East Kimberley Homelessness Project Steering Group Who Provided Their Time and Input Throughout the Various Stages of the Project

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS

RACHELLE IRVING PROJECT MARCH 2014

A REPORT TO THE EAST KIMBERLEY REGION HOMELESSNESS STEERING GROUP EXAMINING THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF HOMELESSNESS IN THE EAST KIMBERLEY

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS

RACHELLE IRVING PROJECT MARCH 2014

A REPORT TO THE EAST KIMBERLEY REGION HOMELESSNESS STEERING GROUP EXAMINING THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF HOMELESSNESS IN THE EAST KIMBERLEY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The project was supported with funding from the Department of Families, Housing, Communities and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA).

East Kimberley Community Development Employment Program (EKCDEP) acknowledges the financial and other support it has received from FaHCSIA and the other Government Departments including the Department for Child Protection and Family Support, the Department of Housing and the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, without which this work would not have been possible.

EKCDEP expresses gratitude to the many staff and management representatives from the various non‑government organisations who gave their time and commitment to ensuring that the issues affecting clients who are homeless and living in overcrowded situations are well understood.

This project and its report would not have been possible without the Aboriginal people living in the community who so freely gave their time to talk about their many experiences on the issue of homelessness. They provided invaluable commentary about their experiences including homelessness, overcrowding contextualised against the range of issues and challenges that they face on a daily basis. Further to that, if it was not for Giancarlo Mazzella and his strong connection to Aboriginal people in the East Kimberley, there may not have been a community survey. It is his rapport and respect with the communities that made them feel comfortable and be able to trust that their stories would be heard.

Finally, EKCDEP also acknowledges the contributions of Trevor Halamicek, Beth Hales, Vincent Skeen, Annie Thomas and Liz O’Brien [Chair] and members of the East Kimberley Homelessness Project Steering Group who provided their time and input throughout the various stages of the project.

Rachelle Irving

East Kimberley Homelessness Project Executive Coordinator contents

Acknowledgements II

List of Tables, Figures and Diagrams IV

Executive Summary 1

Introduction & literature review 3

Methodology 10

Results 12

Discussion 30

Summary of findings & Recommendations 43

REFERENCEs 46

Appendix 1 – East Kimberley Homelessness Plan 2014 to 2016 48

Appendix 2– East Kimberley Community Profiles 51

Kununurra 53

Halls Creek 53

Wyndham 55

Balgo 55

Kalumburu 57

Turkey Creek (Warmun) 57

Ringer Soak (Kundat Jaru) 58

Billiluna (Mindibungu) 59

Mulan 59

Appendix 3– Western Australia Aboriginal Health Ethics Committee ethics approval 60

Appendix 4– Kimberley Research Subcommittee ethics approval 62

Appendix 5– East Kimberley Homelessness Project questionnaires 63

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT III List of Tables, Figures and Diagrams

Table 1. Keys Young Indigenous homelessness typology 5 Table 2. Canadian Housing Occupancy Standard 7 Table 3. Number of homeless Indigenous by state/territory 2006 8 Table 4. Department of housing East Kimberley regional waitlist 8 Table 5. Services delivered by NGO respondent organisations 17 Table 6. Perturbation and introduced random error 52 Table 7. Languages spoken at home, Kununurra 54 Table 8. Languages spoken at home, Halls Creek 54 Table 9. Languages spoken at home, Wyndham 54 Table 10. Languages spoken at home, Balgo 56 Table 11. Languages spoken at home, Kalumburu 56 Table 12. Languages spoken at home, Turkey Creek 56 Table 13. Languages spoken at home, Billiluna 56 Table 14. Languages spoken at home, Mulan 58

Figure 1. Government target client work areas (%) 13 Figure 2. Government service provider rating of homelessness as an area of responsibility (%) 14 Figure 3. Government service provider view about whether their department improve the coordinated care of client who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness (%) 14 Figure 4. NGO target client work areas (%) 17 Figure 5. Community survey participant language groups (%) 20 Figure 6. Highest year of school (%) 21 Figure 7. Current income source (%) 21 Figure 8. Additional income received from other sources (%) 21 Figure 9. Community health and medical problems (%) 22 Figure 10. Level of medication compliance (%) 22 Figure 11. Alcohol consumption rates (%) 24 Figure 12. Average number of standard drinks consumed per day (%) 25 Figure 13. Current sleeping location (%) 25 Figure 14. General condition of house/place being stayed at (%) 26 Figure 15. Community view about positive things happening for homeless (%) 26 Figure 16. Necessary changes for the homeless (%) 29 Figure 17. Indigenous and non-Indigenous persons by highest year of school completed (%) 35 Figure 18. Indigenous 2008 unemployment rates by state/territory of usual residence 35 Figure 19. Level of happiness according to homelessness status (%) 39

Diagram 1. NHMRC 2009 alcohol consumption rates by adults aged 18 years and over 32 Executive Summary

This is a snapshot in time research document provided to the East Kimberley Homelessness Steering Group. The intent of the research and subsequent report is to enable the Steering Group to develop an enhanced understanding of community member and service provider experiences and perceptions regarding the nature and extent of homelessness in the East Kimberley and to develop an action plan.

Conducting the research phase of this Project revealed a number of surprises, particularly when interviewing community members who were only too willing to tell their stories and share their experiences of housing, homelessness, overcrowding and the vast array of social issues that sit alongside these issues.

The status of Indigenous housing, occupancy and homelessness as reported by the national data collection agencies bears little resemblance to what is occurring in the East Kimberley. It is possible that this also applies in other rural and remote Indigenous occupied areas in Australia. Overcrowding is the norm for Indigenous families living in the East Kimberley, although quite the

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 1 opposite for non-Indigenous people. This Project has This report also highlights that homelessness will debunked one of the long-held myths of Indigenous never be solved or resolved without being considered living; that Aboriginal people like to live together in large holistically [that is together with the many other issues groups under the one roof; that this is a cultural norm including intergenerational trauma, health, social and the preferred way for Indigenous people to live. and emotional wellbeing, violence, substance abuse, education and unemployment]. These are all factors that It was apparent after talking to over two hundred heavily impact on an individual’s health and happiness community members that Aboriginal people resent and solving one will be redundant if not done in this notion and that such large family groups live conjunction with the other factors. together is due to necessity rather than being a cultural norm. This study found that Indigenous people do The community expectation of this report is that their like to spend time with family and even have them voices are heard and those individual and collective stay for short periods, but then gladly wave them voices are the mechanism for positive and meaningful goodbye so they can have peace and privacy restored change. The information collected as a result of to their life. This is not any different to non-Indigenous this Project can be utilised to assist policy makers people. Family obligation is intrinsically linked to the and researchers in the area of homelessness in the various Aboriginal cultures, however feedback from East Kimberley. community members in this region clearly spoke This research lays bare the nature of issues confronting about this cultural truism being perpetuated by policy Indigenous people living in overcrowded situations. makers, service providers and family members who It accentuates the very slow progress being made, poses seek to take advantage of something that is now a long questions regarding the accuracy of many of the large way from the essence of its beginnings. national data collections and highlights the importance Another finding to come from the community-based of listening to the people who are best placed to research was the large demand for one-bedroom inform change — that is the Aboriginal people who residences. Traditionally this has probably not been are affected. considered due to the wrongly held belief discussed previously that Aboriginal people want to remain together in large family groups. Consistently when talking to community members, both informally and through conducting survey interviews, it was clear that singles and young families are desperate to have their THIS RESEARCH LAYS BARE THE own small space that will limit their capacity to be able NATURE OF ISSUES CONFRONTING to take in unwanted family members who may humbug them and drain their already minimal resources. INDIGENOUS PEOPLE LIVING IN

It would be easy to focus too heavily on the need for OVERCROWDED SITUATIONS. more housing and have this overshadow the many IT ACCENTUATES THE VERY SLOW other findings to emerge from this work. The need for PROGRESS BEING MADE, POSES a substantial injection of housing stock into the whole East Kimberley cannot be overstated, however this QUESTIONS REGARDING THE ACCURACY report aims to move beyond this and focus on the many OF MANY OF THE LARGE NATIONAL other deficits that if not for this research would likely go unnoticed or be missed in future agendas and funding DATA COLLECTIONS AND HIGHLIGHTS allocations aimed at reducing homelessness in the THE IMPORTANCE OF LISTENING TO East Kimberley. THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BEST PLACED Although this Project was funded to define the TO INFORM CHANGE — THAT IS nature and extent of it, it became evident that for the East Kimberley, the problem is almost always one of THE ABORIGINAL PEOPLE WHO overcrowding and almost exclusively affects Aboriginal ARE AFFECTED. people. This will be evident to the reader as they work through the report and the presentation of the findings. INTRODUCTION & LITERATURE REVIEW

The East Kimberley Regional Homelessness Plan Steering group was established in June 2011 following consultations in Kununurra.

The Department for Child Protection and Family Support (CPFS) made available a grant of $5000 to Kimberley Community Legal Services to chair and assist with the formulation of the Plan Priorities. The first meeting of the Steering Group approved a consultation process with Halls Creek and Wyndham communities. Liz O’Brien, Kimberley Community Legal Services (KCLS) Action 3 — To further develop to ensure consumer/ and Julie Sutherland (CPFS) visited Halls Creek on 5 and user groups’ participation into delivery and design of 6 July 2011. Meetings were held with a number of NGO integrated models service providers, Indigenous people, Halls Creek Shire and the Department of Housing. Funding was provided by FaHCSIA to East Kimberley CDEP to employ the Executive Coordinator and Case Steering Group role and Terms of Reference Manager to manage and deliver the outcomes of were agreed. this Project.

Three priorities were endorsed by the Steering Group at This report is the result of the three actions and its meeting on 19 April 2012 including: is intended to define the nature and extent of Action 1 — Develop East Kimberley Homelessness Plan homelessness in the East Kimberley with a view to by town/community informing the development of the East Kimberley Homelessness Plan. The report is the culmination of Action 2 — Appointment of a Project Officer to support twelve months intensive consultation with community the development and implementation of the Plan members, non-government and government

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 3 service providers. Well over 200 people took part in surveys and face-to-face interviews with Project staff. This report provides the results of that consultation IF WE DO NOT DEAL WITH OUR and includes rich and detailed information that looks at the lives of people who are homeless with a particular TRAUMA, WE INADVERTENTLY HAND IT focus on the issues confronting the many Aboriginal DOWN TO THE NEXT GENERATION. people who live in overcrowded situations. What results is a clear picture that homelessness is complex and the solutions are about much more than building houses alone. For Indigenous peoples, culture as a social function This paper provides detailed results from the surveys creates obligations and responsibilities and establishes and interviews conducted with NGO and government an order that binds together individuals, families, service providers and community members. communities and land. It provides a strong ethic that The Discussion section then elaborates further on prompts co-operation multilaterally and includes the results providing context and an interpretative the soil, waters, plants and animals as members of overview of the key issues regarding homelessness and the community. One central aspect of Aboriginal overcrowding. The appendices is a localised context culture everywhere is the relationship to land. of homelessness by community as well as a list of the The cultural fabric of Aboriginal communities, their majority of services currently available to those who are social networks and characters has been directly and homeless or at-risk of homelessness. indirectly disrupted over many decades. This cultural transposition was premised on the false assumption that foreign values, beliefs and ideals are superior and an improvement upon the intricate systems that were LITERATURE REVIEW developed over tens of thousands of years. Australian Aboriginal peoples are one of the oldest surviving cultures in the world with evidence of Indigenous cultures have traditionally taken a holistic their existence for more than 65,000 years. There are view of life, with cultural, spiritual and social wellbeing common values across Aboriginal cultural groups, integral to their health. Colonisation, relocation and however Aboriginal culture is not homogeneous — intergenerational trauma significantly disrupted there are thousands of different Aboriginal groups the cultural beliefs and practices which continue manifesting their culture with a vast array of language, to impact on the social and emotional welling of lore and relationship rules. Indigenous people.

Evidence shows that there are still significant health “If we do not deal with our trauma, we inequalities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous inadvertently hand it down to the next Australians, with Aboriginal people experiencing generation. We often take out our pain and poorer education, employment, housing and hurt on those we love the most — which is location of residence and access to health services. ourselves and those closest to us — our family These social and economic determinants of health largely account for a 12 year lower life expectancy, and friends. So, intergenerational trauma is higher rates of chronic disease and higher rates trauma that is passed down behaviourally of mental illness (AIHW 2012). When that is your to the next generation” starting point the future is going to require some (Phillips 1999) extraordinarily positive influences to overcome these barriers. Add loss of culture, disconnection to land, It is well-researched and accepted that substance abuse and family violence to the mix and intergenerational trauma can explain the source of a it is little wonder that there are so many challenges number of social conditions that exist within Aboriginal involved in closing the gap. communities (Braveheart-Jordon & De Bruyn, 1995; Hodgson, 1990; Kirmayer, Brass, & Tait, 2000; Phillips, 1999; Waldram, 1997). Many non-Indigenous cultures see house and home This definition was used in the Australian Government’s as inextricably linked whereas Aboriginal people White Paper on Homelessness (2008) and in developing do not necessarily hold these ideals. Homelessness the National Partnership Agreements on Homelessness. is a word with many connotations and definitions. Although comprehensive, this definition fails to Existing definitions generally refer to an individual’s reflect the cultural issues and diversity of Indigenous lack of access to safe and secure housing, which populations, particularly in the East Kimberley. incorporates dimensions of health, safety and access to This is consistent with the findings from the Human services (SAAP 2004). Homelessness has many factors Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) which make it far more complex than being a problem over two decades ago (1989) which found that affecting only those with no housing. when assessing the causes and nature of Indigenous homelessness, it needs to be done within a distinct Chamberlain and MacKenzie’s widely accepted cultural context. Keys Young (1998) suggested that definition of homelessness (2003) consists of this tripartite model addresses a particular aspect of three levels: homelessness; that of the adequacy of housing in Primary homelessness — includes all people with no relation to a minimum community standard. It neglects conventional accommodation such as people living factors such as overcrowding, spirituality, connection on the streets, in the parks, in derelict buildings and to land, escaping from unsafe environments and the other improvised dwellings. transience of Indigenous populations for cultural, family and medical reasons. This is particularly Secondary homelessness — includes people who important given the incidence of homelessness move frequently from one form of temporary shelter among Indigenous peoples. to another. This includes people residing temporarily with other households because they have no accommodation of their own. Tertiary homelessness — includes people who MANY NON-INDIGENOUS live in boarding houses on a medium-to-long- term basis, operationally defined as 13 weeks or CULTURES SEE HOUSE AND HOME AS longer. These people are regarded as homeless INEXTRICABLY LINKED WHEREAS because their accommodation situation is below community standard. ABORIGINAL PEOPLE DO NOT NECESSARILY HOLD THESE IDEALS.

TABLE 1. KEYS YOUNG INDIGENOUS HOMELESSNESS TYPOLOGY

Spiritual homelessness Arises from separation from traditional land or from family

Overcrowding A hidden form of homelessness

Relocation and transient Temporary, intermittent and often cyclical patterns of homelessness arising out of lifestyle homelessness choices, but also the need to travel to obtain services

Escaping from an unsafe or Arises from threats to safety or survival. Especially affects women and young people unstable home

Nowhere to go Lack of access to any stable shelter, accommodation or housing

Source: Keys Young (1998: 45)

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 5 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are many homelessness. Underlying these definitions was the times more likely than non-Indigenous Australians to understanding that ‘home’ can have different meanings be homeless, particularly in rural and remote areas. for Indigenous Australians (AIHW 2003a). Figures show that Indigenous people are more than The 2011 Census defined homelessness, including seven times as likely as non-Indigenous to access people living in severe overcrowding as homeless homelessness services and that this access increases because they do not have control of, or access dramatically the further away from urban centres an to space for social relations (ABS 2011 Census individual lives (AIHW 2011). Overcrowding factsheet). Twenty-five years ago Paul Memmott attempted to define the ‘Aboriginal housing problem’ as follows:

Many groups of Aborigines suffer high levels of physical and mental stress which appear to be HOMELESSNESS IS MORE causally linked (either directly or indirectly) to COMPLICATED THAN A LACK OF their domiciliary environment. Stress-related HOUSING; IT CAUSES AND IS CAUSED factors include lack of protection from the weather, living in squalor, crowding, alcoholism, BY PROBLEMS SUCH AS DOMESTIC domestic violence, widespread ill-health, VIOLENCE, UNEMPLOYMENT, MENTAL insecurity arising from the temporariness of ILLNESS, FAMILY BREAKDOWN AND living circumstances (1988). DRUGS AND ALCOHOL.

Sadly, this definition could just as easily be applied in the East Kimberley today. Indigenous people still do not have the same access to affordable and secure housing as non-Indigenous Australians. In extremely overcrowded dwellings inhabitants are generally unable to pursue social relations, A particular feature of Indigenous homelessness in the East Kimberley is that of overcrowding. With the or have personal (i.e. family or small group) knowledge that crowded and poorly maintained living space, or maintain privacy, nor do housing is both a symptom and cause of severe social different family / groups within the dwelling disadvantage (AIHW 2007) it is little wonder Aboriginal have exclusive access to kitchen facilities and people living in the East Kimberley and other remote a bathroom. In such circumstances, if people areas of Australia experience the same health and had accommodation alternatives it would be social problems as people in developing countries expected that they would have exercised them. (Pholeros 2007). Homelessness is more complicated (ABS 2011) than a lack of housing; it causes and is caused by problems such as domestic violence, unemployment, mental illness, family breakdown and drugs and alcohol Although there are situations and instances where (FaHCSIA 2008). Put simply, homelessness is recognised overcrowding is acceptable for a short period of time as one of the most important markers of social due to family or cultural reasons, the concern is with exclusion (Department of Human Services 2002). the circumstances of prolonged overcrowding where the health and safety of occupants are at risk. The ABS These factors combined with the absence of adequate considers ‘severe overcrowding’ as a standalone homeless temporary accommodation can contribute to group and is defined as living in a dwelling which requires homelessness in this population (Keys Young 1998). four or more extra bedrooms to accommodate the Measuring the nature and extent of homelessness, people who usually live there, as defined by the Canadian particularly for Indigenous populations, is heavily National Occupancy Standard (CNOS) (Table 2). This is dependent upon the definitions used. Keys Young based upon a comparison of the number of bedrooms developed a number of definitions of Indigenous with the demographics of the residents. The ABS and homelessness which emphasised the multi-layered indeed other national data collection agencies in Australia and multi-dimensional nature of Indigenous use the Canadian Housing Occupancy Standard for homelessness and incorporated the concept of spiritual housing appropriateness when deciding acceptable of levels of occupancy in a house. TABLE 2. CANADIAN HOUSING OCCUPANCY STANDARD

The Canadian National Occupancy Standard for housing appropriateness is sensitive to both household size and composition. The measure assesses the bedroom requirements of a household by specifying that:

there should be no more than two persons per bedroom

children less than 5 years of age of different sexes may reasonably share a bedroom

children less than 18 years of age and of the same sex may reasonably share a bedroom

single household members 18 and over should have a separate bedroom, as should parents or couples

a lone person household may reasonably occupy a bed sitter.

Households living in dwellings where this standard cannot be met are considered to be overcrowded.

When applying this definition to the living situation the support period as A Place to Call Home dwellings of many Indigenous people living in the East are transferred to the public housing pool in each Kimberley, it is clear that the national data collections jurisdiction. are not representative of the level and nature of The Program funds were allocated to states and overcrowding that exists in the region. The results territories according to the 2006 Australian Bureau of of this study demonstrate that overcrowding is a Statistics Census data regarding levels of homelessness. pervasive ever-present factor that impedes the lives Specific allocations were also to be made for Indigenous of the majority of Indigenous people living in the East who will be provided with homes and support Kimberley, whether directly or indirectly. This is a fact services proportionate to their representation in the recognised by community members, NGOs and service homeless population. providers alike and will be detailed in the Results and Discussion sections. There are currently 21,000 families on the waiting list for low cost public housing with another 10,000 homeless In 2008, the Commonwealth invested $150 million people in Western Australia. National Partnership and the states and territories also contributed funds Agreement (NPA) Social Housing, NPA Indigenous to the joint initiative A Place to Call Home which Housing and National Rental Assistance Scheme (NRAS) aimed to build 600 new homes for individuals and all combined construct an estimated 2000 properties a families experiencing homelessness. The state and year. Given these figures and the fact that WA receives territory governments are providing land, other capital an estimated 500 new families per month, it is clear contributions and funding for support services. A Place that demand will continue to outstrip the supply to Call Home commenced in July 2008 and will operate (FaHCSIA WA 2013). until 30 June 2013 (FaHCSIA 2013). Specifically the Program provided funding for two streams including: The above figures vary from those presented in national databases regarding the extent of homelessness by the cost of building new accommodation, making jurisdiction and region. The 2006 Census data reported spot purchases and/or the renovation of suitable that there were 649 homeless Indigenous throughout public housing properties to provide long term, WA (Table 3) which is completely at odds with the affordable housing for people experiencing findings of this current study. This means that any homelessness; and specific funding allocations to the East Kimberley would the provision of support services to help people be far below demand for housing, evidenced by the break the cycle of homelessness. current five to seven year wait for housing allocations.

People assisted under A Place to Call Home move directly Unfortunately when you consider this it makes into permanent housing. They will receive tenancy programs such as A Place to Call Home largely ineffective and other support services for the first 12 months to as the demand so far outweighs the resource response help them address the issues that led to homelessness, that little to no change or improvement takes place. and reintegrate them with the broader community. No problem can be resolved until the exact nature and Tenants are able to remain in their home at the end of extent of it is defined.

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 7 TABLE 3. NUMBER OF HOMELESS INDIGENOUS BY STATE/TERRITORY 2006

NSW Vic. Qld WA SA Tas. ACT NT Australia

no. no. no. no. no. no. no. no. no.

No conventional 250 55 469 402 152 24 4 927 2 283 accommodation

Hostel, refuge, night shelter 206 38 198 76 39 9 14 82 662

Friends/relatives 315 70 352 171 67 43 19 134 1 171

Total number 771 163 1 019 649 258 76 37 1 143 4 116

Source: ABS 2006 Census of Population and Housing

TABLE 4. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING EAST KIMBERLEY REGIONAL WAITLIST

Kununurra 1B 2B 3B 4B 5B Total

S1 P1 S2 P2 F2 F3 F4 F5

Priority 3 0 1 0 2 1 12 0 19

Wait turn 52 7 12 3 57 63 20 0 214

Total 55 7 13 3 59 64 32 0 233

Overall total 233

Wyndham 1B 2B 3B 4B 5B Total

S1 P1 S2 P2 F2 F3 F4 F5

Priority 2 1 1 0 2 4 3 0 13

Wait turn 11 2 2 1 10 18 6 0 50

Total 13 3 3 1 12 22 9 0 63

Overall total 63

Halls Creek 1B 2B 3B 4B 5B Total

S1 P1 S2 P2 F2 F3 F4 F5

Priority 6 3 1 0 7 16 2 0 35

Wait turn 31 8 2 5 49 38 15 0 148

Total 37 11 3 5 56 54 17 0 183

Overall total 183

Regional total 105 479

As at 06 May 2013 S-single P-Pensioner F-family As shown in Table 4 there are currently 479 people The obligation of Indigenous people to open their registered with the Department of Housing as requiring home and provide assistance to kinfolk is deeply housing in the East Kimberley region although there entrenched within the culture. Approaching a are likely to be more than this who do not have houses relative to stay or live with them is often the first (Department of Housing 2013). Of that figure, the avenue of assistance sought, and will be done prior list includes need for 124 singles, 325 families and 30 to or instead of applying for housing. This often pensioners. Each of these sub-groups are divided and leads to overcrowding when two, three or more classified as either ‘wait turn’ or ‘priority’ families are living under the one roof.

In 2010, Birdsall-Jones et al released Indigenous Overcrowding patterns are reflective of certain Homelessness, a piece of research commissioned by kin-based responsibilities and ways of coping the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute with changing economic circumstances. (AHURI) to undertake a comparative analysis of Indigenous homelessness in a number of urban and The findings by AHURI are consistent with the findings regional settings of Western Australia. These settings from this current Project and likely so for many included Perth, Carnarvon and Broome. They were homeless Aboriginal people in other geographic tasked with ‘understanding the place, house and home locations across Australia. needs of Indigenous peoples and to identify actions required to address these needs through housing and other service responses that secure sustainable and support stable life conditions’. A number of findings from this research have relevance to understanding of THERE ARE CURRENTLY 479 homelessness from an East Kimberley perspective. PEOPLE REGISTERED WITH THE The key issues highlighted in the AHURI DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AS report included: REQUIRING HOUSING IN THE EAST Homelessness is understood differently by homeless KIMBERLEY REGION ALTHOUGH Indigenous people than it is by practitioners. The primary concern of Indigenous homeless is the way THERE ARE LIKELY TO BE MORE THAN in which their own specific life circumstances impel THIS WHO DO NOT HAVE HOUSES them into the homeless state, which is seen as a (DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING 2013). result of having a lack of access to suitable housing and factors surrounding substance misuse and violence. Practitioners tend to place the greatest focus on how those life circumstances interact with structural features of wider society including government and its departmental policies, agency practice and how facilities hinder or help those who are homeless.

The most disadvantaged people in Indigenous society regarding housing access are Indigenous men living in remote communities. This relates to the traditional cultural belief that housing is a woman’s responsibility. This means that it could be inappropriate for an Indigenous male to seek or apply for housing and if they did their understanding of how to go about this is very limited.

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 9 Methodology

Data for this research was gathered from 234 individuals from four separate sources including community members who were homeless or at‑risk of homelessness, community members who have a home but are impacted by relatives who are homeless, NGO service providers and Government department workers.

Another twenty-seven community and/or organisation representatives were also interviewed informally to gather their views about homelessness in the East Kimberley.

The report provides a sample of comments [in italics] made by individuals during the semi structured interviews and via the electronic survey, however it must be noted that these comments/perceptions have not been tested.

COMMUNITY SURVEY Prior to the commencement of the community consultation phase of this Project, ethics approval was sought and gained (HREC Reference number 414) (Appendix from both the Western Australian Aboriginal Health Ethics Committee (WAAHEC) and the Kimberley Research Subcommittee.

The community survey participants were interviewed using a semi-structured template combining quantitative and qualitative questions. Participants were initially approached in parks and streets within Interviews were conducted in communities throughout the various communities and invited to participate in the East Kimberley region including Bell Springs, the Project. All invited participants agreed and were Cockatoo Springs, Crocodile Hole, Emu Creek, Four generally excited to take part as it provided them with Miles, Guda Guda, Gulberang, Halls Creek, Kimbulam, the opportunity to talk about issues and have their voice Kalumburu, Koongie Park, Kununurra, Glen Hill heard. Participants were interviewed at a location of (Mandangala), Mardiwah Loop, Mirrima, Mud Springs, their choice which was generally at their home, a park Munthanmar, Nicholson Block, Nulleywah, Red or in some other public or office space. Participants Hill, Doon Doon (including Speewah and Woolah), were interviewed informally by Project staff using a Warmun, Molly Springs (Woolergerbelen), Wuggabun specifically developed interview template. Because the and Wyndham. During the course of conducting majority of participants had poor literacy skills, Project these interviews, Project staff also spoke to many staff gained their verbal consent to participate before people from other communities both within Western asking them a number of questions and then writing Australia and the Northern Territory, including Balgo, down their answers. There were only a few occasions Billiluna, Broome, Darwin, Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, where participants chose to complete a written Katherine, Lajamanu, Mulan, Perth and Ringer Soak. questionnaire themselves. The majority of those were visiting or staying in Kununurra when interviewed. By verbally interviewing participants, time was spent ensuring that participants understood the questions The reason the Project had such positive contributions and simplifying them as necessary to ensure that from community members was due to Project staff their responses were accurate and correctly recorded. spending the time with the most at-risk individuals, The collection of the interview data involved the sitting down on land and asking individuals about what following four stage process: their experiences were. It was very grass roots, but with a strict methodology which allowed rich and detailed Research staff would initially introduce themselves information to be collected. and describe the purpose and intent of the Project and community members were invited to participate. Once a community member agreed to take part in GOVERNMENT AND the study, a convenient time and location was agreed upon to ensure that participants felt comfortable NGO SURVEYS when being interviewed. Non-community participants included 29 government Once a community member agreed to take part in the and 39 Non-Government Organisation (NGO) service study, they were offered a consent form to read (or providers working throughout the East Kimberley. have read and explained to them which was almost The two surveys were offered to participants always the case) before signing and being signed by electronically, in paper form or by interview. the participant. The majority of surveys were completed electronically utilising the commercial survey tool Survey Gizmo The participant interview would commence. with the remaining surveys completed by participants either via self-completion or by interview with Project All invited participants agreed to take part in the study staff according to the participant’s preferred mode although a number of them declined to sign the consent of completion. form due to concerns that by doing so they would be identified. By not signing the consent form, participants were able to remain anonymous. The consent form was a requirement by the WAAHEC therefore the INFORMAL INTERVIEWS identifying particulars were not able to be removed During the course of the Project, 27 further informal or deleted. The participant interviews lasted from 15 interviews were held with community members minutes to over an hour depending on how much and service providers in relation to the problem of participants wanted to say or what issues they wished overcrowding and homelessness in the East Kimberley. to canvas. Many of the issues raised triggered follow- These interviews were not included in the main up case management work (with various government dataset, however their input is valuable and some of departments and service providers) due to serious their qualitative comments and feedback have been health issues that were placing participants and their reported in the Results and Discussion sections. families at imminent risk.

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 11 Results

The results relate to a numerically small yet proportionately high number of Aboriginal people rather than being generalised comments about the entire Indigenous population, although many of the findings from this Project may provide important insight and learning’s for many more individuals than this cohort alone.

Throughout the Results and Discussion sections there Services, Mental Health and Drug Service, Population are a number of italicised quotes which are statements Health, Local Government, Indigenous Affairs, made by Community, Government and NGO service Housing, Corrective Services and WA Police. Given the provider’s in response to qualitative questions that on‑forwarding that took place, it is difficult to report were asked. These quotes provide context and depth the exact number of people who would have received to the statistical findings which may not otherwise be an email invitation to complete the survey, however it clear or apparent. would likely have been more than 100 of which there were 29 respondents. Of those, 19 (65.5%) were based in Kununurra with the majority of those servicing the GOVERNMENT SERVICE entire East Kimberley; one (3.4%) was from Halls Creek, one (3.4%) was from Kalumburu and five (17.2%) were PROVIDER SURVEY from Wyndham. One of the issues that arose in seeking responses RESULTS from individuals working in various government The Government survey was sent to a range of state departments was their concern about not being and federal government departments working able to speak on behalf of their Department or that throughout the East Kimberley that were likely to be they did not hold a senior enough position to do so. working either directly or indirectly with people who Unfortunately despite repeated requests and an are homeless or at-risk of homelessness. This included assurance of anonymity there were no responses from Child Protection, Human Services, Centrelink, any service providers in Warmun and a disappointing Education, FaHCSIA, Health, Aged and Community number from both Kalumburu and Halls Creek. The respondents came from the following state and The statistics reported here relate to only 21 commonwealth government departments including respondents who identified where they worked with Child Protection (38%), Kimberley Aged & Community the remaining eight choosing not to answer this Services (14.3%), FaHCSIA, Education (14.3%), Health, question. When respondents were asked what areas Centrelink, Disability Services Commission and their target clients are from, they were able to select Community Drug Service Team staff (4.8%). The strong multiple fields (Figure 1) with the majority indicating response from Child Protection staff was not surprising that their client work relates to areas of child protection given that DCP work closely with families, women and (42.9%), children and families (42.9%), education and children who are likely to be at risk of homelessness. training (28.6%), Indigenous affairs (17.9%), health (17.9%) and mental health (17.9%). The other areas included drug and alcohol, housing, employment, disability services, at-risk youth and emergency services. The reason this and other graphs total more THE GOVERNMENT SURVEY WAS than 100% at time is due to respondents being able to SENT TO A RANGE OF STATE AND indicate multiple responses to the one question.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS “School attendance/education is a key factor WORKING THROUGHOUT THE in children wanting a better/different outcome EAST KIMBERLEY... for themselves — predominantly the kids who are living in the overcrowded, unsafe living environments are also those who are not engaged in school — [it] becomes a cyclical/ generational issue”.

FIGURE 1. GOVERNMENT TARGET CLIENT WORK AREAS

45 42.9 42.9

30 28.6

Per cent (%) cent Per 20 17.9 17.9 17.9

15 14.3 14.3 10.7 10.7 10

5 3.6

Health Other Housing

Mental health Employment Child protection Indigenous AﬀairsDrug and alcohol Emergency services Children and families Education and training

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 13 When government service providers were asked FIGURE 3. GOVERNMENT SERVICE PROVIDER VIEW ABOUT whether they thought homelessness was a problem WHETHER THEIR DEPARTMENT IMPROVE THE COORDINATED CARE in the East Kimberley region, the result was definitive OF CLIENT WHO ARE HOMELESS OR AT-RISK OF HOMELESSNESS with the majority (82.1%) indicating it was definitely a problem and the remaining (17.9%) indicating 3.6% that it was somewhat of a problem, irrespective of the fact that they had many lesser options available Deﬁnitely to them. Respondents gave a range of responses 21.4% Probably when asked whether they thought homelessness 39.3% Sometimes was an area of responsibility for their department. Not really The majority of respondents indicated that 17.9% homelessness was an area of either high priority (46.4%) Not at all or very high priority (25%) requiring immediate or 21.4% urgent ongoing attention (Figure 2).

FIGURE 2. GOVERNMENT SERVICE PROVIDER RATING OF HOMELESSNESS AS AN AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY When asked about the main reasons for homelessness in the East Kimberley, respondents most often attributed it to a lack of housing (82.1%), people 7.1% escaping from unsafe/unstable environments (67.9%), Very high priority 14.3% 2.5% inappropriate transient/temporary housing availability High priority (67.9%), cultural reasons/obligations (67.9%), 7.1% Moderate inappropriate housing (50%), and lack of maintenance Low priority and repairs on existing houses (39.3%). Other reasons Very low priority cited included the closure of Oombulgurri community, 46.4% the cost of housing, escaping violence and issues related to drug and alcohol use.

When asked about the barriers leading to people being homelessness or at-risk of homelessness in the East When asked how well they thought their department Kimberley, respondents reported a number of issues, communicated with other departments or service with some of them reiterated frequently. Issues around providers when working with clients who are homeless overcrowding due to cultural and family obligations or at-risk of homelessness, the majority thought was the predominantly reported barrier, followed that they did quite well (50%) or very well (7.1%) by a lack of houses and transience and mobility that with remaining respondents indicating that their occurs for Indigenous people living in communities department did alright but improvements could be and coming to Kununurra for health, medical, family, made (21.4%), not very well (17.9%) or never (3.6%). cultural and climatic reasons. Alcohol and drug use However when asked whether they thought their as well as domestic, family and other violence were department could do a better job of contributing to also consistently referred to as were both the lack of the coordinated care of clients who are homeless or temporary and appropriate accommodation particularly at-risk of homelessness, respondents indicated that for transient groups and at-risk sub-groups such as improvements could definitely (39.3%) or probably women and children escaping violent situations, youth (21.4%) be made (Figure 3). and the elderly.

“How can disaffected, traumatised people When asked about possible solutions to homelessness overcome their sorrow, pain, frustration and in the East Kimberley, Government respondents anger so that they can learn how to commit to had many ideas about required changes. The most others fully, take back responsibility for their commonly raised suggestions included the need for a temporary accommodation facility to be based in lives and love unconditionally again”? Kununurra, more appropriate housing stock, as well as provision of support for prospective and new tenants regarding their obligations and the responsibilities that go with being responsible for a house including financial management, maintaining a home and managing issues around cultural obligation and family staying for extended periods. Not surprisingly, many respondents indicated that there is a need for more housing stock. Other suggested solutions included the development of better home ownership schemes, affordable housing as well improved community consultation before decisions are made about things that affect Indigenous people.

In an effort to seek further ideas, respondents were asked to nominate any positive housing or homelessness examples that they were aware of. Respondents spoke of several positive models and projects that had worked well in communities both within and outside of the East Kimberley. These included the development of Mardiwah Loop outside Halls Creek; Warmun aged-care units; Alice Springs Youth Accommodation and Support Services; Apmere Mwerre Visitor Park (Alice Springs AHL); the commencement of the legally designated Alcohol-Free houses; transitional housing models; various intensive case management support services; and the Wyndham 7 Mile Rehabilitation Centre.

There were a number of other key themes that emerged through the government representative surveys when they were asked about any other issues. The need to improve school attendance for Indigenous children was strongly advocated for as was the need to take better care of the elderly who are routinely subjected to abuse and humbugging from their relatives. Other issues raised included the need to have more transparent systems in housing allocation with several examples given about community- based housing committees subjectively favouring family members and allocating them houses over those who are most in need. Overcrowding was an issue that was raised and threaded throughout many of the qualitative responses given throughout the survey, with particular concern raised in relation to family members using ‘kinship obligation’ as a way of manipulating, abusing and taking from others. Another factor that complicates these and indeed most problems in Indigenous communities is over-use and abuse of alcohol and other drugs in the communities.

“I think the issues of homelessness [are] underrepresented because extended kinship systems absorb a lot of the problem which then creates stress on that household”.

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 15 “No hard data but almost all our persons of NGO SERVICE PROVIDER interest are Indigenous and anecdotally the majority do not have a house of their own, but SURVEY RESULTS live with different family members from time to time within both [the] East and West Kimberley”. “Homelessness is not just a result of not enough housing, but a reflection of a multitude of disparities over a long period of time”. Just over half (51.4%) of NGO service respondents indicated that their organisation does well or extremely well when it communicates with other agencies The NGO service provider survey had questions that while working with homeless or those at-risk of were very comparable to those in the Government homelessness. The remainder of this group indicated representative survey. The responses between the two either that their organisation did not very well (14.3%) or surveys were quite similar. The NGO service providers alright but improvements could be made (37.1%). When were from throughout the East Kimberley although asked whether they thought their organisation could the majority were from Kununurra (63.7%) while do a better job of contributing to the coordinated care the remaining ones were from Halls Creek (16.7%), of clients who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness, Wyndham (16.7%) and Kalumburu (3.3%). The majority the majority stated that improvements could be of NGOs receive funding from the WA Government made. Almost half of respondents indicated that (79.4%) or the Commonwealth (70.6%) while other improvements could definitely (20%) or probably funding sources included charity/donations (23.5%), (22.9%) could be made although just over a quarter private/corporate sponsorship (17.7%), fee for service (28.6%) responded not really to this question. (14.7%), local government (5.9%), religious/spiritual organisations (5.9%) and other sources (8.8%). There were 39 NGO service provider surveys completed. Many indicated that their organisation provide a WHEN NGO REPRESENTATIVES number of services with the most commonly reported offered services including domestic violence including WERE ASKED ABOUT THE REASONS crisis support services (38.2%), women’s health and FOR HOMELESSNESS IN THE EAST wellbeing (38.2%) and men’s health and wellbeing KIMBERLEY, THERE WERE SOME (32.4%) (Table 5). DIFFERENCES COMPARED TO THE When asked about whether the services had target clients, the majority indicated that they did, but most RESPONSES RECEIVED FROM services reported having two or more target client GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES. groups (Figure 4).When asked what percentage of their clients they estimated were homeless, almost half of NGO representative respondents (43.8%) indicated that more than 50% of their clients fit into this When NGO representatives were asked about the category. Further to that, the majority of respondents reasons for homelessness in the East Kimberley, indicated that homelessness was definitely (85.7%) there were some differences compared to the or somewhat (11.4%) of a problem with only one responses received from Government representatives. NGO representative indicating that it was not really a NGO respondents had less range in their responses, problem. These results were almost identical to those with respondents almost equally attributing reported from the Government survey, with slightly homelessness to a lack of housing (68.6%), cultural fewer NGO representatives (62.9%) than government reasons (68.6%), inappropriate housing (65.7%), employed respondents (71.4%) rating homelessness people escaping from unsafe/unstable environments as a high or very high priority area requiring urgent or (65.7%) and inappropriate transient/temporary housing immediate ongoing attention from their organisation or availability (62.9%). This differed to the Government department. However many more NGO respondents responses where there was greater variance between (22.9%) than Government respondents (7.1%) felt it was their responses. The majority (82.1%) of respondents a moderate priority requiring some need for attention. attributed a lack of housing to the problem, but less TABLE 5. SERVICES DELIVERED BY NGO RESPONDENT ORGANISATIONS

Domestic violence including crisis support services 13 38.20%

Women’s health and wellbeing 13 38.20%

Men’s health and wellbeing 11 32.40%

Language and cultural activities 8 23.50%

Alcohol and other drug services 7 20.60%

Child and youth services 7 20.60%

Employment 7 20.60%

Emergency accommodation services 6 17.70%

Financial counselling 6 17.70%

Mental health services 5 14.70%

Diet and nutrition 5 14.70%

Tenancy support services 5 14.70%

Housing services other (please describe) 4 11.80%

Rehabilitation services 3 8.80%

Sports and recreational activities 2 5.90%

Other 18 52.9%

FIGURE 4. NGO TARGET CLIENT WORK AREAS

90 85.7 81

63 60

54 48.6 48.6 48.6 48.6 45.7 45 40

Per cent (%) cent Per 36 34.3

18 14.3

Men Elderly Other Women Families Homeless Indigenous

Non-Indigenous Children and youth General population

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 17 than half (50%) believe it to be related to inappropriate housing. Responses between both groups were very similar for the other categories. Many of the other responses for both groups listed drug, alcohol and addiction as reasons for homelessness.

The NGO representatives were asked whether there was a process in place in their organisation to communicate with other agencies when they become aware of someone who is homeless or at‑risk of homelessness. Two-thirds of respondents (67.7%) indicated that there is a process although when asked what that process is, indicated that they would take action but there was no formal process in place. It seemed from the qualitative responses that decisions about how to assist someone are dependent on the individual with the most common responses being: referring clients to Department of Housing, Homeswest, Wunan, DCP, Kimberley Community Legal Services or the OVAHS Social Support Unit. Certainly it was clear that there is no formal response or agency memorandum-of-understanding or protocol to assist staff trying to respond to individuals requiring assistance. Because there is and will likely always be a large turnover of staff it is imortant to ensure consistency when responding to the needs of people who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness.

“Providing a home is not the answer to the problems in the East Kimberley. Social change needs to happen in the community to re‑establish basic norms and values. Things like working, school attendance, protection of children and the elderly. Without making these changes in the mindset of the community having a house is just a band aid. Those that do receive housing need to be held accountable for the arrears, damage and the anti-social behaviour that is rampant in the East Kimberley”.

When asked about the barriers leading to homelessness in the East Kimberley, NGO respondents reported many issues of concern with a particular focus on several. Transience and mobility and a lack of houses were most common followed by overcrowding due to cultural and family obligations, domestic, family and other violence, a lack of appropriate housing, the closing of communities such as Oombulgurri and the prohibitive cost of housing rental and ownership were also referred to. Less frequently reported items included alcohol and drug use, lack of temporary accommodation, lack of self-responsibility, poor home skills and education, racism, Kununurra. Other identified positive models included suicide and mental illness and a lack of repairs and the Alcohol‑Free houses, the design of Mardiwah maintenance. Apart from a slight re-ordering, the issues Loop and the design of the new houses built in raised here were very similar to those received from consultation with Aboriginal people. Government representatives.

“Overcrowding/alcohol means kids leave and walk streets to stay safe and then sleep on the street… can only get shelter at sobering up THESE STATEMENTS REITERATE shelter if drunk. People have couple of drinks to THAT IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO BUILD appear drunk so they have a place to stay, get HOUSES, RATHER IT IS NECESSARY food, wash clothes”. TO LISTEN TO THE INDIVIDUAL IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO WORK OUT As with the Government survey respondents, when talking about possible solutions to homelessness, WHAT THE SOLUTIONS ARE FOR THEM NGO representatives strongly recommended more SINGULARLY AS WELL AS HAVING A appropriate housing stock, the need for a temporary accommodation facility in Kununurra as well as TARGETED COMMUNITY RESPONSE. providing support for prospective and new tenants regarding their obligations and the responsibilities that go with being responsible for a house including financial management, maintaining a home, NGO respondents were given the opportunity to raise managing issues around cultural obligation and family any other issues they had not been able to do so earlier staying for extended periods and general accountability. in their survey responses. The key issue to emerge Other tendered solutions included improved was the importance of recognising that building consultation with the community to inform decision- more housing alone will not change the problem of making, improved home ownership schemes and homelessness. A number of respondents spoke about education, increased emphasis on transitional housing the need to teach families and children about privacy and the provision of incentives to tenants to care for and and reducing alcohol consumption, the absence of maintain their rental properties. which is leading to many children choosing to walk the streets at night as the best possible option for saying safe. There was also the suggestion that even with the commitment of more houses to be built there would still be a need for temporary accommodation THE KEY ISSUE TO EMERGE WAS centres to provide people with a place to get clean THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOGNISING and to reduce the burden of overcrowding. Finally, the THAT BUILDING MORE HOUSING ALONE issue of people having lost their independence was raised, coupled with the need to restore self-esteem. WILL NOT CHANGE THE PROBLEM These statements reiterate that it is not enough to build OF HOMELESSNESS. houses, rather it is necessary to listen to the individual in order to be able to work out what the solutions are for them singularly as well as having a targeted community response.

Positive examples raised by the NGO representatives “I advise people to get on the Homeswest list were similar to those provided by the Government from 16 so that they will have a house by the respondents but with more emphasis on the success time they turn 20–21”. of Wunan and other transitional housing models. Short term accommodation facilities and hostels were also commonly referenced including the Derby Hostel, the Katherine AHL hostel, the conversion of a hotel in Broome and the workers camp in COMMUNITY SURVEY

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 19 The marital status of the group was mixed with the RESULTS majority of community members married or in defacto Of the 166 community members to take part in the relationships (53.7%) while the rest were either single survey, 56.5% were male and 43.5% were female with (37.5%) or widowed, divorced or separated (8.8%). a median age of 40 years and the majority (95.1%) The highest year of school attended by the group was identifying as Aboriginal. Participants were asked where mixed with 32.4% of participants having reached senior they were born, which revealed that many had travelled years (11–12) at high school. Over one-third of the group long distances to live in the East Kimberley but with many (38.5%) reached junior high school (years 8–10) while just born in the Kimberley or in the Northern Territory. under a fifth of the group (17.6%) stopped school before reaching high school. The remaining 11.5% did not When participants were asked where/what country do attend school at all (Figure 6). you call home?, there were a diverse spread of responses including Kununurra, Kalumburu, Turkey Creek, Halls Considering such a proportion of the group completed Creek, Warmun and other communities. Participants high school or junior high school, it was interesting to came from a number of language groups including note that so few respondents have full time employment Miriwoong, Gija, Jaru, Munthanbatha, Gurrindji, Kwini, (21.4%), part-time or casual employment (10.1%). The Oombulgarri, Wunambal and Woolah as well as several rest of the cohort (68.8%) is currently in receipt of some others (Figure 5). The majority of community members form of government benefit including unemployment, speak English or English Kriol which refers to Kriol or CDEP, disability, Newstart or pension. This highlights Kimberley Kriol which is a Kimberley Indigenous dialect. the extremely low transition rate of education to Although Kimberley Kriol is recognised as a specific employment (Figure 7). dialect by linguists, many other Indigenous from more Almost half of the group (47.6%) indicated that their southern parts of Western Australia as well as Northern unemployment benefits are supplemented with Territory also speak forms of English Kriol which can be additional income from royalties, family or art (Figure 8). dialects which combine English with words and phrases unique to the various language groups.

FIGURE 5. COMMUNITY SURVEY PARTICIPANT LANGUAGE GROUPS

25 22.2

20 18.9

15.2 15

12 10.8

Per cent (%) cent Per 10

5.1 5 3.8 3.8 3.2 2.5 2.5

Gija Jaru Kwini Other None Woolah Gurrindji Miriwoong Wunnabul Oombulgarri Munthanbatha More than half of this group (58.3%) receive royalties motivation to gain skills, training and/or employment, money which in the East Kimberley comes from multiple but the influx of cash into the community does create a sources. The Royalties money is extremely varied with number of issues that will be canvassed later. individuals receiving from $200 to $40,000 per quarter, The average number of children for community which is paid in cash and not declared as taxable income. members, excluding those who did not have children It is unclear how if at all this impacts on individual’s at the time of the interview, was 5.4. Of this sub-group,

FIGURE 6. HIGHEST YEAR OF SCHOOL

40 38.5

35 32.4 30

20 Per cent (%) cent Per 15 11.5 11.5 10 6.1 5

0 Never went to school Years 1–4 Years 5–7 Years 8–10 Years 11–12

FIGURE 7. CURRENT INCOME SOURCE FIGURE 8. ADDITIONAL INCOME RECEIVED FROM OTHER SOURCES

U/E – Centrelink allowance 3.1% 1% 3.7% 3.7% U/E – disability allowance 7.5% CDEP 27% Family 10.1% 34.1% Employed full-time Royalties Employed PT/Casual Art 21.4% 58.3% 15.1% Pension Other Parent/carer allowance 15.1% Newstart

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 21 FIGURE 9. COMMUNITY HEALTH AND MEDICAL PROBLEMS

50 47.4

35 28.9 30

25 22.4 19.7 Per cent (%) cent Per 20 15.8 15 13.2 9.2 7.9 10 6.6 6.6 5

Liver Heart Other Kidney Diabetes Hearing Respiratory Mental health Hypertension Eyesight related

FIGURE 10. LEVEL OF MEDICATION COMPLIANCE

20 Per cent (%) cent Per 15

0 Yes, always Most of the time Sometimes yes, Not very often Never sometimes no 58.8% indicated that their children were currently living with them while 41.2% indicated they were not. The reasons provided for children not staying with them were varied but were most often that children were grown up and had left home. The next most common response was that respondent was unable to look after them because of the respondents health or personal issues. Only a few respondents provided other reasons including that there was not enough room for everyone to stay together, the children attended school in other locations or they lived with other relatives.

Almost half of respondents indicated that they have health or medical problems, with over one-quarter experiencing diabetes (47.4%) and/or liver problems (29.9%). Other medical problems that were indicated included heart problems (19.7%), kidney problems (15.8%), eyesight related issues (13.2%) and mental health issues (9.2%). Other less commonly reported problems included respiratory problems, hearing problems and hypertension (Figure 9).

Of the respondents who indicated that they had a health or medical problem, almost two-thirds (61.8%) stated that they were meant to be taking medication for one or more of their problems. Of those, compliance was varied across the group. Less than half (46.1%) indicated they were always or mostly compliant with their medication schedule and one‑third of respondents (33.4%) stated that they take their medication either never or not very often (Figure 10).

When community members were asked how many drinks they consumed per day, fifty-nine percent indicated that they drink alcohol while the remaining 40.1% do not drink at all (Figure 11). Of those who consume alcohol, many do so at hazardous levels, binge drinking more than 40 standard drinks on one or several days of the week. Many people also indicated that they only drink when they travel to Kununurra from their own community, but then they binge drink.

The majority of those who drink consume 8–10 standard drinks per day and often this is pattern repeated on most days of the week. This sub-group of drinkers generally indicated that they were drinking a six-pack of green cans (VB Bitter) each day. The reason that the responses are grouped as they are is due to respondents generally measuring how much they drink by the number of green cans, and these responses generally referred to people drinking 1–2, 6, 10 or 30 or more (Figure 12). These numbers were then multiplied by 1.4 to establish the number of standard drinks being

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 23 consumed according to the % alcohol content for one as the long grass, tents, sheds and caravans) or no shelter can of VB. (10.4%). Approximately one-third of participants (31.7%) considered themselves to be homeless. This is less than Where community members drink pre-mix drinks such expected given the larger numbers of people who as Bourbon & Coke or Bundaberg Rum & Cola, the indicated that they are staying with family and friends multiplication factor is 1.5 meaning that the number or various forms of temporary or improvised shelter. Of of reported drinks would be slightly higher than stated the thirty-seven people with their own property, the below. Where people indicated that they were drinking majority rented a house through either Community a bottle of spirits, this figure was calculated as 20 Housing Limited (60.5%) or HomesWest (Department of standard drinks. Many people stated that their level of Housing) (23.7%) indicating that when they say it is their alcohol consumption related to ‘when I can get it’ or own property, this just means that they are renting the ‘when it is available’. How these figures related to alcohol house through one of these two bodies. consumption levels for the general population will be covered further in the Discussion section of this paper.

The majority of community members (96.9%) had eaten both lunch and dinner the day before with almost three-quarters (73.9%) having eaten breakfast. This does ALMOST HALF (46.6%) OF not provide any information about the nutritional value COMMUNITY MEMBERS REPORTED of consumed meals, but it is certainly positive to note ALWAYS FEELING SAFE SLEEPING that on top of the other health and social problems that access to food is not one of them. When asked whether AT THE LOCATION THAT THEY ARE this report of food intake was a typical day of eating, over CURRENTLY LIVING OR STAYING... half of respondents (58.2%) stated that it was most of the time, while others stated that it was very much typical (32.9%) or sometimes yes, sometimes no (7.6%). Very few respondents (1.2%) indicated that their previous day’s food consumption was not typical for them. The remaining individuals owned/mortgage a house (10.5%), rent a house privately (2.6%) or rent their house through the GROH program (2.6%). Of the forty‑three FIGURE 11. ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION RATES people who indicated that they were not staying at their usual residence at the moment, almost half (46.5%) were visiting family/friends while other stated reasons included due to the closure of Oombulgurri Non-drinkers (16.3%), being on their way to another place (16.3%), Community members 40.1% being kicked out (7%), not feeling safe (2.3%) or other who do drink reasons (11.6%). 59.9% According to the community members interviewed, the majority of people are living or staying in houses that have two, three or four bedrooms and there was a mix of men, women and children in most of these. Of the community members to participate in this study, there is an average of seven people living in The majority of community members were either living every house. This is markedly different to the figures with family or friends (43.1%) or renting a house (34.4%) reported by ABS and will be discussed further in the next at the time of the interview. Other responses included section. Most community members reported sleeping individual/s living in their own house (7.5%), staying in on a mattress on the floor(28.6%) while others sleep in a the long grass (5%), currently staying at supported/crisis variety of ways including in bed with someone (24.2%), in accommodation (4.4%), and other forms of temporary bed alone (20.5%), on the lounge (9.9%), on the verandah or improvised shelter or vacant structures (5.6%). (9.9%) and on the ground (5.6%) (Figure 13). For the most part participants indicated that they were staying/living in a house (77.4%) or unit (12.3%) with the remaining participants using improvised shelters (such FIGURE 12. AVERAGE NUMBER OF STANDARD DRINKS CONSUMED PER DAY

45 44

25 22.2

Per cent (%) cent Per 20 16.5 15 12.1 10 5.5 5

0 1– 4 4–7 8–10 11–20 40–45

It was explained to participants that sleeping in a bed This was followed by a question about how many people meant a framed bed while sleeping on a mattress in the house drink alcohol or smoke ganga (cannabis/ referred to a mattress without the bed frame however marijuana). The figures were consistent with those it should be noted that this may not have been reported regarding alcohol consumption levels. Almost entirely clear to participants given the majority of half of the respondents (44.4%) indicated there were observed houses had mattresses rather than beds. It no drinkers or ganga smokers in the house that they is likely that many of the participants stating that they lived. An almost identical number reported that most sleep in a bed might well be using the terms bed and people (30.6%) or some people (15.6%) drink alcohol or mattress interchangeably. smoke ganga, while the remaining respondents (9.4%) indicated that everyone in the house drank alcohol and Almost half (46.6%) of community members reported smoked ganga. always feeling safe sleeping at the location that they are currently living or staying, while others indicated that they feel safe sleeping there most of the time (39.1%), FIGURE 13. CURRENT SLEEPING LOCATION only sometimes (10.6%), not very often (2.5%) or never (1.2%)). For those who indicated that they feel unsafe at times or even all of the time, the reasons provided were 7.1% Very high priority varied. More than half of respondents (58.7%) stated that 14.3% 2.5% alcohol and violence were the main issue, followed by High priority being humbugged for food and money (32.6%), lack of 7.1% Moderate security and break-ins (19.6%), people always coming Low priority and going (13%), theft of personal belongings (13%) and Very low priority overcrowding (13%). The percentages do not total 100% 46.4% due to some respondents providing multiple reasons for feeling unsafe.

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 25 FIGURE 14. GENERAL CONDITION OF HOUSE/PLACE BEING STAYED AT

40 38.6

30 27.9

20 18.4 Per cent (%) cent Per 15 10.8 10

5 4.4

0 Excellent Very good Average – needs Poor – needs a Very poor some repairs lot of repairs – uninhabitable and maintenance

FIGURE 15. COMMUNITY VIEW ABOUT POSITIVE THINGS HAPPENING FOR HOMELESS

70 62.1 60

30 Per cent (%) cent Per

20 14.4

10 7.6 5.3 6.1 5.3 2 0 Mens Shed Nothing Sobering up New housing Family & community Other Wyndham shelters models programs Almost one-third of community members felt that the house they were staying in was in excellent or very good condition (29.2%) while the remaining respondents indicated that the house/place was in average condition and needs a some repairs (38.6%), in poor condition and needs a lot of repairs and maintenance (27.9%) or very poor and uninhabitable (4.4%). It should be noted here that the question related to the current general condition of the house and did not ask questions around the reasons that a house may be in sub-standard condition (Figure 14). Reasons for poor maintenance and repairs could be attributed to the large amount of damage done to houses which is complicated by the funding allocated on a per house basis. For Community Housing Limited houses (including those under the Housing Management Agreement system) this means that if there is repeated damage to a property, once a certain number of repairs or replacements have been undertaken, there will be no budget allocations left for this house until the following year.

Under NPA Social Housing there is no additional management and maintenance funding provided to the service provider. Service providers must generate sufficient income from the rent by not charging more than 25% of the household income.

Over one-third (37.3%) of community members were mostly happy living the way they were while almost as many (29.8%) were very happy. Far fewer people indicated that they were not very happy (13.3%) or very unhappy (1.9%). Almost one-fifth (17.7%) of respondents indicated that they were a mix of both happy and unhappy regarding this issue.

When asked why people were homeless in the East Kimberley, the reasons most often given by community members were that there was not enough housing, the prohibitive cost of rent and expanding family sizes.

When respondents were asked to describe any positive things happening for people who are homeless or living in overcrowded houses/places, the overwhelming majority of the 127 responses indicated that there was nothing positive (62.1%) happening in the East Kimberley. Examples of existing models or services of benefit to the target group were lacking in comparison, however included a few such as the sobering up shelters in both Wyndham and Kununurra (14.4%), the Men’s Shed in Wyndham (7.6%) and a number of new houses and housing models such as the Community Housing Limited/Wunan Transitional Housing model (6.1%). Also highlighted was the fact that Indigenous people are fortunate to always have family (5.3%) and a number of child and family focused programs (5.3%) (Figure 15).

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 27 reason they are living in overcrowded situations is because they have no other options. In other words RESPONDENTS WERE EXTREMELY this was driven by necessity rather than choice. FORTHCOMING ABOUT CHANGES THAT When asked what could be done to prevent other people from becoming homeless, the responses NEED TO TAKE PLACE FOR PEOPLE were similar to those provided regarding changes WHO ARE HOMELESS OR LIVING IN that need to be made for those who are homeless OVERCROWDED HOUSES. although with much stronger emphasis on the need to build more houses (98%). Respondents clearly voiced their desire to have more houses built in the smaller outlying communities rather than just requesting the building of houses generally. As Respondents were extremely forthcoming about with the earlier question, the next most frequently changes that need to take place for people who recommended action to prevent homelessness are homeless or living in overcrowded houses. was building singles and one-bedroom What was interesting was the level of consistency accommodation (13.3%). Other suggestions from respondents who suggested six main areas included improving services (12.2%), building a requiring change. These included increasing short term and emergency accommodation centre housing stock, improving rental affordability, (12.2%), improving housing and rent affordability building bigger houses and building more one and increasing the number of employment bedroom singles accommodation for young people, opportunities. men, women, young families and the elderly (Figure 16). Certainly, the focus for community members Another matter that arose during conversations was on getting more houses built, with almost with community members was their perception two thirds (65.3%) indicating that this is needed of problems associated with community-based in communities across the region. Participants housing committees being appointed to make were also specific about the need to build houses recommendations about the allocation of houses. tailored to the needs and demographics of the In at least three communities including Kalumburu, communities which have many large families, but Speewah and Woolah, there was consensus with an acute awareness for the rapidly increasing that recommendations about the allocation of number of young families. It was very common for houses was done in a biased and prejudicial way community members to express their concern for favouring members of particular family groups. the inappropriateness of young people and young Similarly, there were a number of reports of single couples having to live in large overcrowded houses individuals being allocated 3, 4 and 5 bedroom with extended family. houses while other people who were not related to the Housing Committee members were left to There was a strong view among community remain in overcrowded situations with family. members that single people, young families and the elderly need one bedroom units to live (15.3%). Some highlighted that this was standard practice in cities, particularly for those relying on government housing, so questioned why the same did not apply RESPONDENTS CLEARLY VOICED in the East Kimberley. Many people expressed THEIR DESIRE TO HAVE MORE HOUSES concern that singles and young families do not have any privacy and that by living in smaller BUILT IN THE SMALLER OUTLYING residences, fewer people would be likely to seek to COMMUNITIES RATHER THAN JUST stay there, reducing the number of overcrowded residences. This finding strongly dispelled the myth REQUESTING THE BUILDING OF that Aboriginal people like to live together in large HOUSES GENERALLY. family groups under the one roof. Time and again respondents stated that this was not accurate, that they like to travel and visit family but the only It is not the place of this report to comment further on to better consult with community to understand this matter. The intent of the Housing Management their needs such as building one bedroom units for Agreement is for allocations to be more transparent, singles, young families and the elderly; the elderly with the community input sought to ensure allocations constantly being burdened with caring for children are sensitive within the street location given the local of parents that drink alcohol excessively; poor make up of families. employment opportunities, particularly for those living in communities out of Kununurra; and complaints The final question in the survey provided participants about the constant battle to stop family damaging with the opportunity to raise any other issues that their properties, stealing their food and belongings and they had not been able to during the survey. A lot leaving them with the accompanying financial burden. of valuable information was captured here. A strong The final theme to emerge was the impact of alcohol theme to emerge included the large number of people on the whole community, regardless of whether they and families coming to Kununurra for reasons including are homeless or not. the wet season, funerals, shopping and lore business. A lack of affordable and appropriate short-term accommodation such as a hostel means that there are no alternative options for people. This in turn impacts on existing families and houses in Kununurra who have to take people in to their homes.

Other issues that were raised or reiterated included the delayed time of maintenance and repairs to be undertaken; lack of affordability for housing, rent, utilities, fuel and food generally; the need for more housing stock to reduce the long waitlist; the need

FIGURE 16. NECESSARY CHANGES FOR THE HOMELESS

70 65.3

20 15.3 Per cent (%) cent Per 12

10 6.7 4 4.7 3.3 4.7

Other stock houses Building one Improved rent/ Buiding bigger Fixing alcohol/ Communication/ Increased housing bedroom units humbug issues

housing a ordability Temp hostelaccommodation/ in Kununurra

consultation with community

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 29 Discussion

On almost every measure of health the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population scores significantly lower than the non- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. Evidence suggests that this gap has increased in recent years (National Aboriginal Health Strategy). Indigenous health and wellbeing should be viewed holistically, encompassing all aspects of physical, emotional, social, spiritual and cultural health (Department of Health and Ageing 2003).

Marmot (2011) talks about inequalities in health being proportionately related to inequalities in society, reinforcing the World Health Organisation (WHO) (2008) view that key determinants of social inequalities in health lie in the circumstances in which people are born, grow, live, work and age. Marmot ascribes the poor health and wellbeing of Indigenous Australians to social disadvantage and the particular relationship of Indigenous Australians to mainstream society. Similar research suggests that the environment in early childhood is key to health status right along the social gradient (WHO 2008; Marmot 2010). Marmot further hypothesised using a phrase “the cause of the causes”, that given good early child development, education and access to decent work high rates of smoking and alcohol misuse will be less of a problem. Marmot proposes that if Indigenous do not have the presence of the following six domains, then ill health is ALCOHOL, DRUGS an inevitable result. These are: & VIOLENCE Early child development; “[There is] too much grog in Warmun. Grog is Education and skills development; stopping a lot of things. I have to look after Employment and working conditions; young kids in Warmun because family [are] on the grog for days. Alcohol attracts Minimum income for healthy living; outsiders in Kununurra – people just follow Sustainable communities; and the alcohol. Homeless people are accessing the sobering up shelter, there needs to be a A social-determinants approach to prevention. hostel for these people that don’t drink”. It is clear looking at these domains that currently all six are absent from majority of Indigenous people living in the East Kimberley. The results of this project clearly “When [my] father died, [I was] forced to demonstrate that there is a distinct lack of these basics leave Bow River as alcohol [is] prohibited on within the examined cohort, and that their health station so [I] moved to Kununurra”. is generally very poor. What this highlights is while housing is important, it housing and homelessness should be viewed in context of the many issues The 2009 National Health and Medical Research impacting on the poor health and well-being of Council (NHMRC) Guidelines state that a person Indigenous people. It is not possible to fix a problem should not exceed 2 standard drinks per day or in one area without considering all of the other more than 4 standard drinks on a single occasion. problems facing this seriously disadvantaged group. Diagram 1 provides alcohol consumption rates for The problems around homelessness are interconnected adults in Australia according to time and quantity. with other health and social issues. Indigenous health Several surveys show that Indigenous Australians policy in Australia is guided by the National Strategic are less likely to drink alcohol than non-Indigenous Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ABS 2002; AIHW 2003) but those who do are likely Health 2003–13. There are nine guiding principles of to do so at hazardous levels. The 2008 National which one provides that Government must adopt a Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey holistic approach recognising that the improvement (NATSISS) found that 37% of Indigenous aged 15 of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health status years and over consume risky or high-risk levels must include attention to physical, spiritual, cultural, of alcohol. Binge drinking is more common with emotional and social well‑being, community capacity Indigenous men (46%) then women (28%). These and government. It is clear that this is not happening figures are consistent with the findings of this and all too often problems are dealt with in a siloed study which found that although close to half the manner. cohort (41%) indicated being non-drinkers, the The issues and themes to emerge from this research participants who drink alcohol generally do so at resurfaced time and again during the consultations, hazardous levels. The main difference between this interviews and discussions with the hundreds of people and various national survey findings is that a large who so generously shared their problems, concerns proportion of the cohort are drinking to extremely and vision for a better East Kimberley. The aim of this dangerous levels. section is to advise and inform policy makers, service Only 22.2% of the drinking sub-group indicated providers and researchers, but it is just as important they consume 1-4 standard drinks per day. The to ensure that the community knows that their words majority of drinkers (44%) indicated that they have were heard. It is difficult in a brief such as this to do 8-10 standard drinks per day while an alarming justice to the individual voices, but every effort has number are consuming between 11-20 (16.5%) been made to accurately and summarily report the and 40-45 (12.1%) standard drinks per day. These key themes in a way that respects and represents the figures should be qualified by noting that every breadth of views that were expressed to the research person does not drink this amount every day team during the project period. (although many might) as consumption levels are

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 31 DIAGRAM 1. NHMRC 2009 ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION RATES BY ADULTS AGED 18 YEARS AND OVER

sometimes dictated by access. For example there not many (15.1%) or some (9%). This could indicate may be days or periods of time when individuals do the steps that community members go to when not drink this much, but they commonly stated that faced with adversity to ensure that they can be as this was their average daily consumption rate when well and as safe as possible. they were able to access alcohol. Anecdotally and by observation of Project staff, it When comparing these consumption rates to the was clear that children tend to congregate (often en NHMRC Guidelines it is difficult to comprehend masse) at the alcohol free houses or in the streets the negative impact and level of dysfunction into the early hours of the morning. The reasons that such excessive alcohol consumption would behind this are outside of the scope of this Project, have on the social and emotional wellbeing of however it would seem plausible to assume that individuals, families and communities. Such two things are at play here – children likely feel extensive alcohol misuse has a saturation effect on unsafe and vulnerable in a house full of intoxicated everyone, regardless of whether they are drinkers persons and non-drinkers are more likely to have or not. What was also clear from this research is the capacity to provide a stable environment for that houses are unofficially designated drinking children. This highlights how the raft of social or non-drinking locations. Forty-four percent of issues in communities can have considerable respondents indicated that they were staying in impact on other areas and that issues such as a house where no-one drank alcohol or smoked overcrowding must be examined with a whole of ganga while the remaining 55.6% of participants community approach rather than dealing with indicated that some, most or everyone in the house problems in isolation. participated in either or both activities. This is a constantly evolving space that requires These percentages correlate with the rates of ongoing monitoring and response. Although responses regarding those who do and do not drink not the focus of this report it should be noted alcohol with 83.3% of non-drinkers indicating that that agencies are continually considering and no-one in the place they stay drinks alcohol or implementing various measures to mitigate risk smokes ganga while the remainder indicated either and prevent the causes around negative youth behaviours. One example of this is the 2012 run Operation SHARP (Safely Home With a Responsible CONSULTATION Person) which utilised a multi-agency response to the emerging problems of young people and “Consultation is needed with individual children on the streets at night in Kununurra; communities before they are built. A non-attendance at school or disengagement; community bus is needed to get into town and lacking parental capacity/responsibility. The as four houses rely on the one vehicle and all project was a Department for Child Protection and the shopping is done in Kununurra. Don’t just Family Support led multi-agency response that build three bedroom houses, ask people what linked into the existing interagency group called they want. Young people need one bedroom ‘Community Response for Our Children’ (CROC). The units/duplexes”. group aimed to:

reduce the numbers of children exposed One of the survey questions asked participants what to significant risk at night on the streets of changes were needed for people who are homeless Kununurra and other regional towns; or living in overcrowded houses/places. Community increase awareness and extended us of Child members were very forthcoming with what needs to Protection Income Management (CPIM); be done. One commonly raised issue was the need for improved communication and consultation with reduce the impact of alcohol and resulting family them. Specifically, the issues raised in this area related violence within households with children; and to a need for more and improved consultation with both communities and individuals. This related to the promote the use of alcohol free premises design of houses including size, number of bedrooms, legislation layout and positioning of amenities. What was very What resulted from Operation Sharp was ongoing clear talking to community members is there may follow up with 35 families, over 50 individuals being be some similarities across the board but individuals placed on compulsory income management as well and families have different needs and ways of dealing as multiple applications being made for alcohol with the complex matters impacting people’s lives. A restricted premises. good example of this is the problem of large family groups converging on other families or individuals This is but one example of a Project or initiative with a house and then remaining there for an that has been developed in response to emerging indefinite period. regional issues. Other issue responses have included binge drinking, alcohol consumption One of the commonly reported issues was the desire during pregnancy, responsible tenancy etc. The full for singles and small families to live in one bedroom details of these can be sought but have not been units so they could circumvent the cultural obligation listed in detail in this report. of having to allow family to stay with them. Building smaller properties and spaces makes it physically impossible to fit so many people in a house and it allows the individual or family to regain some sense of control of their own environment. SUCH EXTENSIVE ALCOHOL MISUSE HAS A SATURATION EFFECT ON “Kartiya need to listen to us. They don’t understand. We need more single mums and EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER women’s apartments for those young ones”.* THEY ARE DRINKERS OR NOT. *Kartiya is a commonly used word in the Kimberley to describe non-Indigenous people.

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 33 Several participants reported that they had requested a house with two or three bedrooms, but had been told EDUCATION & that because of the size of their family and the formula that is applied regarding number of people/number EMPLOYMENT of bedrooms required, they were made to remain on In a comparison between Indigenous people the housing wait lists for extended periods. This is from the 2008 NATSISS and non-Indigenous troublesome for a couple of reasons. Firstly, there is a people from the 2008 Survey of Education particular shortage of four and five bedroom houses, and Work (SEW), just over two in ten (21%) meaning large families have to wait longer periods Indigenous Australians aged 15-64 years had than smaller families because the majority of CHL and completed Year 12, compared to more than half Department of Housing houses are three bedrooms. (54%) of non-Indigenous Australians (ABS 2010). Secondly, many community members indicated that Of Indigenous people aged 20-24 years (which they do not want large houses because their children generally excludes people still at school), 31% sleep in the same room and because having more had completed Year 12 or equivalent, which is rooms means more extended family members coming far below the completion rate of non-Indigenous to stay. people (76%) (Figure 17).

“House design is not good i.e. all power points These figures are similar to the findings from near stove but cook outside because there is the current study with one-tenth (10.8%) of no space. Telephone/fax all near stove, [which participants having never attended school, with an average age of 64.6 years. A further 16.6% of is a] safety concern. No consultation with participants only reached a primary schooling community when unit is being built. When they level with an average age of 49.1 years. For the built the unit there was no stove so [I] had to use one-third (31.2%) of students to reach their frying pan for five years outside”. senior years at high school, the average age was 35.7 years including 31.8 years and 36.4 years for The ramification for the house owner/lessee is that they year 11 and year 12 students respectively. This are placed under greater strain financially; they have to was consistent with the 2008 NATSISS findings deal with a loss of privacy as well as having to wear the that of Indigenous people who had never additional burden and responsibility of any damage. attended school, 70% were aged 55 years or Theoretically this is not the case because family older. The survey results indicate there has been members can make complaints about the offenders, an increase in the number of Aboriginal children but practically, people are hesitant to complain to reach higher years at school over time, about family due to the complex cultural issues and although how this translates to employment is ramifications that accompany that. another question.

These issues demonstrate the very complicated interplay of factors and the importance of consulting with families and moving beyond a model which stipulates that ‘x’ number of children = a specific sized THE 2011 CENSUS REPORTED THAT house. This inflexible and standardised model will 25% OF ABORIGINAL AND TORRES inevitably lead to failure on many occasions and often result in the most innocent of parties becoming the STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLE AGED 15 victims. Adopting a more individualised model of YEARS OVER COMPLETED YEAR 12 housing, based on individual and family needs is an option that warrants further consideration. COMPARED WITH TWICE AS MANY (52%) NON-INDIGENOUS PEOPLE. “There needs to be more houses for singles, not three and four bedroom houses being built. You got to listen to community and their needs”. FIGURE 17. INDIGENOUS AND NON-INDIGENOUS PERSONS BY HIGHEST YEAR OF SCHOOL COMPLETED (%)

Indigenous persons (a) Non-Indigenous persons (b)

15-19 20-24 25-64 Total 15-19 20-24 25-64 Total

Highest year of % % % % % % % % school completed (c)

Year 12 or equivalent 14.1 31.3 21.0 21.2 31.2 76.2 53.7 53.8

Year 10 or 11 49.1 47.6 44.4 45.8 47.9 20.5 35.9 35.5

Year 9 or below (d) 36.7 21.1 34.6 33.1 20.9 3.4 10.4 10.7

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Total persons aged 59.3 44.5 207.3 311.1 1 362.9 1 435.3 10 828.9 13 627.1 15-64 years (‘000)

(a) Data from the 2008 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey. (b) Data from the 2008 Survey of Education and Work. (c) Includes people who were currently studying at secondary school or non-school institutions. (d) ncludes people who never attended school.

FIGURE 18. INDIGENOUS 2008 UNEMPLOYMENT RATES BY STATE/TERRITORY OF USUAL RESIDENCE

10 Per cent (%) cent Per

0 NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS NT ACT (a) Indigenous persons aged 15 years and over.

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 35 The 2011 Census reported that 25% of Aboriginal When comparing the unemployment rates of the and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 years over study participants with the national and jurisdictional completed year 12 compared with twice as many Indigenous and non-Indigenous rates it can be seen (52%) non-Indigenous people. Of the current study’s that those who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness participants who are employed full-time, more than in the East Kimberley are experiencing greatly inflated three-quarters reached Year 11 (29.4%) or Year 12 rates of unemployment. That is, the majority of the (47.1%) with all but one person having attending participants in this study (68.8%) indicated being high school. In contrast, when further examining the unemployed and in receipt of government benefits responses and demographics of participants who were such as CDEP, disability, Newstart or a pension. unemployed, just over one-tenth had reached Year 11 Although not the purpose of this paper, it would be (7.6%) or Year 12 (6.1%). Of course these are the two interesting to investigate the effect that royalties and extreme groups comprising less than half (48.4%) of native title monies being received by such a large respondents with a combination of education levels proportion of this cohort (47.6%) has on their incentive and employment statuses between. It is difficult to to work, if any. In other words, if you are receiving compare findings between surveys but what can be income from other sources, the necessity to gain said from the findings in the Project is that Indigenous sustained meaningful employment becomes reduced. living in the East Kimberley are constantly faced with multiple barriers and ongoing trauma and simply attending school is no guarantee of a pathway into “Every December/January during wet times I employment. travel in the East Kimberley with Kununurra as a base because I have family here because of men’s lore cycle. A group of us men from Wadeye do this every year”. WHAT CAN BE SAID FROM THE FINDINGS IN THE PROJECT IS THAT INDIGENOUS LIVING IN THE EAST KIMBERLEY ARE CONSTANTLY FACED WITH MULTIPLE BARRIERS AND ONGOING TRAUMA AND SIMPLY ATTENDING SCHOOL IS NO GUARANTEE OF A PATHWAY INTO EMPLOYMENT.

In 2008, there were 169,100 employed Indigenous persons, representing just over half (52%) of Indigenous people aged 15 years and over. There were higher levels of Indigenous employment in 2008 compared to 2002 (46%) In 2008, there were 33,400 unemployed Indigenous persons aged 15 years and over, reflecting an unemployment rate of 16.5%. Indigenous people had lower levels of unemployment in 2008 compared to 2002 (22.9%). The unemployment rate for Indigenous people differed across the states and territories. In 2008, the lowest rate was 9.7% in the Australian Capital Territory and the highest rate was 20.6% in New South Wales. Western Australia was ranked high in terms of jurisdictional Indigenous unemployment rates (NATSISS 2008) (Figure 18). FINANCES AND BUDGETING Something that didn’t come out from the survey responses specifically but was reiterated time and again by community and service providers was the issue of debt. It is not uncommon for community members to have large debts coupled with little to no capacity to clear them. There were several occasions during the course of the Project that staff spoke with community that had disconnected essential utilities due to unpaid bills. Many others also had accumulated large debts to other services and agencies to the point that they had nowhere else to turn, leaving them in a position that they had to then rely on family. Although there is a cultural obligation to allow family to stay with you, it was pointed out by a couple of participants that as well as providing additional financial and emotional strain on the hosting family, it also creates shame for the individual having to ask for a place a stay. This is not something that is discussed very often.

Given that the majority of participants in this survey were in receipt of some form of government allowance, it is going to be almost impossible for someone in this position to be able to reduce any type of accumulated debt. A particular issue that was noted during the Project was the number of people with excessive utility debts of many thousands of dollars.

Ensuring that systems are in place to prevent this from occurring in the first place should be a priority. It would also be prudent to have capped systems in place so that once a utility was used to a pre-agreed level, it would be disconnected until payment was made to restore it. Another issue that was evident was the ability for people to complete Centrelink deductions to help reduce debt. This is a great system in theory except that people can also terminate the deductions so that debts begin to accrue again. Given that deductions could be taking place for several agencies/services simultaneously, an individual with no financial or budgeting skills may not comprehend the full ramifications of a decision to stop payments. This is particularly relevant in the East Kimberley where many people may not be living in the house that they are paying debts or rent for so that the consequence of disregarding a debt may impact upon another family member.

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 37 HEALTH HOUSING “Large families come in to follow a sick person “They build houses [that are] too big. Need more who needs access to hospital. The kids get left houses for singles and couples. The new houses out because houses are full so they roam the are all four bedroom. Duplexes should be for streets at night because of no room. There needs single people and couples”. to be five more houses in each of the Reserve, the Ranch and the Garden area”. “Today I was speaking to a lady who is the carer for a child aged two. She is currently on the Studies have shown that having multiple chronic housing wait list due to her own health issues conditions is associated with worsening health but at the moment it seems to be her grandchild outcomes, complex clinical management and increased health costs (Valderas et al. 2009) in addition to a that is suffering health issues such as anaemia poorer quality of life (Walker 2007). Over the period and giardia due to overcrowding in the current 2004–2008, Indigenous Australians died from mental house they live in with distant family”. and behavioural disorders due to alcohol use at 7 times the rate of non-Indigenous Australians, and from Official figures report that over one-quarter (29%) of alcoholic liver disease and poisoning by alcohol at 6 Indigenous aged 15 years or over in Western Australia times the rate of non-Indigenous Australians (AIHW are living in overcrowded houses (AIHW 2013). Based 2011). on estimates from the NGO and Government service This Project’s study results showed there is a strong providers to take part in this study, this figure is many correlation between lack of housing, overcrowding times higher in the East Kimberley. Of the community and poor health. Of participants with a chronic health members to participate in the survey, 32.3% indicated condition, the majority had multiple conditions such that they considered themselves to be homeless as diabetes (47.4%), liver (29.9%), heart (19.7%), kidney although many may not have answered in this way due (15.8%), eyesight (13.2%) and/or mental health issues to the normalising of overcrowding throughout the (9.2%). Other commonly reported health problems region. This is likely to be the case given that there is an including respiratory, hearing and hypertension. average of at least seven people living in houses that These figures are not necessarily accurate as many participants live or stay at. In itself this demonstrates community members may not realise they have a that many if not the majority of Indigenous living in the health condition or they have not been diagnosed. East Kimberley are living in overcrowded homes. This is Adding alcohol, drugs and a lack of appropriate consistent with the CNOS definition. housing to the mix will exacerbate any existing health and medical conditions. “I am not very happy, I am a person who likes to be alone but when family in town or at funeral, they have nowhere else to stay. Pressure is on me while they wait years on Homeswest waitlist”. THIS PROJECT’S STUDY RESULTS When further analysis was done to compare the level of SHOWED THERE IS A STRONG happiness of community members who are homeless CORRELATION BETWEEN LACK OF with those who are not homeless, the results were HOUSING, OVERCROWDING AND POOR vastly different. More than one-third of participants (35.3%) who are homeless indicated that they are either HEALTH not very happy or very unhappy compared to only 5.6% of community members who are not homeless. The majority (83.2%) of people who believe themselves to have a place they can call home are either very happy or mostly happy compared to approximately one-third (33.4%) of those who self-classify as being homeless (Figure 19). Further to that, when analysing FIGURE 19. LEVEL OF HAPPINESS ACCORDING TO HOMELESSNESS STATUS (%)

45 42.1 41.1 40

35 33.3 31.4 30 27.5 25

Per cent (%) cent Per 15

10 11.2 5.9 5 3.7 2 0 1.9

Very Happy Mostly Happy Mix of both Not very happy Very unhappy

Homeless Not homeless

homelessness status against how long people had been staying at their current location, those who identified as being homeless had been at the one location for an average of 2.8 years compared to 5.9 years for the non-homeless respondents. What appears to be the case is that as long as someone perceives that they have a home, they are much happier than someone that does not. This certainly warrants further exploration.

Using the Canadian National Occupancy Standard for Housing Appropriateness as a guide (see Table 2), it is clear that many homes occupied by Indigenous peoples in the East Kimberly are extremely overcrowded. Reducing overcrowding will require considerable prolonged investment being made.

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 39 INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA The focus of this Project was on housing and homelessness, but it was clear while interviewing community participants, NGOs and government service providers that trauma is an extremely complex and omnipresent fact of life throughout the region. Suicide and violence are daily occurrences and when they occur in such small communities the impact is devastating. To attempt to fix the problems of housing and overcrowding without recognition of this fact and its likely ongoing existence would be imprudent.

“If they want improvements for Aboriginal people, everything starts at home. How can you grow up a young person when it’s overcrowded and everyone has different ideas”?

The importance of family dynamics, culture and payback are very important when considering where a person lives or stays, and when. Things like hostels, short term accommodation facilities, refuge centres are all impacted by these factors which emphasises the importance of thorough and meaningful consultation prior to decisions about funding allocation. What was also clear talking to the full spectrum of participants is that trauma, mental health, suicide, violence and alcohol use are all inextricably linked and any service responses need to be coordinated with all of the relevant agencies involved from the outset. Certainly this is reinforced by the views of the service providers.

THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY DYNAMICS, CULTURE AND PAYBACK ARE VERY IMPORTANT WHEN CONSIDERING WHERE A PERSON LIVES OR STAYS, AND WHEN. should make arrangements to stay with her family. NO WRONG DOOR Person A has no money, no accommodation and The above section referred to the rapidly deepening no food until getting paid in one week. Inquiries trauma that is occurring for Indigenous people living with Homeswest revealed that because she had in the East Kimberley, particularly for those who are handed her keys back in, she would now have to homeless or at-risk of homelessness. It also alluded go on the bottom of the waiting list for 5-6 years to the importance of having co-ordinated service until she would again be offered a house. There responses for the needs of individuals. This section goes was not solution to her housing problem and she one step further in recommending the need for the eventually walked out to return to sleeping in the implementation of a no wrong door approach for all long grass. services throughout the East Kimberley. This is a principle which clarifies that the responsibility of providing care addressing a range of health and social needs is the responsibility of the care provider/service where the client Person B advised Homelessness Project staff that presents (MHCC 2009). she had not had water at her house for the past week and that she was primary caregiver to several What was abundantly clear when talking to community of her grandchildren. As such, she and the children members and service providers is that currently problems had no access to water or plumbing. She advised are addressed using a siloed approach. A person is rarely that she had tried to speak to the relevant service if ever treated or responded to holistically with individuals providers but that they couldn’t understand her so needs dealt with separately by agencies. This is had no luck. Homelessness Project staff were able particularly problematic when issues overlap and appears to speak to the utility provider on her behalf and to be used as a reason for someone not to be treated. Other issues include communication, language and established that the house was in her son’s name cultural breakdown which prevent community members and he had not paid the water bill for a number from being able to access the information or service that of years which had then accumulated an $8,000+ they need. Below are just a few examples of the issues water bill. When querying how a water bill could encountered by project staff during the Project. be that high, the operation could only suggest that perhaps there had been a substantial leak at some Person A presents to Homelessness Project staff stage. Person B is on a pension and her son has stating she has been living in the long grass for not lived in the house for over a year and she does the past five weeks and really needs somewhere not know his whereabouts. The only option to get more permanent to stay. She is a grandmother, the water turned back on was to negotiate with 47 years of age, with a partner who is currently the utility provider for her to pay approximately incarcerated for violence toward her. While living $20 per fortnight toward the outstanding account. with him the house was a drinking house with This would effectively get the water turned back many parties which led to damage of the rental on, but of course would do nothing to reduce the property which was in her name. Person A was accumulated debt. given three warnings and advised that if she did not leave she would be evicted. She chose to leave. Inquiries with Wunan House revealed that she could not stay there because she was not employed or in training. Inquiries with the A NO WRONG DOOR APPROACH women’s shelter regarding the possibility of her staying for five nights until she was paid and able ENSURES THAT ANY PERSON CAN to leave town revealed that she would not be able WALK INTO ANY SERVICE PROVIDER to stay there because she was known to have ASSURED THAT IF THAT PROVIDER family in town. Person A advised that she did not want to stay with family because her daughter CANNOT ASSIST THEM THEY WILL BE was pregnant and she was always fighting with APPROPRIATELY RE-DIRECTED. her husband so she did not want to be involved in the conflict. The shelter again advised that she

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 41 Person C advised Homelessness Project staff that at the system level and due to a failure to recognise she was hearing voices telling her to kill herself. that these are real people having real problems and When taken to the hospital, Person C was well sometimes the universal model approach is not known to accident and emergency staff as a appropriate. This is almost certainly the case with these regular patient. When staff requested that a and so many other examples. Had Project staff not mental health assessment be done on Person intervened in each of these situations the individuals involved would more than likely be in the same except C, they were advised that given her regular worsened situation. attendance, one would surely have been done so it was really not necessary. Further inquiries A No Wrong Door approach ensures that any person with the mental health unit revealed that in can walk into any service provider assured that if that fact no mental health assessment had ever provider cannot assist them they will be appropriately been done. A referral was then done by Project re-directed. In the East Kimberley this could be staff and at a later date, they accompanied her adopted at the regional level through a multi-agency (at her request) to attend the mental health Memorandum of Understanding which would outline the referral process and pathways as well as clarifying assessment. During that assessment Person C the roles between agencies/staff. This model is client- indicated that she would like to stop drinking focused and would go some way to navigating the and would be willing to go into a rehabilitation myriad of problems and gaps that currently exist. unit to get sober and to return order to her life. When inquiries were made to achieve this (in October 2012), Project staff were informed that Ngowah Aerwah would not be taking new SHORT STAY patients prior to Christmas. What eventuated was Person C received no further treatment and ACCOMMODATION has since left the East Kimberley without any “To access sobering up shelter I drink a green follow-up or further care provided. can and pour some on my clothes to get into the sobering up shelter”.

On a visit to Person D’s house, it was clear that the house was seriously infested with One of the more common issues raised by insects. Person D lives with her husband who survey participants was the need for a short-stay is wheelchair bound and they live outside of accommodation facility. Given the central location of Kununurra for services and travel between Broome and Kununurra. When attempts were made to get the Northern Territory means it has a large transient the house fumigated, Project staff were advised population. Kununurra is a well-resourced town and that it was not time to attend this house and it due to the close proximity of a number of mines, rental would have to wait some months until it was prices are exorbitant even for those who are earning time. When Project staff insisted the urgency high incomes. Traditional budget accommodation of the situation and the dire state in the house, such as caravan parks and hostels are extremely staff eventually agreed to attend and re- expensive and unaffordable for those not on high fumigate the house, but it is highly unlikely this incomes. A person earning little to no income travelling would have taken place if Person D had made to Kununurra is almost certainly going to stay with the same pleas. Project staff were also able to family or sleep in the long grass. alert HACC to the needs and state of living of this elderly couple.

These examples were not provided to point fingers at individual service providers or their failings as they are undoubtedly working earnestly to deliver the best services they can within the constraints of their service guidelines, timelines and budgets. The problem is Summary of findings & Recommenda- tions

The central focus of this research was always to ensure that the community members who are experiencing homelessness and overcrowding were able to have their voices heard. This included those who were homeless, at- risk of homelessness, were impacted by or work with any of these groups.

This project successfully engaged with community and service providers throughout the East Kimberley and the results showed that for the most part everyone has similar concerns. Indigenous peoples living in the East Kimberley are experiencing homelessness and overcrowding at rates that are disproportionate to the non-Indigenous population locally and nationally. They are also experiencing overcrowding at rates that equal or exceed the worst in the country. What this Project revealed is that if you are homeless or living in an overcrowded situation you are highly likely to have a range of comorbid conditions and issues that make living each day an enormous challenge.

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 43 This report debunked the myth that large groups of on other areas. This means that any programs around Aboriginal families prefer to live together in an ongoing solving the issues of homelessness and overcrowding way. The traditional culturally-based obligation that need to be done with the community at the helm allows family and countrymen to stay at someone’s informing direction at every stage; and any solutions place has unfortunately evolved into a practice of need to be well-rounded and not limited to only individuals taking family members for granted for addressing homelessness. extended periods of time. All too often, this kind To move toward achieving this holistic approach a gesture leaves the lessee/home owner with broken number of recommendations based upon the findings or damaged property and accumulated debts from from the survey respondents and the interviews having to pay for the food and utilities provided to had with various community members and service visitors. It is likely that the abuse and humbugging has providers within the East Kimberley have been made to led community members to request living in the East Kimberley Homelessness Steering Group. one-bedroom units because it minimises the amount of space available for family to stay. The recommendations were utilised by the Steering Group to inform the development of the East Kimberley Without both immediate short-term responses as Homelessness Plan 2014 to 2016 (Appendix 1). well as sustained long-term program investment with a whole-of-person approach overcrowding will continue as will the deterioration of the health, social and emotional well-being of Indigenous people in the East Kimberley. This means changing the practices of looking at issues such as housing in isolation. It is imperative that the first step begins with listening to the problems as defined by community members.

Providing a new house to an individual or family whose daily existence is crippled by alcohol, violence, welfare dependence and poor life and financial skills is unlikely to have a positive outcome. Even if an individual is doing what they can on a personal level, they are unlikely to be able to control the many constant extraneous variables that they have to contend with. Currently, even if a person does want to reach out for assistance, the pathways to achieve this are muddy at best and even then they may be met with a closed door.

These comments are not made to criticise the government or NGO staff who are working tirelessly to improve the situation, their frustration was evident in their survey responses. The system will not prove effective as long as there is a cultural disconnect and failure to recognise the importance of working holistically rather than in a siloed manner. Fixing one aspect of a person’s life is not going to succeed while there are so many other factors that are negatively impacting on their social and emotional health and wellbeing.

Programs including education, housing and employment can promote positive social and emotional wellbeing even when this is not the intended outcome. It emphasises the knowledge that Indigenous people view their life holistically and what happens in one area of a person’s life is likely to impact EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 45 References

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EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 47 Appendix 1 EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PLAN 2014 TO 2016

Priority action Tasks Next steps

It was identified that a resource is Chairperson Liz O’Brien [KCLS] to look 1. Seek to appoint an EK Homelessness required to provide executive support at possible funding sources and prepare Executive Officer to provide executive (strategic rather than operational), to the draft submission/s for review by the and strategic assistance to the Steering Steering Group in furthering the actions Steering Group. Group in undertaking the 3 Key Actions and plan development. for 2014 - 2016. This resource would assist:

In developing and supporting integration of services who respond to individuals/families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness [taking into account the outstanding need for development of interagency service groups by town/community];

In the development and implementation of Priority Action 2: Development and support of a ‘No Wrong Door’ MOU between services and agencies in the East Kimberley: to ensure all agencies are committed to providing assistance to those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness;

In accessing resources for Priority Action 3: Supporting the development and ongoing implementation of an homelessness sector interagency group [including housing, emergency accommodation, tenancy support, financial counselling / management and social and emotional wellbeing providers]’ and to support the development a strategy to improve tenancy skill set with the aim of preparing future tenants and supporting existing tenants to reduce the risk of homelessness Priority action Tasks Next steps

This action will assist in ensuring all Await outcome of priority action 1 2. Development and support of a ‘No agencies are committed to assisting Wrong Door’ MOU between services and individuals who are homeless or at risk If priority action not achieved within a agencies in the East Kimberley of homelessness and know the referral recommended timeframe members of pathways to obtain support. the EK Regional Homelessness Steering group will draft the MOU It is important to ensure that this action is across the sector and not limited to housing / homelessness services. The MOU needs to be based on the Key Action areas: Range of Housing Options; Employment, Education and Training; Health and Wellbeing; Connection with Community, Family and Friends [i.e financial counselling, training & employment and social & emotional wellbeing services to be included].

This action will assist in ensuring Link to existing forums or where none 3. Support the development all agencies who have contact with exist EK Regional Homelessness Steering and ongoing implementation of a individuals who are homeless or at risk group members to encourage the homelessness sector interagency of homelessness share information and formation of a homelessness sector group [including housing, emergency work cooperatively interagency group in Kununurra, accommodation, tenancy support, Wyndham or Halls Creek financial counselling / management and Via this group there is the potential to social and emotional wellbeing providers] develop a strategy to improve tenancy skill set with the aim of preparing future tenants and supporting existing tenants to reduce the risk of homelessness.

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 49

Appendix 2 EAST KIMBERLEY COMMUNITY PROFILES

Before reading the various East Kimberley region The Community Profiles also commonly refer to Community Profiles, the reader should be aware that population sizes that include Census and community the statistics provided are largely based on Census data. Unless otherwise stated, any figures or averages 2006 and 2011 Indigenous Area and Indigenous are based upon the Census data rather than the Location datasets unless otherwise stated and these community estimates. Where information is stated figures are believed to considerably under-report the as being ‘unknown’ (e.g. unemployment rates), this is true numbers for each category including but not because this information is not reliably available from limited to language groups, the number of occupants either Census or community records. per house and population numbers. Certainly, this is the case when you consider the results of this Project. It should be noted that there are occasional discrepancies between reported totals and sub- OVERALL EAST KIMBERLEY totals. This is due to the application of the statistical method of Perturbation which is employed by the COMMUNITY ABS to introduce random error so that individuals are de-identifiable as part of their obligations under the OBSERVATIONS: 1905 Census and Statistics Act and the 1975 Australian There were a number of observations and similarities Bureau of Statistics Act (Table 5). This method has in relation to the various communities throughout the been used for the majority of the following Community East Kimberley that should be noted: Profiles due to the incidence of small cell sizes. A full The populations in every community are explanation about Perturbation and introduced random predominantly populated by Indigenous people error is provided in the adjacent text box and has been except Kununurra which has a 50/50 split of extracted from the ABS 2011 data dictionary. Indigenous and non-Indigenous. When discussing Aboriginal communities in the East Indigenous people living in these communities are Kimberley it quickly became clear that there are many unemployed and have low household incomes with spelling variations for community and country names. a high proportion of their available money going For the sake of consistency and ease of understanding, toward rent. the spelling has been changed to according to that provided by the Mirrima Dawang Woorlab-gerring Almost half of each community are aged below Language and Cultural Centre and the Kimberley 14 years with a range of 28-46%. Over one-third Language Centre. This has also meant changing (36.5%) of the Indigenous proportion of the East the spelling of certain community names in Census Kimberley communities are aged below 14 years. provided data. The majority of houses occupied by Indigenous Every effort has been made to ensure that the cultural living in the East Kimberley are government houses. integrity of the various community names have been maintained and no disrespect is intended to Aboriginal Overcrowding exists in every community. people who may choose to spell certain words English is the predominant language used by differently to what has been done in this report. Indigenous people living in the East Kimberley.

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 51 TABLE 6. PERTURBATION AND INTRODUCED RANDOM ERROR

Under the Census and Statistics Act (1905) it is an offence to release any information collected under the Act that is likely to enable identification of any particular individual or organisation. Introduced random error is used to ensure that no data are released which could risk the identification of individuals in the statistics.

Many classifications used in ABS statistics have an uneven distribution of data throughout their categories. For example, the number of people who are Anglican or born in Italy is quite large (3,718,240 and 199,121 respectively in 2006), while the number of people who are Buddhist or born in Chile (418,757 and 23,305 respectively in 2006), is relatively small. When religion is cross-classified with country of birth, the number in the table cell who are Anglican and who were born in Italy could be small, and the number of Buddhists born in Chile even smaller. These small numbers increase the risk of identifying individuals in the statistics.

Even when variables are more evenly distributed in the classifications, the problem still occurs. The more detailed the classifications, and the more of them that are applied in constructing a table, the greater the incidence of very small cells.

Care is taken in the specification of tables to minimise the risk of identifying individuals. In addition, a technique has been developed to randomly adjust cell values. Random adjustment of the data is considered to be the most satisfactory technique for avoiding the release of identifiable Census data. When the technique is applied, all cells are slightly adjusted to prevent any identifiable data being exposed. These adjustments result in small introduced random errors. However, the information value of the table as a whole is not impaired. The technique allows very large tables, for which there is a strong client demand, to be produced even though they contain numbers of very small cells.

The totals and subtotals in summary tables are also subjected to small adjustments. These adjustments of totals and subtotals include modifications to preserve the additivity within tables. Although each table of this kind is internally consistent, comparisons between tables which contain similar data may show some minor discrepancies. In addition the tables at different geographic levels are adjusted independently, and tables at the higher geographic level may not be equal to the sum of the tables for the component geographic units.

It is not possible to determine which individual figures have been affected by random error adjustments, but the small variance which may be associated with derived totals can, for the most part, be ignored.

No reliance should be placed on small cells as they are impacted by random adjustment, respondent and processing errors.

Many different classifications are used in Census tables and the tables are produced for a variety of geographical areas. The effect of the introduced random error is minimised if the statistic required is found direct from a tabulation rather than from aggregating more finely classified data. Similarly, rather than aggregating data from small areas to obtain statistics about a larger standard geographic area, published data for the larger area should be used wherever possible.

When calculating proportions, percentages or ratios from cross-classified or small area tables, the random error introduced can be ignored except when very small cells are involved, in which case the impact on percentages and ratios can be significant. of the median personal weekly income compared to KUNUNURRA $170 or 16.7% of the median personal weekly income Kununurra has a population of approximately 4573 for non-Indigenous. (ABS 2011) (Urban Centres and Localities), with The median rent paid by employed people in the East 1331 (29.1%) Indigenous. Forced and voluntary Kimberley is often subsidised by their employer which migration has led to Aboriginal people from many is why the paid amounts for the various communities different language groups living in Kununurra. are so variable and can often appear as negligible Some of the language groups include, but are not amounts. For example, if a rent subsidy is $500 per limited to Gajirrawoong, Ngarinyman, Jaminjoong, week and the rent paid is $565, the actual rent paid by Ngaliwoorroo, Ngoo-ngaliwoorroo, Moorrinh-batha, the individual will show as only $65. Similarly this can Goorinyji, Jaru, Wunambal, Woorla, Bardi, Walmajarri, apply to Indigenous people depending on their living/ Arrernde, Warlbiri, Nyoongar and Gija (Mirima Dawang working situation. Woorlab-gerring, Language and Culture Centre 2010 & Kimberley Language Resource Centre 2013). The average number of persons per bedroom in Indigenous households is 1.6 compared to 1.2 for non- Of the Indigenous people living in Kununurra who Indigenous. The average number of Indigenous per participated in the latest Census (ABS 2011), 155 household is four compared to 2.3 for non-Indigenous. (11.6%) indicated that they speak an Australian This is just over half the rate of seven per household Indigenous language at home while English is the only reported during the Project. Census 2011 reports that language spoken at home by 77.3% of Indigenous 29.4% of households tenanted by Indigenous need people in Kununurra). Other languages spoken at home 1 or more extra bedrooms compared to only 5.2% of included Miriwoong (4.7%), Murrinh Patha (2.1%), Gija non-Indigenous residing here. Of the 328 dwelling (1.9%), Jaru (1.8%), and Kriol (1.1%) (Table 7). structures in Kununurra, 146 (44.5%) were rented Notably, in 2005 Kununurra had the highest rate of through the State housing authority, 41 (12.5%) were overcrowding and the lowest rate of under occupancy rented through a housing co-operative/community/ in Western Australia (ABS 2001). church group, 35 were rented through other landlord type, 22 (6.7%) were rented through a real estate Of the Indigenous proportion of the Kununurra agent, 15 (4.6%) were owned outright, 30 were owned population, 37.7% are aged 14 years or younger through a mortgage (9.1%) and the remaining 39 (ABS 2011). As the regional centre, all of the main (11.9%) were rented through a variety of other means. services are available including a local governing body – the Shire of Wyndham and East Kimberley (SWEK), government and catholic primary and pre- primary schools as well as a government high school. HALLS CREEK All health and emergency services are available Halls Creek has a population of approximately including Kununurra District Hospital and the Ord 1443 (ABS 2011), with 74.6% Indigenous. The Valley Aboriginal Health Service (OVAHS). There main language groups are Gija, Kriol, Jaru, Kukatja, is also a range of health and welfare services that Gooniyandi, Walmajarri, Wanyjirra, Wangkajunga people from across the region come to access. Other and Ngardi. facilities include an art centre, airstrip, aged care Of the Indigenous people living in Halls Creek to facility, emergency women’s shelter, swimming pool, respond to the latest Census (ABS 2011), 335 (33%) Community Resource Centre, sports facilities and a indicated that they speak an Australian Indigenous shopping centre. Issues include a lack of adequate language at home. English was the only language housing stock numbers, housing affordability, short spoken at home by 63.2% of Indigenous people term accommodation options other than extremely living in Halls Creek. Other languages spoken at expensive hotels and transport to and from other East home included Jaru (17.1%), Kriol (5%), Gija (4.2%), Kimberley communities. Gooniyandi (3.5%) and Walmajarri (1.3%) (Table 8). The median weekly income is $345 for Indigenous and Of the Indigenous proportion of the population, 36.1% $1017 for non-Indigenous. The median household are aged 14 years or younger (ABS 2011). Halls Creek income is $1125 for Indigenous and $1852 for non- is a partially dry community (only selling low strength Indigenous (ABS 2011). The median rent paid by an alcohol) with a number of services including a local Indigenous person living in Kununurra is $140, 40.6% governing body – Shire of Halls Creek, early learning/

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 53 TABLE 7. LANGUAGES SPOKEN AT HOME, KUNUNURRA

Languages spoken at home Kununurra % Western Australia % Australia %

Miriwoong 63 4.7 90 0.1 88 0

Murrinh Patha 28 2.1 30 0 2,410 0.4

Gija 25 1.9 165 0.2 169 0

Jaru 24 1.8 545 0.8 566 0.1

Kriol 15 1.1 1,936 2.8 6,692 1.2

English only spoken at home 1,032 77.3 54,756 78.6 453,895 82.8

(Census Indigenous Area Statistics)

TABLE 8. LANGUAGES SPOKEN AT HOME, HALLS CREEK

Languages spoken at home Halls Creek % Western Australia % Australia %

Jaru 184 17.1 545 0.8 566 0.1

Kriol 54 5 1,936 2.8 6,692 1.2

Gija 45 4.2 165 0.2 169 0

Gooniyandi 38 3.5 103 0.1 106 0

Walmajarri 14 1.3 521 0.7 520 0.1

English only spoken at home 680 63.2 54,756 78.6 453,895 82.8

(Census Indigenous Area Statistics)

TABLE 9. LANGUAGES SPOKEN AT HOME, WYNDHAM

Languages spoken at home Wyndham % Western Australia % Australia %

Gija 8 2 165 0.2 169 0

Other Australian Indigenous 3 0.7 81 0.1 562 0.1 Languages, nec

English only spoken at home 355 86.8 54,756 78.6 453,895 82.8

(Census Indigenous Area Statistics) childcare centre, primary school, high school, catholic The median weekly income is $350 for Indigenous and school which is available from pre-school to year 7, $1005 for non-Indigenous. The median household a health clinic, community store, hospital, art centre, income is $1041 for Indigenous and $1542 for non- airstrip, aged care facility, emergency women’s shelter, Indigenous (ABS 2011). The unemployment rate for swimming pool, community resource centre and sports Wyndham is unknown. The median rent paid by an facilities. Electricity is provided by a power station and Indigenous person living in Wyndham is $118, 33.7% generators. of the median personal weekly income compared to $69 or 6.9% of the median personal weekly income for The median weekly income is $277 for Indigenous and non-Indigenous. $1112 for non-Indigenous. The median household income is $839 for Indigenous and $1789 for non- The average number of persons per bedroom in Indigenous (ABS 2011). The median rent paid by an Indigenous households is 1.5 compared to 1.2 for non- Indigenous person living in Halls Creek is $90, 32.5% Indigenous. The average number of Indigenous per of the median personal weekly income compared to household 3.5 compared to 2.2 for non-Indigenous. $25 or 2.2% of the median personal weekly income for This is approximately half the Indigenous rate reported non-Indigenous. According to Census 2011 data, the during the current Project. Census 2011 reports that unemployment rate for Halls Creek is unknown. 26.6% of households tenanted by Indigenous need 1 or more extra bedrooms compared to 3.2% for The average number of persons per bedroom in non-Indigenous residing here. Of the 97 dwelling Indigenous households is 1.8 compared to 1.1 for non- structures in Wyndham, 20 were privately owned Indigenous. The average number of Indigenous per (20.6%), 52 (53.6%) were rented through the State household 4.2 compared to 2.0 for non-Indigenous. housing authority, eight (8.2%) were rented through a Census 2011 reports that 43.8% of households housing co-operative/community/church group, three tenanted by Indigenous need 1 or more extra (3.1%) were rented through a real estate agent and the bedrooms compared to only 2.9% of non-Indigenous remaining eight (8.2%) were unknown. residing here. Of the 174 dwelling structures in Halls Creek, 139 (79.9%) were rented through the State housing authority, 17 (9.8%) were rented through a housing co-operative/community/church group and BALGO the remaining six (3.4%) were rented through other Balgo has a population of approximately 507 (Census means. 2011), with at least 459 (90.5%) of those Indigenous. Of the Indigenous proportion of the population, 31.6% are aged 14 years or younger (ABS 2011).

WYNDHAM The main language groups here are Kukatja, Jaru, Wyndham has a population of between 787 Ngarti, Warlbiri, Walamjarri, Wangkajunga and Pintupi. (Census 2011) and up to 1100 (community Of those Indigenous residents to take part in the 2011 population estimates), with at least 52.1% of those Census, 392 indicated that they spoke an Australian Indigenous. Indigenous language. Of those 312 (68.1%) speak Kukatja, 42 (9.2%) speak Jaru, 28 (6.1%) speak Warlbiri, At the time of the Census (2011) English was six (1.3%) speak Walmajarri and four (0.9%) speak Kriol. the only language spoken at home by 86.8% Forty-three (9.4%) people indicated that they only of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people speak English at home (Table 10). in Wyndham (Indigenous Areas). Indigenous languages reported to be spoken at home The median weekly income is $263 for Indigenous included Gija 2.0% and Other Australian and $924 for non-Indigenous. The median weekly Indigenous Languages, not easily classified (nec) household income is $1158 for Indigenous and $850 0.7% (Table 9). for non-Indigenous (ABS 2011). The median rent paid by an Indigenous person living in Balgo is $50, 19% of Of the Indigenous proportion of the population, the median personal weekly income compared to no 32.2% are aged 14 years or younger (ABS 2011). rent costs for non-Indigenous living and working in Wyndham has a number of services including a Balgo. The unemployment rate is unknown. local governing body - SWEK, community store, hospital, airstrip, a number of religious/spiritual The average number of persons per bedroom in centres, a swimming pool and sports facilities. Indigenous households is 2.1 compared to 1.2 for non-

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 55 TABLE 10. LANGUAGES SPOKEN AT HOME, BALGO

Languages spoken at home Balgo % Western Australia % Australia %

Kukatja 312 68.1 492 0.7 517 0.1

Jaru 42 9.2 545 0.8 566 0.1

Warlbiri 28 6.1 68 0.1 2,509 0.5

Walmajarri 6 1.3 521 0.7 520 0.1

Kriol 4 0.9 1,936 2.8 6,692 1.2

English only spoken at home 43 9.4 54,756 78.6 453,895 82.8

(Census Indigenous Area Statistics)

TABLE 11. LANGUAGES SPOKEN AT HOME, KALUMBURU

Languages spoken at home Kalumburu % Western Australia % Australia %

Kriol 4 1.0 1,936 2.8 6,692 1.2

Woonambal 3 0.7 7 0.0 7 0.0

Kimberley Area Languages, 3 0.7 12 0.0 17 0.0 nec

English only spoken at home 358 88.6 54,756 78.6 453,895 82.8

(Census Indigenous Area Statistics)

TABLE 12. LANGUAGES SPOKEN AT HOME, TURKEY CREEK

Languages spoken at home Warmun % Western Australia % Australia %

Kriol 133 56.6 1,936 2.8 6,692 1.2

Gija 23 9.8 165 0.2 169 0.0

English only spoken at home 71 30.2 54,756 78.6 453,895 82.8

(Census Indigenous Area Statistics)

TABLE 13. LANGUAGES SPOKEN AT HOME, BILLILUNA

Languages spoken at home Billiluna % Western Australia % Australia %

Jaru 89 36.5 545 0.8 566 0.1

Kukatja 28 11.5 492 0.7 517 0.1

Kriol 16 6.6 1,936 2.8 6,692 1.2

Warlpiri 11 4.5 68 0.1 2,509 0.5

Walmajarri 5 2.0 521 0.7 520 0.1

English only spoken at home 89 36.5 54,756 78.6 453,895 82.8

(Census Indigenous Area Statistics) Indigenous. The average number of Indigenous per Kalumburu, 61 (87.1%) were rented through the State household is six compared to 1.4 for non-Indigenous. housing authority, five (7.1%) were rented through a This is less than one-third the number reported for housing co-operative/community/church group and Indigenous during this Project. Census 2011 reports the remaining four (5.7%) did not provide details about that 65% of households tenanted by Indigenous their tenure. need 1 or more extra bedrooms compared to no such Community members in need of housing are placed requirement for non-Indigenous residing here. Of the on a waiting list that is managed by a Housing 61 dwelling structures in Balgo, 54 (88.5%) were rented Committee which is overseen by Community Housing through the State housing authority, three (4.9%) were Limited (CHL). rented through a housing co-operative/community/ church group and the remaining four (6.6%) were rented through other means. TURKEY CREEK (WARMUN) Warmun has a population of 298 (census 2011) and 636 KALUMBURU (KPHU, with at least 278 (93.3%) of those Indigenous. The main language group here is Gija. Of the Kalumburu has a population of approximately 468 Indigenous proportion of the population, 28% are aged (Census 2011), with at least 405 (86.5%) of those 14 years or younger (ABS 2011). Indigenous. The main language groups here are Kriol and Woonambal. Of the Indigenous proportion of the Census (2011) found that English was the only population, 38.1% are aged 14 years or younger (ABS language spoken at home by 30.2% of Aboriginal and 2011). Kalumburu has a number of services including Torres Strait Islander people in Warmun (Indigenous a clinic, community store, primary school, government Locations). Indigenous languages reported to be services including DCP, WA Police, fuel station, Catholic spoken at home included Kriol 56.6% and Gija 9.8% Church, sealed airstrip, sports facilities and an art centre (Table 12). (Table 11). Warmun is a dry community with a number of services At the time of the Census (2011), English was the including a council/governing body, an early learning only language spoken at home by 88.6% of people and child care centre, primary school, aged care facility, in Kalumburu (Indigenous Areas). Other languages community store, art centre, airstrip, swimming pool spoken at home included Kriol 1%, Woonambal 0.7%, and health clinic. The health clinic has three full-time and Kimberley Area Languages, nec 0.7%. It is noted nurses and a visiting doctor two days per week. A that these percentages do not add up to 100% but they mental health worker and other allied health workers are what is provided by Census 2011. including physiotherapist, occupational therapist and speech pathologist visit approximately every 6 weeks. The median weekly income is $263 for Indigenous and $1145 for non-Indigenous. The median weekly The median weekly income is $157 for Indigenous household income is $733 for Indigenous and $2812 and $979 for non-Indigenous. The median weekly for non-Indigenous (ABS 2011). The median rent paid household income is $657 for Indigenous and $850 for by an Indigenous person living in Kalumburu is $50, non-Indigenous (ABS 2011). Details of the lower rate of 19% of the median personal weekly income compared median weekly household income for non-Indigenous to no rent costs for non-Indigenous living and working is not provided although it would seem likely that in Kalumburu. The unemployment rate is unknown. this may be due to spouses/partners living but not working in the same house. The median rent paid by The average number of persons per bedroom in an Indigenous person living in Warmun is $50, 31.8% Indigenous households is 1.7 compared to 1.0 for non- of the median personal weekly income compared to Indigenous. The average number of Indigenous per no rent costs for non-Indigenous living and working in household is 4.7 compared to 1.5 for non-Indigenous. Warmun. The unemployment rate is unknown. Although high, this is still only 67.1% of the average of seven reported for the East Kimberley Project. The average number of persons per bedroom in Census 2011 reports that 42% of households tenanted Indigenous households is 1.7 compared to 1.0 for non- by Indigenous need one or more extra bedrooms Indigenous. The average number of Indigenous per compared to no such requirement for non-Indigenous household is 6.2 compared to 1.4 for non-Indigenous. residing here. Of the 70 dwelling structures in This figure is comparatively high compared to other communities which is possibly due to the Census

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 57 TABLE 14. LANGUAGES SPOKEN AT HOME, MULAN

Languages spoken at home Mulan % Western Australia % Australia %

Kukatja 95 69.9 492 0.7 517 0.1

Jaru 9 6.6 545 0.8 566 0.1

Walmajarri 6 4.4 521 0.7 520 0.1

Kriol 5 3.7 1,936 2.8 6,692 1.2

Manyjilyjarra 3 2.2 348 0.5 344 0.1

English only spoken at home 15 11.0 54,756 78.6 453,895 82.8

(Census Indigenous Area Statistics)

following an extreme flooding event in Warmun in The average number of persons per bedroom in 2011 which destroyed the majority of houses resulting Indigenous households is 2.2 compared to 1.0 for non- in it having to be nearly completely rebuilt. Census Indigenous. The average number of Indigenous per 2011 reports that 68.2% of households tenanted by household is 5.9 compared to 1.4 for non-Indigenous. Indigenous need 1 or more extra bedrooms compared This is lower than the average level of overcrowding to 15.8% occupied by non-Indigenous persons. Of for the Project cohort however these figures are the 26 dwelling structures in Warmun, 15 (7.1%) were much higher than the Census statistics for other East rented through a housing co-operative/community/ Kimberley communities. Census 2011 reports that 80% church group, eight (30.8%) were rented through a of households tenanted by Indigenous need 1 or more Store or territory housing authority and the remaining extra bedrooms compared to no such requirement three (11.5%) were rented through other means. for non-Indigenous residing here. Of the 21 dwelling structures in Ringer Soak, 18 (85.7%) were rented through the State housing authority and three (14.3%) were owned with a mortgage. Although this data has RINGER SOAK been reported by Census 2011, it would be interesting to know how the information about home ownership (KUNDAT JARU) and mortgages were verified given that local Ringer Soak has a population of approximately 188 intelligences suggest that all houses in Ringer Soak are (Census 2011), with at least 173 (92.0%) of those government owned. Indigenous. Community estimates of the population are as high as 300 and the main language group Jaru. Forty- two per cent of the Indigenous population are aged 14 years or younger (ABS 2011).

Ringer Soak has very limited services including a community store, community resource centre, health clinic, primary school, aged care facility, air strip and two public telephones.

The median weekly income is $265 for Indigenous and $1562 for non-Indigenous. The median weekly household income is $1571 for Indigenous and $3750 for non-Indigenous (ABS 2011). The median rent paid by an Indigenous person living in Ringer Soak is $50, 18.9% of the median personal weekly income compared to no rent costs for non-Indigenous living and working in Ringer Soak. The unemployment rate is unknown. BILLILUNA (MINDIBUNGU) MULAN Billiluna has a population of approximately 258 (ABS Mulan has a population of between 149 (ABS 2011) and 2011) which is consistent with both the KPHU and 194 (KPHU) depending on information sources, with community estimates, of which approximately 94.6% the Indigenous population estimates ranging from 142 are Indigenous. The main language group in Billiluna to 168 (88.5%) people. Of the Indigenous population, is Jaru (36.5%) with other spoken languages including 37% are aged 14 years or younger (ABS, 2011) . Kukatja (11.5%), Warlpiri (4.5%) and Walamjarri (2%) The main language group is Kukatja (69.9%) as well as a (Table 13). smaller number of people speaking English (11%), Jaru Of the Indigenous population, 46% are aged 14 years (6.6%), Walmajarri (4.4%), Kriol (3.7%) and Manyjilyjarra or younger (ABS 2011). It is a dry community that (2.2%) (Table 14). has a number of basic services including a governing It is a dry community that has a number of basic body, crèche, primary school, catholic school up to year services including a governing body, catholic primary 10, a health clinic, community store and an airstrip. school, health clinic, community store and airstrip. Electricity is provided by generators. Electricity is provided by generators and the water The median weekly income is $250 for Indigenous supply is through a community bore. and $366 for non-Indigenous. The median household The median weekly income is $258 for Indigenous income is $749 for Indigenous and $1583 for non- and $624 for non-Indigenous. The median household Indigenous (ABS 2011). The unemployment rate for income is $680 for Indigenous and $2791 for non- Billiluna is estimated to be 31% with 28 community Indigenous (ABS, 2011). No official figures are available members receiving Community Development regarding unemployment rates although there are 37 Employment Program payments. community members receiving payments through the Community health services consist of two part-time Community Development Employment Program. Aboriginal health workers, 2 nurses and a doctor who Community health services consist of two full-time visits weekly. Allied health service providers visit from registered nurses, two part-time Aboriginal health 1-4 times per year. workers, one fortnightly visiting doctor and monthly- There are 56 permanent dwellings in Billuluna of which quarterly visits from allied health service providers. The 47 are managed through a Housing Management nearest health clinic is in Balgo. Agreement with Department of Housing. Of the 38 permanent dwellings in Mulan, 32 of them are managed through a Housing Management Agreement with Department of Housing.

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 59 Appendix 3 WESTERN AUSTRALIA ABORIGINAL HEALTH ETHICS COMMITTEE ETHICS APPROVAL

Western Australian Aboriginal Health Ethics Committee 2 Bulwer Street, PERTH WA 6000 PO Box 8493, Stirling Street, PERTH WA 6849

26th September 2012

Dear Rachelle,

RE: HREC Reference number: 414 Project title: East Kimberley Homelessness Project

Thank you for submitting the above research project which was considered by the WAAHEC at its meeting held on 10th September 2012.

I am pleased to advise that the WAAHEC has granted approval of this research project. WAAHEC approval is granted from 26th September 2012 pending your agreement of the following conditions:

1. Conditions

 The WAAHEC will be notified, giving reasons, if the project is discontinued before the expected date of completion.

 The Coordinating Investigator will provide an annual report to the WAAHEC and at completion of the study in the specified format. This form can be found on the AHCWA website (www.ahcwa.org).

 The approval for studies is for three years and the research should be commenced and completed within that period of time. Projects must be resubmitted if an extension of time is required.

 Copies of any publications that arise from this research are to be given to the WAAHEC prior to release.

 That the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community are formally acknowledged for their contribution to this research project.

2. Amendments

If there is an event requiring amendments to be submitted you should immediately contact [email protected] for advice.

Should you have any queries about the WAAHEC’s consideration of your project please contact [email protected].

The WAAHEC wishes you every success in your research.

Kind regards

Chelsea Bell For Tammy Prouse Chair, WAAHEC

This HREC is constituted and operates in accordance with the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007), NHMRC and Universities Australia Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2007) and the CPMP/ICH Note for Guidance on Good Clinical Practice. The process this HREC uses to review multi-centre research proposals has been certified by the NHMRC.

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 61 Appendix 4 KIMBERLEY RESEARCH SUBCOMMITTEE ETHICS APPROVAL Appendix 5 EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT QUESTIONNAIRES

East Kimberley Homelessness Project - Community Survey

Page One

1. Date of interview

2. Place of interview

3. Gender

Male

Female

4. Age

5. Place of birth

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 63 6. Cultural identity

Aboriginal

Non-Indigenous

7. Where/what country do you call home?

8. What language group do you belong to (if applicable)?

Miriwoong

Gajirrabeng

Gija

Jaru

None

Other

9. What is your main spoken language?

10. Marital status

Single

Separated

Divorced

Defacto

Married

Widow

11. What was your highest year in school?

12. Current employment status

Unemployed on Centrelink allowance

Unemployed on disability allowance

Unemployed no allowances

CDEP

Employed full-time

Employed part-time/casual

Retired

Other * 10. Marital status

Single

Separated

Divorced

Defacto

Married

Widow

11. What was your highest year in school?

12. Current employment status

Unemployed on Centrelink allowance

Unemployed on disability allowance

Unemployed no allowances

CDEP

Employed full-time

Employed part-time/casual

Retired

Other *

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 65 13. Do you receive income from other sources?

Family

Royalties

Native title

Art

Other *

14. How many children do you have and what are their age/s and year/s at school?

Age School year

15. Are your kids staying with you at the moment?

Yes

16. If not, why aren't they staying with you?

Cultural reasons

Not enough room for everyone to stay together

I'm not able to look after them for health/personal reasons

Other *

17. Do you have any health or medical problems?

Heart

Kidney

Liver

Mental health

Diabetes

Hearing related

Eyesight related

Respiratory

Pancreatitis

Other *

18. Are you meant to be taking medication for one or more of these problems?

Yes

No 16. If not, why aren't they staying with you?

Cultural reasons

Not enough room for everyone to stay together

I'm not able to look after them for health/personal reasons

Other *

17. Do you have any health or medical problems?

Heart

Kidney

Liver

Mental health

Diabetes

Hearing related

Eyesight related

Respiratory

Pancreatitis

Other *

18. Are you meant to be taking medication for one or more of these problems?

Yes

19. If yes, do you take the medication?

Yes, always

Most of the time

Sometimes yes, sometimes no

Not very often

Never

20. On average, how many drinks do you have each day?

I don't drink

21. Where are you living at the moment? EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 67

My own house

My rented house

With friends/family

In a vacant house/building

Supported accommodation

Crisis accommodation/shelter

Long grass / street

Other * 19. If yes, do you take the medication?

Yes, always

Most of the time

Sometimes yes, sometimes no

Not very often

Never

20. On average, how many drinks do you have each day?

I don't drink

21. Where are you living at the moment?

My own house

My rented house

With friends/family

In a vacant house/building

Supported accommodation

Crisis accommodation/shelter

Long grass / street

Other *

22. What type of dwelling is it (if applicable)?:

House

Unit

Vacant house/building

Improvised shelter *

Caravan

No shelter

23. Do you consider yourself to be homeless?

Yes

24. Do you have a home somewhere else?

Yes

25. If yes, how would you describe your living arrangements/tenancy agreement at your home?

I own/mortgage the house

I rent a housing privately through a landlord/real estate agent

I rent a house through Home West

I rent a house through Community Housing/Department of Housing

I rent a house through GROW 22. What type of dwelling is it (if applicable)?:

House

Unit

Vacant house/building

Improvised shelter *

Caravan

No shelter

23. Do you consider yourself to be homeless?

Yes

24. Do you have a home somewhere else?

Yes

25. If yes, how would you describe your living arrangements/tenancy agreement at your home?

I own/mortgage the house

I rent a housing privately through a landlord/real estate agent

I rent a house through Home West

I rent a house through Community Housing/Department of Housing

I rent a house through GROW

26. Why aren’t you staying there at the moment (if applicable)?

Medical reasons

Cultural reasons

I don’t feel safe staying there

I’m on my way to another place

Visiting family/friends somewhere else

I have been kicked out

Other ______*

27. How long have you been staying where you are now?

28. How many bedrooms does this place have (if applicable)?

29. How many sleep in that house/place at night?

Men *

Women *

Children *

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 69 26. Why aren’t you staying there at the moment (if applicable)?

Medical reasons

Cultural reasons

I don’t feel safe staying there

I’m on my way to another place

Visiting family/friends somewhere else

I have been kicked out

Other ______*

27. How long have you been staying where you are now?

28. How many bedrooms does this place have (if applicable)?

29. How many sleep in that house/place at night?

Men *

Women *

Children *

30. Where do you sleep?

Bed alone

Bed with someone

Mattress on the floor

Lounge

Verandah

Car

Ground

Other ______

31. Do you feel safe sleeping there?

Always

Most of the time

Only sometimes

Not very often

Never

32. Why do you feel unsafe in the place that you are living at the moment (if applicable)? 33. How many people in the house/place that you stay drink or smoke ganga?

Everyone

Most people

Some people

Not very many

No-one

34. What is the general condition of the house/place that you stay?

Excellent

Very good

Average – needs some repairs

Poor – needs a lot of repairs and maintenance

Very poor – uninhabitable

35. Do you have access to clean running water?

Yes, always

Most of the time

Sometimes yes, sometimes no

Not very often

Never

36. Which of the following meals did you eat yesterday?

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

37. Is this a typical day of eating for you? EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 71 Very much

Most of the time

Sometimes yes, sometimes no

Not really

Not at all – I normally eat much more/less (circle)

38. Are you happy living the way you are at the moment?

Very happy

Mostly happy

A mix of both

Not very happy

Very unhappy

39. Why do you think so many Aboriginal people in the East Kimberley are living in overcrowded houses/places? 40. What are some of the good things that are happening for people who are homeless or living in overcrowded houses/places?

41. What needs to change for people who are homeless or living in overcrowded houses/places?

42. What could be done to stop other people from becoming homeless?

43. Is there anything else you would like to say? EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT - GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE SURVEY

Page One

Page description: This survey is part of the East Kimberley Homelessness Project which aims to define the nature and extent of homelessness in the East Kimberley region, with a view to informing the development of the East Kimberley Homelessness Plan. This plan is part of the larger Implementation Plan in relation to the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness between the Commonwealth of Australia and Western Australia. The results of this Project will directly shape the Homelessness Plan.

Given that the majority of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in the East Kimberley are Aboriginal, the definition for homelessness will incorporate that used by AHURI (2010) which goes beyond the widely used prima ry, secondary and tertiary definitions for homelessness. The definition to be used in this Project will be Indigenous specific and include those who are affected by spiritual homelessness; overcrowding; relocation and transient homelessness; escaping from unsafe and unstable homes; and lack of access to stable shelter.

We are seeking views and input from a large range of stakeholders and community members utilising separate questionnaires as well as face-to-face consultations with individuals. This particular survey has been designed for Government department employees who are working in the East Kimberley region who are working either directly or indirectly with people who are homeless, at-risk of homelessness or impacted upon by one of these groups.

When considering your responses to the question s in the survey, please consider homelessness in the broad context, including those who are homeless due to spiritual/cultural reasons, because of overcrowding, as a result of having to travel to access services, escaping from an unsafe or unstable home or because of a lack of available stable shelter.

Thank you for your time in completing this survey and please don't hesitate to contact the Project's Executive Coordinator Rachelle Irving by email [email protected] or by telephone on 0400 672 937.

1. Date of interview:

2. Place of interview:

3. Person interviewed including position:

4. Department: EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 73

5. Location:

6. Which level of government are you working for?

Commonwealth

State government

Local government

Other 2. Place of interview:

3. Person interviewed including position:

4. Department:

5. Location:

6. Which level of government are you working for?

Commonwealth

State government

Local government

Other

7. Who are your target clients?

Indigenous affairs

Housing

Employment

Health

Mental health

Drug and alcohol

Child protection

Environment

Children and families

Sports and recreational activities

Education and training

Emergency services

Justice

Other

8. Do you think homelessness is a problem in the East Kimberley region?

Definitely

Somewhat

Unsure

Not really

Not at all 7. Who are your target clients?

Indigenous affairs

Housing

Employment

Health

Mental health

Drug and alcohol

Child protection

Environment

Children and families

Sports and recreational activities

Education and training

Emergency services

Justice

Other

8. Do you think homelessness is a problem in the East Kimberley region?

Definitely

Somewhat

Unsure

Not really

Not at all

9. How would you rate homelessness as an area of responsibility for your department?

Very high priority - it requires urgent and ongoing attention

High priority - it requires immediate and ongoing attention

Moderate priority - there is some need for attention

Low priority - there isn't much need for attention

Very low priority - there is no need for any attention from us

10. How well do you think your department communicates with other departments and service providers when working with clients who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness?

Extremely well

Quite well

Alright but improvements could be made

Not very well

Never

11. Do you think your department could do a better job of contributing to the coordinated care of clients who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness?

Definitely

Probably

Sometimes

Not really

Not at all EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 75 9. How would you rate homelessness as an area of responsibility for your department?

Very high priority - it requires urgent and ongoing attention

High priority - it requires immediate and ongoing attention

Moderate priority - there is some need for attention

Low priority - there isn't much need for attention

Very low priority - there is no need for any attention from us

10. How well do you think your department communicates with other departments and service providers when working with clients who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness?

Extremely well

Quite well

Alright but improvements could be made

Not very well

Never

11. Do you think your department could do a better job of contributing to the coordinated care of clients who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness?

Definitely

Probably

Sometimes

Not really

Not at all

12. What do you think are the main reasons for homelessness in your area of the East Kimberley region?

Lack of housing

Inappropriate housing

Lack of maintenance and repair on existing houses

Inappropriate transient/temporarly housing availability

Cultural reasons/obligations

People are escaping from unsafe/unstable environment/s

Other

13. What do you think are the barriers/issues leading to people being homeless or at-risk of homelessness in your area of the East Kimberley region (e.g. Halls Creek, Wyndham)?

14. What needs to be done to solve the problem of homelessness in your area of the East Kimberley region? 12. What do you think are the main reasons for homelessness in your area of the East Kimberley region?

Lack of housing

Inappropriate housing

Lack of maintenance and repair on existing houses

Inappropriate transient/temporarly housing availability

Cultural reasons/obligations

People are escaping from unsafe/unstable environment/s

Other

13. What do you think are the barriers/issues leading to people being homeless or at-risk of homelessness in your area of the East Kimberley region (e.g. Halls Creek, Wyndham)?

14. What needs to be done to solve the problem of homelessness in your area of the East Kimberley region?

15. Are you aware of any examples/models where positive changes have occurred for people who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness?

16. Is there anything else that you would like to say?

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 77 EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT - NGO/SERVICE PROVIDER SURVEY

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Given that the majority of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in the East Kimberley are Aboriginal, the definition for homelessness will incorporate that used by AHURI (2010) which goes beyond the widely used primary, secondary and tertiary definitions for homelessness. The definition to be used in this Project will be Indigenous specific and include those who are affected by spiritual homelessness; overcrowding; relocation and transient homelessness; escaping from unsafe and unstable homes; and lack of access to stable shelter.

We are seeking views and input from a large range of stakeholders and community members u tilising separate questionnaires as well as face-to-face consultations with individuals. This particular survey has been designed for Non-Government Organisations that are working in the East Kimberley region who are working either directly or indirectly with people who are homeless, at-risk of homelessness or impacted upon by one of these groups.

When considering your responses to the questions in th e survey, please consider homelessness in the broad context, including those who are homeless due to spiritual/cultural reasons, because of overcrowding, as a result of having to travel to access services, escaping from an unsafe or unstable home or because of a lack of available stable shelter.

Thank you for your time in completing this survey and please don't hesitate to contact the Project's Executive Coordinator Rachelle Irving by email [email protected] or by telephone on 0400 672 937.

1. Date of interview:

2. Place of interview:

3. Person interviewed including position:

4. Agency/service:

5. Address:

6. Funding source/s

Commonwealth

State government

Local government

Private/corporate sponsorship

Charity fundraising/donations

Fee for service

Other 2. Place of interview:

3. Person interviewed including position:

4. Agency/service:

5. Address:

6. Funding source/s

Commonwealth

State government

Local government

Private/corporate sponsorship

Charity fundraising/donations

Fee for service

Other

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 79 7. Services delivered

Language and cultural activities

Domestic violence including crisis support services

Mental health services

Alcohol and other drug services

Emergency accommodation services

Child and youth services

Sports and recreational activities

Rehabilitation services

Employment

Diet and nutrition

Emergency services (police/fire/ambulance)

Womens health and wellbeing

Mens health and wellbeing

Tenancy support services

Financial counselling

Housing services other (please describe)

Other 8. Who are your target clients?

Indigenous

Non-indigenous

Women

Men

Elderly

Children and youth

Families

Homeless

General population

Other

9. Using the broad definition in the survey introduction, what percentage of your clients would you estimate are homeless?

10. Do you think homelessness is a problem in the East Kimberley region?

Definitely

Somewhat

Unsure

Not really

Not at all

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 81 11. How would you rate homelessness as an area of responsibility for your organisation?

Very high priority - it requires urgent and ongoing attention

High priority - it requires immediate and ongoing attention

Moderate priority - there is some need for attention

Low priority - there isn't much need for attention

Very low - there is no need for any attention from us

12. How well do you think your organisation communicates with other agencies when working with clients who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness?

Extremely well

Quite well

Alright but improvements could be made

Not very well

Never

13. Do you think your organisation could do a better job of contributing to the coordinated care of clients who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness?

Definitely

Probably

Sometimes

Not really

Not at all 14. What do you think are the main reasons for homelessness in your area of the East Kimberley region?

Lack of housing

Inappropriate housing

Lack of maintenance and repair on existing houses

Inappropriate transient/temporarly housing availability

Cultural reasons/obligations

People are escaping from unsafe/unstable environment/s

Other

15. If you identify someone who is homeless or at-risk of being homeless, is there a process in place whereby you communicate with other relevant agencies about this person?

Yes

16. If yes, what is that process?

17. What do you think are the barriers/issues leading to people being homeless or at-risk of homelessness in your area of the East Kimberley region (e.g. Halls Creek, Wyndham)?

18. What needs to be done to solve the problem of homelessness in your area of the East Kimberley region?

EAST KIMBERLEY HOMELESSNESS PROJECT 83

19. Are you aware of any examples/models where positive changes have occurred for people who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness?

20. Is there anything else that you would like to say? 17. What do you think are the barriers/issues leading to people being homeless or at-risk of homelessness in your area of the East Kimberley region (e.g. Halls Creek, Wyndham)?

18. What needs to be done to solve the problem of homelessness in your area of the East Kimberley region?

19. Are you aware of any examples/models where positive changes have occurred for people who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness?

20. Is there anything else that you would like to say?

RACHELLE IRVING MARCH 2014