, and establish a Housing Innovation Fund to support models like community land trusts and shared equity.

Rental access should be facilitated by strengthening anti-discrimination legislation and funding Indigenous rental advocacy and support services.
 

“The Inquiry Panel supported the Framework for a National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Strategy as a blueprint for action,” Associate Professor Moskos said.

“To ensure success, the National Housing and Homelessness Ministerial Council must commit to securing the Housing Policy Partnership's future, invest in additional supply to address unmet demand, fund Indigenous housing peak bodies, and build sector capacity."

The research was undertaken for AHURI by researchers from Adelaide University, UNSW Sydney, University of Sydney, Curtin University, Menzies School of Health Research, and University of Tasmania.

Read the research:

• AHURI Final Report 456: The Indigenous housing system in Australia: case study evidence
• AHURI Final Report 457: A framework for the future of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander housing in Australia