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Interim Indigenous Housing Agreement between the Australian Government and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government
Date:	1 July 2004
Place:
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State/Country:	Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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Alternative Names:	Interim Bilateral Agreement (ACT) Indigenous Bilateral Housing Agreement (ACT) Interim Indigenous Housing Agreement (ACT)
Subject Matter:
URL:	http://www.legislation.act.gov.au/ni/2006-8/current/pdf/2006-8.pdf
Summary Information:
The Interim Indigenous Housing Agreement between the Australian Government and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government ('the Agreement') was signed by the Commonwealth Minister for Family and Community Services, on behalf of the Commonwealth, and the ACT Minister for Disability, Housing and Community Services, on behalf of the ACT, in 2002. The Agreement followed from the earlier Trilateral Indigenous Housing Agreement between the Australian Government, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) (10 July 2002 - 30 June 2004) ('the 2002 Agreement'). Following the abolition of ATSIC, the remaining parties undertook 'to establish interim arrangements for the 2004/05 financial year', while developing a detailed agreement for 1 July 2005. It was planned that this new detailed agreement should be 'outcomes focussed'. The original term of the Agreement was from 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005, but it was later extended to the period from 1 July 2005 to 30 September 2005 (ACT Government 2005a). According to Senator Patterson (2005), there had been delay in the development of the new agreement, 'due in part to the Australian Government's development of new directions for Indigenous affairs' , though 'informal discussions at officer level' had taken place. The Agreement was designed to be consistent with the commitments in Building a Better Future: Indigenous Housing to 2010.
Detailed Information:
Background The Background to the Agreement discusses details of the 2002 Agreement, changes to ATSIC and the Community Housing and Infrastructure Program (CHIP) and the consequent need for interim arrangements. It states that '[t]he Australian Government and the ACT Government remain committed to the vision, principles and outcomes of the [2002 Agreement],' but that modification of processes would be needed in light of the changes to ATSIC and new administration arrangements for CHIP funds (from the Queanbeyan Regional Council of ATSIC to the Department of Family and Community Services (FaCS)). Interim arrangements The parties agreed, inter alia: - 'To maintain the principles and intent of the [2002 Agreement]; - To ensure Indigenous participation in the planning and decision making processes is maintained, resourced and supported; � - [That a] new agreement will be negotiated by the parties to commence from 1 July 2005'. It was also intended that during the interim period, the Queanbeyan Regional Council would develop a Regional Housing and Infrastructure Plan (RHIP), which would then be used as a basis for the Steering Committee to develop an annual plan. Steering Committee The Steering Committee was established under the 2002 Agreement. Under the Agreement, the Steering Committee's powers and functions were to remain the same as in the 2002 Agreement, but membership was to increase from 10 members to 12 members. Also, the Steering Committee was to report regarding the achievement of outcomes from the 2003/2004 housing plan. Funding The parties agreed that '[f]or the 2004-2005 financial year funding will be made available as agreed by the Parties in consultation with the Queanbeyan Regional Council. All funding in 2004/2005 will be available for pooling'. CHIP funds for the ACT were to be released upon approval of the Steering Committee's housing plan.