Australian Capital Territory
Housing Assistance (Commonwealth/State Housing Agreement 2003-2008) (Bilateral Indigenous Housing Interim Agreement) Notice 2006*
Notifiable instrument NI2006–8
made under the  
Housing Assistance Act 1987, s 11A (Housing Agreement or Variation)

1	Name of instrument
This instrument is the Housing Assistance (Commonwealth/State Housing Agreement 2003-2008) (Bilateral Indigenous Housing Interim Agreement) Notice 2006.

2	Commencement 
This instrument commences on the day after notification. 

3	Date of Interim Agreement
This instrument notifies the interim Agreement from 1 July 2004 until 30 June 2005.

4	Notification
Copies of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Agreement are available for inspection at the Housing ACT Shopfront, Ground Floor, Nature Conservation House, Corner Benjamin Way and Emu Bank, Belconnen.  Copies are also available in PDF version on http://www.dhcs.act.gov.au/dhcs/Publications.

Sandra Lambert
Commissioner for Housing
21 December 2005

Interim
Agreement

between the Australian Government
and the
Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government

 
Indigenous Housing 
Agreement 

1 July 2004 – 30 June 2005

Australian Capital Territory Interim Agreement 2004/05

Background

The Australian Government, the ACT Government and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) are parties to The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Agreement (‘the Agreement’).  The Agreement will expire on 30 June 2004.

The Agreement acknowledged that improvements were needed in coordinating the provision of housing and infrastructure for Aboriginal people in the ACT to improve housing, health and other social outcomes by reducing duplication of services and promoting resource efficiency.  The Agreement provided for the pooling of the following Indigenous housing and housing related infrastructure funds:

•	Community Housing and Infrastructure Program (CHIP) as identified by the Queanbeyan Regional Council; and
•	Housing funds identified by the ACT Government.

The Australian Government Minister for Indigenous Affairs, in 2003, announced a Separation of Powers which changed the roles and responsibilities of the ATSIC elected arm to a strategic policy role, and created an executive agency, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services (ATSIS), to manage the appropriation of funds.  The Australian Government has since announced reforms to the ATSIC Act that will further impact on the Indigenous Housing Agreements (IHAs).  The proposed changes will remove the ATSIC Board and sunset the Regional Councils at the 30 June 2005.  Until that time Regional Councils will retain their functions and powers which include:

•	formulating a regional plan for improving the economic, social and cultural status of Indigenous residents of each region;
•	to assist, advise and cooperate with Australian Government bodies and State and Territory and local governments in the implementation of the regional plan; and
•	to represent Indigenous residents of their region and act as an advocate for their interests.

From 1 July 2004 CHIP funding will be administered by FaCS.

The Australian Government and the ACT Government remain committed to the vision, principles and outcomes of the Agreement, however they recognise that it will be necessary for some modification of current processes to take place in order to take account of:
•	the proposed changes to ATSIC; and
•	the introduction of new arrangements for the administration of CHIP funds.

Accordingly, the Australian Government and the ACT Government (“the parties”) have agreed to establish interim arrangements for the 2004/2005 financial year and to commit to develop a detailed agreement to commence from 1 July 2005. 
Interim Arrangements for 2004/2005

The Australian Government and the Australian Capital Territory (“the Parties”) agree to establish interim arrangements for the 2004/2005 financial year to achieve the outcomes outlined in the Agreement consistent with the principles, objectives and strategies established by the Australian Housing Ministers in their 10 year Statement of New Directions for Indigenous Housing, Building a Better Future: Indigenous Housing to 2010 (BBF)

For the period 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005 the Parties hereby agree to the following:

•	To maintain the principles and intent of the Agreement;

•	To ensure Indigenous participation in the planning and decision making processes is maintained, resourced and supported;  

•	For the 2004/2005 financial year funding will be made available as agreed by the Parties in consultation with the Queanbeyan Regional Council.  All funding in 2004/2005 will be available for pooling;

•	The Steering Committee membership to comprise of 12 members as follows:

-	One representative each from; the Australian Government; ACT Government; Queanbeyan Regional Council; the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Consultative Council; a nominated representative from the ACT Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs and the Chairperson of the Queanbeyan Regional Council; and
-	In addition a maximum of 6 people in total may be appointed as representatives of the following agencies: the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities; the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community housing providers and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations.  No agency shall have more than 2 representatives.

•	The powers and functions of the Steering Committee will be consistent with Schedule 3 of the current agreement.

•	The Queanbeyan Regional Council is recognised as the peak representative body for Indigenous people in the ACT.  They have a key role in joint planning through the development of a Regional Housing and Infrastructure Plan.

•	Regional Council will develop a Regional Housing and Infrastructure Plan (RHIP) which will:
-	have a strategic focus; 
-	clearly identify outcomes and priorities for the provision of housing and related infrastructure within a Regional Council region;
-	be consistent with the outcomes stated in the Agreement, the Strategic Plan and other policies and planning guidelines determined by the Steering Committee; 
-	provide for the coordination and integration of housing, infrastructure and, where practicable, linked programs across the region; and
-	be reviewed annually.

•	For 2004/2005, the Steering Committee will develop an annual plan based upon the outcomes and priorities contained in the Regional Council RHIP.

•	Any 2004/2005 CHIP funds identified for the ACT will be released upon approval of the Steering Committee Indigenous housing plan by the ACT Minister and the Australian Government Minister for FaCS.  This plan is to be underpinned by an interim IHA.

•	The Steering Committee will report on the achievement of outcomes identified in the 2003/2004 Indigenous housing plan in a manner consistent with the National Reporting Framework.

•	A new agreement will be negotiated by the parties to commence from 1 July 2005.  

•	The new agreement will be outcomes focussed and will be consistent with BBF and the National Reporting Framework.

Signed for and on behalf of the Australian Government by:

The Hon Senator Kay Patterson					)
Minister for Family and Community Services			)
On the      day of            2004						)

Signed for and on behalf of the Government of the Australian Capital Territory by:

The Hon. Bill Wood							)
Minister for Disability, Housing and Community Services	)
On the      day of            2004						)