ALSWA Submission to the WA Parliament – March 2010
This submission considers the Aboriginal Housing Legislation Amendment Bill 2009 (WA) (‘the Bill’) which was developed to implement a new Commonwealth approach to Aboriginal housing driven by the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing. The Bill proposed radical change to the management of remote Aboriginal housing in Western Australia. It was a requirement that the Bill become law for the WA Government to receive $496 million of funding from the Commonwealth Government, over four years, for remote housing and infrastructure.
The submission outlines the crisis state of remote Aboriginal housing in WA including comments from two United Nations Special Rapporteurs. ALSWA carefully considered the Bill and noted concerns, queries and recommendations such as the voluntary nature of Housing Management Agreements and the need to consider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customs and traditions, particularly given the application of the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 (WA).
Aboriginal Housing Legislation Amendment Bill_WA.pdf (990.25Kb)
