The New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC), in partnership with the NSW Aboriginal Housing Office, recently handed over the next round of homes built through a federally funded initiative to Narromine and Nyngan Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALCs).

Narromine LALC accepted the keys to a local property on Thursday, July 23, which features a three-bedroom duplex and a two-bedroom duplex. Other projects also recently handed over included two homes in Nyngan and two in Girilambone, both three and two-bedroom duplexes.

These properties join others constructed through the Social Housing Accelerator Fund (SHAF) initiative throughout NSW, which empowers Aboriginal organisations to lead housing projects for their own communities through dedicated grant funding.

The dwellings were constructed on land owned by Narromine and Nyngan LALCs, acquired through the land rights mechanisms established under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act (NSW) 1983 (ALRA).

NSWALC received funding for this project through the NSW Aboriginal Housing Office and the homes were built by Hotondo Homes.

NSWALC Councillor for the Central Region, Cr Grace Toomey, said the housing initiative represents a milestone for the region.

“It is great to see the new housing infrastructure that is about to become available to local Aboriginal communities in the Central Region of NSW,” Cr Toomey said, indicating the project will support future generations and have a long-lasting impact.

“Our communities are in the midst of a housing crisis. In 2017, it was identified that there was a shortfall of more than 24,000 social and affordable dwellings for Aboriginal people in NSW, which is forecast to rise to 65,000 dwellings by 2031.

“Homelessness and housing insecurity can negatively impact health and educational outcomes not only for individuals but also for communities,” Cr Toomey added.

“There is more to do. We are calling on the Government to invest more in providing housing support to Aboriginal communities.”

NSWALC Chair Dr Raymond Kelly said this project demonstrates what can be achieved through the ALRA, currently under threat from the NSW Government’s proposed Crown Lands Management Amendment Bill.

“The handover of these homes in Narromine and Nyngan is a powerful example of what can be achieved through the Aboriginal Land Rights Act,” Dr Kelly said.

“The NSW Government’s proposed Bill would undermine future opportunities for Aboriginal communities to acquire land and deliver housing projects like this,” Dr Kelly concluded, calling for support for the ALR network.