In a powerful session at Victoria’s Yoorrook Justice Commission, Housing Minister Harriet Shing faced scrutiny over the persistent and severe housing disadvantages confronting Aboriginal Victorians.
And Shing’s testimony was marked by a heartfelt apology for the historical dispossession of land and the ongoing crisis of homelessness among Indigenous communities.
“We created Aboriginal homelessness and then we turned away from it”, Shing admitted, highlighting a long history of systemic neglect but her apology did little to comfort Commissioner Maggie Walter who critiqued the government’s efforts as “more bureaucracy to give the illusion of concern” rather than substantive action.
Aboriginal Housing: Systemic Barriers and Inadequate Support
Indigenous Australians, who make up just 3.8% of the national population but account for a staggering 20% of the homeless population.
And in Victoria, 17% of Aboriginal people are seeking homelessness support, with this figure rising by 10% annually, which reflects a broader national issue, where Indigenous Australians are significantly overrepresented among those experiencing homelessness.
The session underscored the systemic barriers Indigenous people face in the housing market, including widespread discrimination and lower incomes and Shing pointed to initiatives like the Victorian Aboriginal Housing and Homelessness Forum and the Aboriginal private rental assistance program, which offers up to $7,000 for around 1,000 families.
However, these measures were criticised as insufficient and Commissioner Anthony North questioned the adequacy of the grant, describing it as “pitiful” and suggesting that the support system was “set up to fail”.
Shing acknowledged the shortcomings but denied any intentional failure on the government’s part. “I don’t think we’re setting it up to fail” she responded, “but I think it does fail”.
2021 ABS statistics:
- Home ownership increased to 42.3% of households in 2021, up from 39.6% in 2016.
- Four in five people (81.4%) lived in appropriately sized (not overcrowded) dwellings in 2021, up from 78.9% in 2016.
- The median weekly rent was $300 in 2021, while the median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,721.
- Just over one in four dwellings were owned with a mortgage (28.1%) compared with one in seven that were owned outright (14.1%).
- More than half of dwellings were rented (56.1%).
A Call for Substantial Reform
The inquiry highlighted the need for substantial reform because despite positive short-term efforts, the housing situation for Indigenous Australians has seen only modest improvements.
With homeownership among Indigenous households rising slightly over the past decade, with 42% owning homes in 2021 compared to 37% in 2011.
Yet, this is still significantly lower than the 68% homeownership rate among non-Indigenous Australians.
Moreover, homelessness remains a critical issue, especially in remote areas where overcrowding is rampant. In very remote Australia, the rate of Indigenous homelessness was 1,439 per 10,000 people in 2021.
Thus, the findings of the Yoorrook Justice Commission underscore the urgent need for a more effective and culturally appropriate approach to Indigenous housing and homelessness and as Commissioner Walter noted, real change requires more than forums and bureaucratic measures.
And it demands a fundamental shift in how housing policies are designed and implemented, prioritising the voices and needs of Indigenous communities.
