Summary This was developed by the Australian Government’s Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs with input from all state and territory governments, and was endorsed by all Housing Ministers at the 28 March 2013 meeting of the Select Council on Housing and Homelessness. The purpose of the paper is to explore available information regarding Indigenous home ownership and to identify opportunities in housing and broader policy which could better enable Indigenous people to purchase a home. The paper sets out five recommendations which encourage jurisdictions to take forward the findings of this paper. Recommendations The Australian Government and and territory governments to work collaboratively to improve Indigenous home ownership outcomes by identifying potential target groups, including but not limited to: Indigenous social housing tenants who are in a position to transition to home ownership. Indigenous employees by targeting major employers of Indigenous Australians, where there is support from jurisdictions. The Australian Government and state and territory governments to engage with the finance sector to explore options for targeted work around supporting Indigenous home ownership (e.g. Indigenous Business Australia’s split loan product, equity loans etc.). On Indigenous land, state and territory governments to facilitate the establishment of Indigenous home ownership markets, to enable opportunities for Indigenous Australians who aspire to and are able to sustain home ownership, and develop policy and strategic plans appropriate to their respective jurisdictions including through the possible use of place-based approaches. Key features may include: The provision of suitable land tenure conditions to enable: security of tenure and transferability of an interest in land, with a transfer process that is procedurally simple and comparable to other land transfers in established markets, and access to equity for the purposes of financing purchase or construction activity. Sale to tenant and valuation procedures in relation to social housing assets, robust land administration, consumer protections and town planning. Recommendations (continued) The Australian Government and state and territory governments to work together to support home owner aspirants to enter into home ownership in established markets and on Indigenous land by exploring: Where there is interest from jurisdictions, innovating and refining existing state and territory based home ownership products such as shared equity schemes, rent to buy schemes and other subsidised home loan products, financial management education and intensive case management services.
Summary This was developed by the Australian Government’s Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs with input from all state and territory governments, and was endorsed by all Housing Ministers at the 28 March 2013 meeting of the Select Council on Housing and Homelessness. The purpose of the paper is to explore available information regarding Indigenous home ownership and to identify opportunities in housing and broader policy which could better enable Indigenous people to purchase a home. The paper sets out five recommendations which encourage jurisdictions to take forward the findings of this paper. Recommendations The Australian Government and and territory governments to work collaboratively to improve Indigenous home ownership outcomes by identifying potential target groups, including but not limited to: Indigenous social housing tenants who are in a position to transition to home ownership. Indigenous employees by targeting major employers of Indigenous Australians, where there is support from jurisdictions. The Australian Government and state and territory governments to engage with the finance sector to explore options for targeted work around supporting Indigenous home ownership (e.g. Indigenous Business Australia’s split loan product, equity loans etc.). On Indigenous land, state and territory governments to facilitate the establishment of Indigenous home ownership markets, to enable opportunities for Indigenous Australians who aspire to and are able to sustain home ownership, and develop policy and strategic plans appropriate to their respective jurisdictions including through the possible use of place-based approaches. Key features may include: The provision of suitable land tenure conditions to enable: security of tenure and transferability of an interest in land, with a transfer process that is procedurally simple and comparable to other land transfers in established markets, and access to equity for the purposes of financing purchase or construction activity. Sale to tenant and valuation procedures in relation to social housing assets, robust land administration, consumer protections and town planning. Recommendations (continued) The Australian Government and state and territory governments to work together to support home owner aspirants to enter into home ownership in established markets and on Indigenous land by exploring: Where there is interest from jurisdictions, innovating and refining existing state and territory based home ownership products such as shared equity schemes, rent to buy schemes and other subsidised home loan products, financial management education and intensive case management services.
indigenous_home_ownership_paper_0.docx