More culturally safe practices should be implemented to improve the housing services provided for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, a review of the sector in Victoria has said.
The Victorian government released the Social Housing Regulation Review Interim Report on Tuesday, where a swathe of recommendations was included for the sector to facilitate Indigenous self-determination.
Most critical is providing culturally safe standards to be maintained by social housing providers and to provide culturally sensitive, plain information about their role and services.
The proposals come as only one housing provider registered in Victoria is Aboriginal controlled, despite one in four Indigenous Victorians using social housing compared to one in 50 non-Indigenous Victorians.
"Without registration, it is difficult for Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) to access funding for housing stock," the report said.
"Growth in the stock provided by ACCOs would be desirable given the preference of the majority of Aboriginal tenants and prospective tenants for an Aboriginal housing provider."
According to the report, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Victorians access homelessness services at the fastest growth rate in Australia - 10 per cent of homeless Victorians identify as Indigenous.
With the private rental market locking many Indigenous Victorians out because of cost, apparent racism and lack of experience, they often turn to social housing for assistance, the report said.
Deputy chair of Aboriginal Housing Victoria and Noongar woman Daphne Yarram said culturally safe approaches to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are critical in making sure they feel adequately supported.
"Aboriginal tenants need and deserve to know that the organisations that are assisting them, especially when they're at their most vulnerable, [and] consider their cultural safety as a priority," Ms Yarram said.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tenants and staff should feel confident their services are enshrined in a framework that makes the community feel safe and provided for, she added.
"Aboriginal staff who may work in the community housing sector need to be reassured and supported and it be demonstrated that cultural safety is an integral part of the organisation's business," she said.
The review was spearheaded by three independent members appointed by the state government to investigate the policies, standards and governance for the over 85,000 social housing properties in Victoria.
“This review is not just about one particular government program. It recognises that housing is a human right. A safe, stable and affordable home is essential for a good life, whether you are an individual or family," review chair Emeritus Professor David Hayward said.
"Social housing was created for tenants and they need to remain at the centre of how it operates.
“These proposals will bring our social housing system up to date with the best examples internationally and help create foundations for more growth in the number of properties and the success of people’s tenancies. Satisfied tenants make everything else in the system work.”
The board met with 120 organisations and conducted 2,000 surveys with tenants to receive feedback on the review.
The review is set to be finalised in mid-2022, where it will provide the government with a set of public recommendations to be considered for legislation.
