Build Homes, Build Wealth: First Nations Communities Need a Seat at the Table
Australia is facing a significant national housing challenge, with governments, industry, and communities all recognising the urgent need for solutions. But within this broader crisis, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities continue to experience some of the most severe and long-standing housing inequities according to NATSIHA Acting CEO Zachariah Matysek.
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Association (NATSIHA) is calling for these perspectives to be central to national reform—because for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, housing is not just about shelter. It is a platform for self-determination, cultural and social wellbeing, and a mechanism to build intergenerational wealth and opportunity.
Barriers like high deposits, limited access to finance, and the lack of culturally appropriate housing models have kept many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families locked out of the housing market for generations. Supporting pathways into home ownership has the potential to shift outcomes, but only if policies are designed with and for First Nations communities.
Labor’s recent announcement of a $10 billion investment to support first-home buyers and remove deposit barriers signals the scale of attention now being given to the issue. These are welcome shifts in the national conversation. But to truly address the housing crisis, reforms must also deliver for those who have been left out the longest. That means ensuring new housing is not only accessible to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander buyers, but also supported by long-term, direct investment into community-led solutions.
As national focus intensifies ahead of the federal election, there is an opportunity to refocus on what works for our communities: housing delivered through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Housing Organisations, grounded in local knowledge and built on trust. These organisations are already responding to unmet need but they require the support, funding, and partnerships to scale and sustain their impact.
NATSIHA is calling for policy and investment that delivers for First Nations peoples across the full housing continuum. That includes:
- Direct investment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Housing Organisations to grow supply and scale
- Dedicated home ownership pathways for First Nations families, supported by culturally safe financial products and brokerage
- Housing models that support intergenerational living and wealth-building, not just individual buyers
- A national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Strategy, co-designed with community and aligned to Closing the Gap
- Accountability mechanisms and clear targets for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander housing outcomes across all national initiatives
- Prioritisation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations in housing investment, in line with Clauses 55a and 55b of the Closing the Gap Agreement
The solutions are known and already in motion in community. If governments are serious about addressing the housing crisis, they must ensure First Nations voices are not only included—but empowered to lead.
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