Attended by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and advocates from across the housing and homelessness sector, the event celebrated the hard work and commitment that went into creating NATSIHA and looked forward to it  being a catalyst for an expansion in the community controlled sector.   The Hon Linda Burney MP, Minister for Indigenous Australians sent her congratulations noting that community controlled housing is key to restoring agency and control to First Nations people.

Speakers including Tom Slockee, Ivan Simon and Rob Macfarlane highlighted the task ahead and their hopes for the future. The 2021 Census showed 24,930 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people were estimated to be experiencing homelessness, up 6.4% from 23,437 in 2016. This represents one in five (20.4%) people experiencing homelessness in Australia. Of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experiencing homelessness at the time of the 2021 Census:

• Three in five (60.0%) were living in ‘severely’ crowded dwellings
• Almost one in five (19.1%) were in supported accommodation for the homeless
• Nearly one in ten (9.3%) were living in improvised dwellings, tents, or sleeping out.

Ivan Simon, CEO of NATSIHA, said the NATSIHA was determined to power progress on First Nations housing. “There is an enormous challenge ahead of us but NATSIHA is determined to bring solutions to the table, Housing is at the centre of our lives, and we have an enormous challenge ahead of us to bring solutions to the key challenges of lack of supply of affordable housing and severe overcrowding. We are here for the long haul”

Photo L-R

• Rob McFarlane, COO NATSIHA
• Wendy Hayhurst, CEO CHIA
• Emma Greenhalgh, CEO National Shelter
• Kate Colvin, CEO Homelessness Australia
• Ivan Simon, CEO NATSIHA