New team boosts Indigenous housing

Michael Skeene boxes up for a slab at Napranum

A fledgling agency has helped build more than 90 new homes in Queensland's Indigenous communities since it was launched two and a half years ago.

Another 209 houses have been refurbished.

Executive director Allen Cunneen said 46 new houses were built in the 2009–10 financial year, the office's first year of operation.

"This financial year, 45 new houses have been built (to December 31), 151 home refurbishments have been completed and a further 271 home refurbishments are underway.

"I feel proud of our team's contribution to that process."

While new housing has been the office’s most public achievement so far, the focus is also wrestling with the underlying problems of developing Indigenous communities.

Pictured: Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council building manager Thomas Smith (left) and Deputy Mayor Griffith Patrick (right) with Allen Cunneen

"Our main purpose has been to look at and resolve land tenure issues that have prevented the delivery of housing or other development in the past," Allen said.

"Eventually we want to give Indigenous councils and communities the opportunity to determine how they will develop in the future.

"So far, we've overseen surveying work across 15 communities and commissioned consultants to prepare land use planning schemes for 10 communities."

The office has also started negotiating Indigenous land use agreements to help make more land available for housing.

"Everything we're doing at the moment is geared to helping put more houses on the ground and more jobs in communities," Allen said.

Pictured: A new home goes up in Napranum

"But more importantly, we’re giving communities the ability to determine how they develop in the future. And that development is being driven by the network surveying work and preparation of land use planning schemes that we're overseeing.

"Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities will eventually have properly surveyed townships and their own land use planning schemes. Both these things will help lay a solid foundation for future economic and social development."

The state government launched the Cairns-based office in mid-2009, to deliver better housing and development for Indigenous communities"