Agreements, Treaties and Negotiated Settlements Project

Agreement for the Provision of Housing and Infrastructure for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in Western Australia
Date:	1 July 2002
Place:
State/Country:	Western Australia, Australia

Alternative Names:	Housing and Infrastructure Bilateral Agreement Agreement for the Provision of Housing and Related Infrastructure for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in Western Australia Western Australian Indigenous Housing Agreement
Subject Matter:
URL:	http://www.dhw.wa.gov.au/Files/abor_agreement.pdf
Summary Information:
The Agreement for the Provision of Housing and Infrastructure for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in Western Australia ('the Agreement') was signed by the Commonwealth Minister for Family and Community Services, on behalf of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC), on behalf of ATSIC, and the Western Australian Minister for Housing and Works, on behalf of the State of Western Australia, on 5 July 2002. This Agreement was the second Housing Agreement to be signed by the Western Australian Government, following the Agreement for the Provision of Housing and Related Infrastructure for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in Western Australia (1997 - 2002). The Preamble to the Agreement states that it 'builds upon the strengths of the [first agreement] and implements the major recommendation contained in the Review of the [first agreement]' - that is, in the Review of the Agreement for the Provision and Management of Housing and Related Infrastructure for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in Western Australia. The Agreement has since been replaced by the Agreement for the Provision of Housing, Infrastructure and Essential Services for Indigenous People in Western Australia, to which ATSIC is not a party. The Agreement was to create a framework for pooled funds, better coordination in service delivery and a consolidation of the partnership between the Western Australian Government, the Commonwealth Government, ATSIC and Aboriginal communities. In the Recitals, 'the Parties acknowledge[d] that improvement is needed in coordinating the provision of housing and infrastructure for Aboriginal people to improve housing, health and other social outcomes by reducing duplication of services and promoting resource efficiency.'
Detailed Information:
Principles The Agreement was based upon the following government policy documents: - COAG's National Commitment to Improved Outcomes in the Delivery of Programs and Services for Aboriginal Peoples and Torres Strait Islanders; - COAG's Framework to Advance Reconciliation; - Building a Better Future: Indigenous Housing to 2010; and - the Statement of Commitment to a New and Just Relationship between the Government of Western Australia and Aboriginal Western Australians. Roles and Responsibilities of the Parties The roles and responsibilities of the parites were to be consistent with the Commonwealth State Housing Agreement (1999 - 2003) and with housing and infrastructure programs of ATSIC. The Commonwealth Government agreed to: - provide funding for housing assistance; - advise the Aboriginal Housing and Infrastructure Council (AHIC); - provide Ministerial approval of the Strategic Plan and performance reports; - assess and monitor 'improvements in the safety, health and sustainability of Indigenous housing'; and - promote coordination between linked programs of the Commonwealth Government. ATSIC agreed to: - provide funding for housing assistance; - advise the Aboriginal Housing and Infrastructure Council (AHIC); - appoint a prescribed number of AHIC members; - provide ATSIC approval of the Strategic Plan and performance reports; - promote coordination between linked programs and provide support to the AHIU in regional program delivery; and - through the Regional Councils, develop and monitor a Regional Housing and Infrastructure Plan (RHIP) and further advise and support the AHIC. The Western Australian Government agreed to: - provide funds; - provide advice and administrative, secretariat and technical support to the AHIC; - act as program manager for pooled funds under the Agreement; - report on the use of and outcomes achieved through the pooled funds; - appoint a prescribed number of AHIC members and appoint the AHIC Chair to the State Housing Commission Board of Commissioners; - provide Ministerial approval for the Strategic Plan; and - promote coordination between linked programs of the State government. 'Linked programs' are defined in Schedule One to be 'programs linked to housing [that] include but are not limited to any program operated or delivered by the Commonwealth, ATSIC or State which is agreed from time to time by the Parties to be a Linked Program.' Examples of services delivered under linked programs are also provided. Aboriginal Housing and Infrastructure Council The Agreement provided for the constitution of the Aboriginal Housing and Infrastructure Council (AHIC). The AHIC was acknowledged to be 'the principal source of advice on policies and strategies to improve housing outcomes for Aboriginal people in [Western Australia].' The parties agreed to provide advice to the AHIC in order 'to assist the development and implementation of strategies based on the assessment of need in [Western Australia]'. Relationship to other agreements The Agreement was to complement the Agreement for the Provision of Essential Services to Indigenous Communities in Western Australia. Also, the 'operational processes and procedures' of the Agreement were to be guided by a Memorandum of Understanding between the Aboriginal Housing and Infrastructure Unit (AHIU) and ATSIC. Funding arrangements The financial and implementation arrangements for the Agreement were set out in Schedule Two. Pooling of funds was to 'be introduced in different stages during the life of the Agreement, [being] contingent on current contractual arrangements'. The indicative funding sources for 2002-03 were ATSIC programs, the Commonwealth Aboriginal Rental Housing Program (ARHP), funded through the Commonwealth State Housing Agreement, the Western Australian State Treasury and the Western Australian DHW.