NSW Aboriginal Housing Office Annual Report 07/08 NSW Aboriginal Housing Office Annual Report 07/08 NSW Aboriginal Housing Office Level 6, 33 Argyle Street Parramatta NSW 2150 Phone: 02 8836 9444 Fax: 02 9635 3400 Email: [email protected] Web: www.aho.nsw.gov.au BUSINESS HOURS: 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday excluding public holidays. ISSN 1442-9624 Cover Image: The Miller family with Trevor Pattern (Mindaribba LALC), Doug Gordon (Cardiff Property Services) and their new home. The painting, by Lorraine Brown and artists from the Coomaditchie Artists Cooperative is titled, “Campsites and Walking trails of the East Coast Kooris”. This painting represents the connection of the Aboriginal Missions stretching from La Perouse to Nowra and showing how we are all connected. This artwork was created as part of a series of panels that were on display outside the Wollongong City Art Gallery for the 1993 World Indigenous People’s Conference. DISCLAIMER: Any representation, statement, opinion or advice, expressed or implied in this publication is made in good faith but on the basis that the State of NSW, its agents and employees are not liable (whether by reason of negligence or otherwise) to any person for any damage or loss whatsoever which has occurred or may occur in relation to that person taking or not taking action in respect of any representation, statement or advice referred to above. Annual Report 2007/2008 Contents 2 Letter to the Minister 3 Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO) role 4 Chairperson’s report 6 Chief Executive Officer’s report 8 The Board 10 Significant Achievements 2007/08 12 Finance Summary 13 Report on Key Performance Areas 13 Housing Services 14 Strengthening Aboriginal Housing Sector Capacity 16 Relationship Management 17 Corporate Capability 18 Regional reports 19 Regional Acheivements 20 Northern Region 21 Sydney/South Eastern Region 23 Western Region 26 Financial reports 36 Appendices 56 Contact details 57 Index of tables 57 Index 1 The Hon. David Borger MP Minister for Housing Parliament House Macquarie Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 31 October 2008 Dear Minister Aboriginal Housing Office 2007/08 Annual Report I am pleased to submit the Annual Report for the Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO) for the year ending 30 June 2008, for tabling in Parliament. The Report was prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Act 1984 and is submitted in accordance with Section 9A of that Act. Our Report details the achievements of the AHO and provides all required statutory and financial information. Following the Report’s tabling in Parliament, it will be available for public access on the AHO website www.aho.nsw.gov.au Yours sincerely Russell Taylor Chief Executive Officer Aboriginal Housing Office 2 Financial Report 2007/2008 Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO) role The AHO is a statutory authority, established under the NSW Aboriginal Housing Act 1998 to provide housing assistance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples1 and increase the range of housing choices, especially for those most in need. In addition, the AHO manages and coordinates an annual capital works program, along with developing and implementing financial and resourcing strategies. Underpinning all planning is a strong commitment to the principles of self determination and self management, articulated through inclusive, fully consultative planning. At the same time, the AHO actively promotes employment opportunities for Aboriginal people, both within the AHO and through opportunities for tradespeople and trainees with contracted Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal building companies. The AHO is committed to the primary aim of The State Plan – A New Direction for NSW to deliver better results for the people of NSW. This Plan is committed to ‘strengthening Aboriginal communities’ and provides an overarching influence and direction in all planning and service delivery. The Vision of the AHO The AHO’s vision is that all Aboriginal people living in NSW will have access to appropriate, affordable, quality housing. We will achieve this vision by ensuring that we continue to provide support to a sustainable housing sector through accessible, culturally appropriate and affordable housing for the Aboriginal people of NSW. 1 In this Annual Report the term Aboriginal means Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 3 Chairperson’s Report The Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO) 2007/08 Annual Report highlights the achievements, the challenges and the plan to implement major reforms across the Aboriginal community housing sector in NSW. We at the AHO have been challenged in our plans to grow the number of houses for our people and are putting in place strategies to address the long term repairs and maintenance needs of Aboriginal community housing. We know that the NSW government and the Australian government accept that there are very high housing needs for ALL Aboriginal people in NSW. It is critical that all Governments work collaboratively with the AHO to support our efforts to address the acute needs within the sector. The AHO commissioned the NSW Aboriginal Social Housing Needs Gap 2006-2011 Report and this Report identifies that NSW has, and will continue to have, a large number of Aboriginal people especially young Aboriginal families. These people/ families will be severely disadvantaged in gaining access to housing. The robust data provided in the Report identifies the unmet housing needs. Overcoming the tremendous disadvantage experienced by Aboriginal people in relation to housing, health, employment and education, to mention but a few is a priority for State and Federal governments. Appropriate housing and related infrastructure services are pivotal to improving the well-being of Aboriginal people. This Annual Report provides an important insight into the scale of funding required in remote, rural and urban areas of NSW in order to close the gap between the supply of social housing and the demand for it. Even with such funding uncertainty, it is pleasing to note that the AHO has continued to focus on improving the housing conditions of Aboriginal people in NSW by delivering both a capital program for new houses and a repairs and maintenance program to improve existing housing. Just as important the AHO has remained focussed on the very essential work of reforming the Aboriginal housing sector. Our strategic priorities have always been to ensure there are sustainable services, sustainable growth and sustainable assets within the NSW Aboriginal community housing sector. We remain on track to achieve these priorities through our reform agenda. Reform in our sector is a long, hard process that requires constant and sensitive engagement with our diverse communities and organisations and a willingness and capacity on our part, 4 Financial Report 2007/2008 representing the government, to engage with communities The Board dedicated its time this past year to influencing and negotiate and implement locally appropriate strategies. people from all sections of government and non Self-determination and self-management is critical to government agencies and advising that the AHO is facing achieving genuine reform of the sector. up to the challenges in Aboriginal housing and that the AHO is best positioned with the skills, competence and This year the AHO has achieved a 10-year milestone. We character required to give leadership to the substantial believe that we have made much headway in reforming changes that are needed. I thank the Board members for the Aboriginal community housing sector and lifting their commitment and participation. the standard of AHO properties (formerly Housing NSW), but that there is still much work ahead to do. As for any Over the coming 12 months the AHO will continue to agency, we will continue to strive to improve our service build partnerships and identify practical steps to ‘close the delivery of programs to the sector. I am confident that gap’ on Aboriginal housing inequality. We are committed overall our legislation and governance is sound and that to work with governments, Aboriginal organisations and our community accepts our organisation’s roles and overall communities and many other groups in order to improve directions. An important part of our administrative model the housing circumstances for our people. is that we have an effective regional presence in the areas where Aboriginal people are concentrated in NSW and a planning process that engages and consults with the community through our Regional Aboriginal Housing Committees. We are blessed to have many committed workers at the Tom Slockee AHO and I thank them for their diligence and persistent and Chairperson hard-working efforts. An example of their good work is the NSW Aboriginal Housing Office Board NSW Standards for Governance and Management of Aboriginal Housing. The AHO and the NSW Aboriginal housing sector achieved a national first in the development of governance and management standards specifically designed for the Aboriginal housing sector of NSW. The standards establish the type and quality of services expected of an Aboriginal Community Housing Provider. 5 Chief Executive Officer’s Report The 2007/08 year under review has been one of great uncertainty for the NSW Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO) and has required significant effort to ensure that our activities have continued to be focused on improving the living conditions of Aboriginal people in NSW. In my contribution to this Report, I will highlight some of the significant issues and outcomes we have achieved. As noted in last year’s Annual Report, the NSW and Australian Governments are re-negotiating the funding arrangements for Aboriginal housing in NSW following the expiry of both the Indigenous Housing Infrastructure Agreement (IHIA) and the Commonwealth State Housing Agreement (CSHA) on 30 June 2008. While negotiations are still continuing, the AHO has been advised by the Australian Government that funding as per the expired IHIA and CSHA would be provided for a further six months.