New SA body to improve Aboriginal housing needs

The South Australian State Government has announced $2.5 million over five years to help establish a new peak body to tackle Indigenous homelessness.

The South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Network (SAACCON) is to assist Aboriginal housing needs and help develop a housing sector that provided houses and support services such as tenant management.

As of last month there were about 13,530 tenants living in about 5340 Aboriginal households in tenancies managed by the SA Housing Trust.

SA Housing Trust Head of Aboriginal Housing Cheryl Axelby-Keeffe said a State peak body was first identified in the SA Aboriginal Housing Strategy 2021-2031.

SA Housing Trust Head of Aboriginal Housing Cheryl Axelby-Keeffe.

“Housing is more than a shelter for Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander people. It’s about connection to country, kinship and wellbeing,” she said.

Ms Axelby-Keeffe said a housing peak body was especially important with most recent national figures from the 2021 census showing about one in five Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are homeless.

Struggling community

“We have a great number of Aboriginal Torres, Strait Islander peoples who struggle out there in the private sector for a number of reasons, and particularly find it difficult to access private housing, so we still have a long way to go,” she said.

“That’s why I think the opportunities for Aboriginal community housing bodies into the future will reduce some of those pressures for our people.”

Unlike other States, SA does not currently have an Aboriginal housing provider.

SAACCON co-convenors Christine Thyer and Scott Wilson said they welcomed the investment and that the work would have positive social and economic impacts for the State.