National Priority 3

Housing

This priority focuses on discrimination experienced by Indigenous people in seeking and obtaining appropriate housing, particularly in the private housing market.

Access to appropriate and affordable housing is a fundamental human right.

Issues	Actions	Responsibility	Timeline
Housing distress caused by discrimination by real estate agents and landlords.	Develop a program for the delivery of discrimination awareness training in partnership with anti-discrimination agencies, for real estate agents, landlords, public housing providers, tenancy advocates and non government organisations.	State and Territory consumer agencies (acknowledging that in some jurisdictions responsibility for tenancy lies with other government agencies).	July 2006.
Low level of understanding of tenancy rights and obligations.	Recognising that legislation is a matter for governments, State and Territory consumer agencies responsible for tenancy laws will seek to ensure as far as they can that legislation regulating real estate agents includes penalties for non compliance with anti-discrimination laws, including revocation of real estate licenses.	State and Territory consumer agencies responsible for tenancy laws to make appropriate recommendations to government.	July 2006.
	Agencies responsible for tenancy laws to ensure simple information on key rights and obligations under lease agreements is provided to the Indigenous tenant prior to a tenancy.	State and Territory consumer agencies in partnership with agencies responsible for anti-discrimination laws.	Ongoing.
	Agencies responsible for tenancy laws to ensure access to dispute resolution and conciliation processes that are relevant to Indigenous consumers.	State and Territory consumer agencies responsible for tenancy laws.	Ongoing.
	Agencies responsible for anti-discrimination laws to adopt education programs to educate Indigenous consumers about their rights and responsibilities in relation to discrimination and about avenues for resolving complaints.	State and Territory consumer agencies responsible for tenancy laws.	Ongoing.
	States and Territories to recognise that independent advocacy for tenants is necessary and encourage relevant agencies to provide appropriate funding for community based advocacy services to promote tenancy rights and obligations.	All consumer agencies.	Ongoing.
Low level of ownership of homes by Indigenous Australians.	Consumer agencies to provide better and more targeted information to Indigenous consumers about assistance available to purchase homes; including development of a “How To” guide to buying a home and resourcing the non government sector to deliver information about assistance available to purchase homes.	All consumer agencies.	Ongoing.
Indigenous consumers are disadvantaged by the billing practices of utility providers, for example, lack of flexibility for repayments over time options, billing formats not informative or user friendly, billing cycles that are problematic.	States and Territory consumer agencies to encourage utility providers to explore capacity to pay issues when they enforce debts; and to explore other payment options for consumers.	State and Territory consumer agencies in partnership with other government agencies responsible for utilities.	Ongoing.
Some Indigenous consumers are not covered by tenancy laws.	Recognising that legislation is a matter for government, State and Territory consumer agencies responsible for tenancy laws seek to ensure as far as they can that residential tenancy laws apply to all Indigenous tenants.	State and Territory consumer agencies, where necessary in collaboration with other government agencies that fund tenancy services.	Ongoing.