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| 'We are begging for housing': the crisis in Indigenous communities | 'We are begging for housing': the crisis in Indigenous communities |
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| “With non-Indigenous people everyone got their own house,” says Doris Lewis. “Indigenous people we’re all squashed up in one little house. We told government many times about this problem.” | “With non-Indigenous people everyone got their own house,” says Doris Lewis. “Indigenous people we’re all squashed up in one little house. We told government many times about this problem.” |
| Lewis, a Warlpiri woman who has lived her whole life in Lajamanu, has three generations living in her house, including her husband, two sons, one daughter-in-law, and her granddaughter. | Lewis, a Warlpiri woman who has lived her whole life in Lajamanu, has three generations living in her house, including her husband, two sons, one daughter-in-law, and her granddaughter. |
| It’s above the average for Lajamanu, a central desert community of about 600 people which, according to the 2016 census, has an average of 4.5 occupants per household – one of the Northern Territory’s highest rates. Lajamanu dwellings have an average 2.9 rooms. Nationally, there are 2.6 people sharing 3.1 rooms in each household. | It’s above the average for Lajamanu, a central desert community of about 600 people which, according to the 2016 census, has an average of 4.5 occupants per household – one of the Northern Territory’s highest rates. Lajamanu dwellings have an average 2.9 rooms. Nationally, there are 2.6 people sharing 3.1 rooms in each household. |
| “Everyone was living in overcrowded houses, and we’re not happy. I supposed that’s everywhere, in other communities as well. That’s the biggest issue in every Aboriginal community,” says Lewis. | “Everyone was living in overcrowded houses, and we’re not happy. I supposed that’s everywhere, in other communities as well. That’s the biggest issue in every Aboriginal community,” says Lewis. |
| “The government or whoever is not listening to us. It looks like we’re begging them for new houses. This is our own land, we are the first people of Australia, and they don’t look at it, they just treat us as dirt.” | “The government or whoever is not listening to us. It looks like we’re begging them for new houses. This is our own land, we are the first people of Australia, and they don’t look at it, they just treat us as dirt.” |
| The median family income in Lajamanu is $612 a week, a little more than a third of the national figure, and what Lewis describes as “peanut money”. Unemployment is high but engagement with Centrelink is comparatively low. Most homes are public housing. | The median family income in Lajamanu is $612 a week, a little more than a third of the national figure, and what Lewis describes as “peanut money”. Unemployment is high but engagement with Centrelink is comparatively low. Most homes are public housing. |
| “We are begging government for work, for housing, we’re begging and begging,” says Lewis. “Most of our people passed away now. It’s us mob fighting. When are the government mob going to understand?” | “We are begging government for work, for housing, we’re begging and begging,” says Lewis. “Most of our people passed away now. It’s us mob fighting. When are the government mob going to understand?” |
| The community, which is 90% Indigenous, is one of many to be dealing with overcrowding. | The community, which is 90% Indigenous, is one of many to be dealing with overcrowding. |
| A Guardian Australia analysis of census data, using the variables of average household size and persons per bedroom as indicators, suggests improvements in the levels of Indigenous overcrowding at a national level since 2006. | A Guardian Australia analysis of census data, using the variables of average household size and persons per bedroom as indicators, suggests improvements in the levels of Indigenous overcrowding at a national level since 2006. |
| The analysis found as the Indigenous proportion of the population rises, so too does average household size and persons per bedroom. That trend has become less pronounced since the 2006 census. | The analysis found as the Indigenous proportion of the population rises, so too does average household size and persons per bedroom. That trend has become less pronounced since the 2006 census. |
| The analysis suggests that overcrowding in Indigenous communities is more likely than in non-Indigenous communities. | The analysis suggests that overcrowding in Indigenous communities is more likely than in non-Indigenous communities. |
| Census data also shows that Indigenous people are more likely to live in a house with three or more people and are more than twice as likely to live in a house with six, seven or eight people. | Census data also shows that Indigenous people are more likely to live in a house with three or more people and are more than twice as likely to live in a house with six, seven or eight people. |
| Georgina McLeod has lived in Kalkarindji for more than 30 years, where the census showed an average of 4.7 people in each dwelling and 1.8 in each room. | Georgina McLeod has lived in Kalkarindji for more than 30 years, where the census showed an average of 4.7 people in each dwelling and 1.8 in each room. |
| McLeod says the reality is different and some houses have four or five families, each one living in a single room. | McLeod says the reality is different and some houses have four or five families, each one living in a single room. |
| “They have their fridge in their bedroom because that’s the only way they can keep their food safe from anyone else who may be in the house. Then that’s not safe because someone hungry comes along and breaks into that room.” | “They have their fridge in their bedroom because that’s the only way they can keep their food safe from anyone else who may be in the house. Then that’s not safe because someone hungry comes along and breaks into that room.” |
| She says while some new public housing is under construction, there hasn’t been much in the past 10 years except for accommodation for government workers, teachers, and the like. McLeod said the lack of new buildings for Indigenous residents has affected community morale. | She says while some new public housing is under construction, there hasn’t been much in the past 10 years except for accommodation for government workers, teachers, and the like. McLeod said the lack of new buildings for Indigenous residents has affected community morale. |
| Overcrowding is a widely cited factor at the heart of Indigenous disadvantage indicators, including health, safety and education. | Overcrowding is a widely cited factor at the heart of Indigenous disadvantage indicators, including health, safety and education. |
| Diseases such as scabies are rife in many Northern Territory remote Indigenous communities, with a 2008 studying finding up to 70% of babies infected before their first birthday in some regions. | Diseases such as scabies are rife in many Northern Territory remote Indigenous communities, with a 2008 studying finding up to 70% of babies infected before their first birthday in some regions. |
| In the 10 years since the United Nations expert on housing declared a “crisis” in Indigenous housing in the NT, two major reports have also highlighted the need for improvements, particularly to address child protection issues. It was also frequently raised during the royal commission into the protection and detention of children. | In the 10 years since the United Nations expert on housing declared a “crisis” in Indigenous housing in the NT, two major reports have also highlighted the need for improvements, particularly to address child protection issues. It was also frequently raised during the royal commission into the protection and detention of children. |
| McLeod in Kalkarindji says overcrowding impacts everything “from kids attendance at school, domestic violence, violence in general”. | McLeod in Kalkarindji says overcrowding impacts everything “from kids attendance at school, domestic violence, violence in general”. |
| “And the cleanliness of the house – no one takes ownership of the house because they can’t. If one person tries to instil their rules on how to clean or wipe down the bench, that ends up in blows. Certainly the level of violence in communities I would absolutely [connect with overcrowding]. And depression, mental health, education and health in general. There simply needs to be more housing.” | “And the cleanliness of the house – no one takes ownership of the house because they can’t. If one person tries to instil their rules on how to clean or wipe down the bench, that ends up in blows. Certainly the level of violence in communities I would absolutely [connect with overcrowding]. And depression, mental health, education and health in general. There simply needs to be more housing.” |
| Homelessness Australia says there is currently a shortage of more than 20,000 properties across Australia “that are affordable and appropriate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people”. | Homelessness Australia says there is currently a shortage of more than 20,000 properties across Australia “that are affordable and appropriate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people”. |
| “The shortage of larger, culturally appropriate houses that can accommodate kin and increasingly children in kinship care arrangements means that high numbers of Aboriginal people are in severely overcrowded households.” | “The shortage of larger, culturally appropriate houses that can accommodate kin and increasingly children in kinship care arrangements means that high numbers of Aboriginal people are in severely overcrowded households.” |
| In other words, remote living Indigenous people “live different”, says Doris, and need housing that reflects it. | In other words, remote living Indigenous people “live different”, says Doris, and need housing that reflects it. |
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| The Australian Bureau of Statistic considers severe overcrowding (where four or more extra bedrooms are needed to adequately accommodate people) to be a form of homelessness. It has made up the largest homelessness group for the past three censuses. | The Australian Bureau of Statistic considers severe overcrowding (where four or more extra bedrooms are needed to adequately accommodate people) to be a form of homelessness. It has made up the largest homelessness group for the past three censuses. |
| Indigenous people are 15 times more likely to be sleeping rough or living in improvised dwellings or tents. More than 26,000 were homeless on census night but Homelessness Australia says this could be an undercount as many don’t consider themselves to be “homeless” if they are sleeping on country. | Indigenous people are 15 times more likely to be sleeping rough or living in improvised dwellings or tents. More than 26,000 were homeless on census night but Homelessness Australia says this could be an undercount as many don’t consider themselves to be “homeless” if they are sleeping on country. |
| The organisation said almost one quarter of people supported by specialist homelessness services in 2014-15 were Indigenous, including more than one in four children under 10. | The organisation said almost one quarter of people supported by specialist homelessness services in 2014-15 were Indigenous, including more than one in four children under 10. |
| Efforts to improve housing have included blanket approaches, targeted initiatives and individual projects, and many have been contentious. | Efforts to improve housing have included blanket approaches, targeted initiatives and individual projects, and many have been contentious. |
| A national partnership on remote housing – the Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program (Sihip) – ends in June 2018. The program has been criticised for being expensive, bureaucratic and slow, and there remains $200m in houses yet to be built. | A national partnership on remote housing – the Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program (Sihip) – ends in June 2018. The program has been criticised for being expensive, bureaucratic and slow, and there remains $200m in houses yet to be built. |
| Lajamanu was one of 16 communities identified under Sihip in which 750 new houses would be built at an average cost of $300,000 each. | Lajamanu was one of 16 communities identified under Sihip in which 750 new houses would be built at an average cost of $300,000 each. |
| However a 2010 report by the auditor general found the cost estimate didn’t appear to take into consideration price changes, the high cost of transportation or additional costs like disability access or the increased size in houses required in remote communities. | However a 2010 report by the auditor general found the cost estimate didn’t appear to take into consideration price changes, the high cost of transportation or additional costs like disability access or the increased size in houses required in remote communities. |
| A revised estimate in 2009 increased the cost of a single house to an average of $450,000, but the governments maintained their targets with the same pool of funding. | A revised estimate in 2009 increased the cost of a single house to an average of $450,000, but the governments maintained their targets with the same pool of funding. |
| This year the NT government embarked on a decade-long $1.1bn Indigenous housing project, including $500m for new housing and $200m for upgrades to existing homes to better accommodate more people. | This year the NT government embarked on a decade-long $1.1bn Indigenous housing project, including $500m for new housing and $200m for upgrades to existing homes to better accommodate more people. |
| The “room to breathe” upgrade program has begun and the chief minister, Michael Gunner, said 129 projects were already under way. Targets were based on about 600 new rooms per year, rather than number of houses, he says. | The “room to breathe” upgrade program has begun and the chief minister, Michael Gunner, said 129 projects were already under way. Targets were based on about 600 new rooms per year, rather than number of houses, he says. |
| “We know there is a massive issue,” Gunner tells Guardian Australia. “Sihip ... didn’t get us there towards solving it. We know we need a detailed response to this; you can’t just build three-bedders and four-bedders, you’ve got to do things that respond to local community needs.” | “We know there is a massive issue,” Gunner tells Guardian Australia. “Sihip ... didn’t get us there towards solving it. We know we need a detailed response to this; you can’t just build three-bedders and four-bedders, you’ve got to do things that respond to local community needs.” |
| The NT government has called for the commonwealth to match its $1.1bn funding in the new partnership agreement. The commonwealth has suggested it will be seeking a similar arrangement from states. | The NT government has called for the commonwealth to match its $1.1bn funding in the new partnership agreement. The commonwealth has suggested it will be seeking a similar arrangement from states. |
| “Aboriginal people are still struggling,” says Lewis. “When will the next government listen? It looks like we’re begging them. We belong here, our ancestors didn’t come by boat, they’ve been here always, since the creation. | “Aboriginal people are still struggling,” says Lewis. “When will the next government listen? It looks like we’re begging them. We belong here, our ancestors didn’t come by boat, they’ve been here always, since the creation. |
| “But we want to share this country in a friendly good way, not fighting one another, not criticising one another. We need to be respected too.” | “But we want to share this country in a friendly good way, not fighting one another, not criticising one another. We need to be respected too.” |
| ••• | ••• |
| In reference to the charts, Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) are medium-sized, general purpose areas that are the smallest area for the release of Australian Bureau of Statistics census data. | In reference to the charts, Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) are medium-sized, general purpose areas that are the smallest area for the release of Australian Bureau of Statistics census data. |