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Section 2 - Victorian Aboriginal Rental Housing Program

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2.1 Introduction

• the inheritance of 216 properties in 1974 from the ex-Victorian Department of Aboriginal Affairs;
• from over one hundred properties purchased from that date to 1980 with Department of Aboriginal Affairs funds; and
• from then onwards by housing stock purchases made under the Commonwealth/State Housing Agreement, Aboriginal Housing yearly funding allocation. As at 30th June, 1996 the number of Aboriginal housing stock properties provided under the Victorian Aboriginal Rental Housing Program total 932.

All such housing stock properties are permanent rental accommodation for Aboriginal families only.

In order to actively encourage Aboriginal home ownership the Aboriginal Housing Board will normally favorably consider requests received from Aboriginal Rental Housing Program tenants who wish to purchase their rental property. The Department of Human Services criteria for "Sale of Properties to Tenants" will apply (ie. nil rental arrears, etc.) but excluding minimum tenancy period and area embargo limits.

2.2 Aboriginal Housing Revolving Fund Account

• All expenditure from the Revolving Fund Account to receive prior approval from the Aboriginal Housing Board at its meeting;
• The Department of Human Services to consult with the Board on any matters relating to the Revolving Fund Account;
• The Board is to prepare an estimate of funding required from the Revolving Fund Account during April of each year. A final estimate which will include specific targets is to be provided by the Board to the Department of Human Services by no later than the third week of May of each year;
• The Department of Human Services to formally recognise the proceeds of sales involving Aboriginal housing stock properties as Aboriginal Housing Revolving funds;
• The Department of Human Services to provide to the Board a detailed monthly report on the income and expenditure of the Revolving Fund Account;
• Any income derived from the investment of funds from the Revolving Fund Account is to be placed back into the Revolving Fund Account;
• In order that the Revolving Fund Account has a continuous balance of funds, the Board to set an annual amount that is to remain in the account and which cannot be expended.
• The Board to regularly review expenditure out of the Revolving Fund Account so that adjustments can be made, when necessary.
• When a property is sold and the sale funds are placed into the Revolving Fund Account, such funds are to be used to meet the costs of a replacement property within the same region that the property was located.

2.3 Cross Cultural Awareness Programs

One of the issues included in the Boards response dated April, 1988 was the need for Cross Cultural Awareness Programs for Department staff. The rationale for Cross Cultural Awareness Programs is that an important element for the success of Aboriginal staff in the workplace is that people with whom they are working with are sensitive to Aboriginal culture. Moreover, Cross Cultural Awareness Programs ensures that the Department of Human Services provides a culturally sensitive service to the Aboriginal community. However, due to other administration and management priorities it was not until early 1991 that the Board agreed to a pilot Cross Cultural Awareness Program in Geelong.

During the finalizing of the program it became increasingly obvious that some sort of guidelines were required, consequently draft guidelines were presented to the Board for endorsement at its 16th April, 1991 meeting. The guidelines also received ratification from the Ministry of Housing and Construction late 1991 and the Ministry's Aboriginal Housing Section assumed responsibility for implementing and co-ordinating Cross Cultural Awareness Programs for Departmental staff.

As of May, 1996 Aboriginal Housing Services Unit, Department of Human Services is responsible for organising and conducting three compulsory Cross Cultural Awareness Programs per year around the state.

Aims

The aims of the Cross Cultural Awareness Program are:-

• to raise awareness of Aboriginal culture and increase the understanding of cross cultural issues in the workplace
• to foster relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal staff
• to provide to participants with specialist advice and information on aspects of Aboriginal housing
• to enable participants to gain an understanding of issues of importance to the Aboriginal community

Guidelines

The following lists the guidelines for Aboriginal Housing Cross Cultural Awareness Programs:-

• The Aboriginal Housing Board directs the development of Cross Cultural Awareness Programs for Department of Human Services personnel. The Aboriginal Housing Board is the recognised Aboriginal Advisory body to the Department of Human Services. Further the Aboriginal Housing Board is a specialist statewide Aboriginal housing organisation.
• Victorian Aboriginal culture belongs to Victorian Aboriginal people. Only Victorian Aboriginal people can decide how and what information on our culture is to be presented in Cross Cultural Awareness Programs.
• Local Aboriginal community members must be involved in Cross Cultural Awareness Programs.
• Cross Cultural Awareness Programs must take into account the availability Board Members, Aboriginal Housing Services Officers and local Aboriginal community members.
• The venues for Cross Cultural Awareness Programs must be arranged in consultation with the local Aboriginal community organisation.
• Aboriginal speakers and nominated Aboriginal community venues must be paid by the Department at the appropriate rate.
• Cross Cultural Awareness Programs are about non-Aboriginal people learning from Aboriginal people. They are not about non-Aboriginal people studying Aboriginal people.
• The Aboriginal Housing Board must provide final endorsement of any Cross Cultural Awareness Programs for Department personnel.
• Aboriginal Housing Services Unit, Department of Human Services to evaluate Cross Cultural Awareness Programs.
• Aboriginal Housing Services Unit, Department of Human Services to organise and conduct Cross Cultural Awareness Programs under direction of the Aboriginal Housing Board and regional Board Member.

2.4 Equal Employment Opportunity and the Department of Human Services

In 1977 the Commonwealth government established a National Employment Strategy for Aboriginals (NESA) as a policy and program framework to deal with the issues of Aboriginal Employment and Training Programs and the report of that committee (Miller Report) led to the Commonwealth governments adoption in 1986 of the Aboriginal Employment Development policy.

In Victoria, the Aboriginal Employment Development Policy was co-ordinated by the Aboriginal Employment Unit of the Victorian Public Services Board. Following the abolition of the Victorian Public Services Board in 1993 the Aboriginal Employment Unit is now located within the state Aboriginal Affairs, Victoria office.

The Board fully supports the development of employment and training programs specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

2.5 Land Rights and Compensation

The Board does not believe that the ownership of Victorian Aboriginal Rental Housing Program properties is an issue that should be included in the Victorian Aboriginal Land Rights and Compensation debate. Although title to all Victorian Aboriginal Rental Housing Program properties is held by the state through the Department of Human Services, the successful implementation of the Forward Plan will ensure that title to such properties will eventually be transferred to Aboriginal community ownership.

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