Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: a focus report on housing and homelessness

Publication

Release Date: 29 Mar 2019

Topic: Housing assistance

AIHW

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2019) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: a focus report on housing and homelessness, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 04 October 2023. doi:10.25816/5ebc9fccfa7db

APA

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2019). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: a focus report on housing and homelessness. Canberra: AIHW.

MLA

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: a focus report on housing and homelessness. AIHW, 2019.

Vancouver

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: a focus report on housing and homelessness. Canberra: AIHW; 2019.

Harvard

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2019, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: a focus report on housing and homelessness, AIHW, Canberra.

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This report examines the profiles of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in both the housing and homelessness sectors over time, using multiple data sources and visualisation tools.

Historically, Indigenous Australians have been over-represented among clients seeking homelessness and social housing services. This report shows that the housing situation of Indigenous Australians has improved—with rises in home ownership and housing provided through the private rental market, and falling levels of homelessness.

ISBN: 978-1-76054-504-8(PDF) 978-1-76054-505-5(Print)
DOI: 10.25816/5ebc9fccfa7db
Cat. no: HOU 301
Pages: 136

Findings from this report:

Since 2001, Indigenous home ownership has risen 6 percentage points to 38% of Indigenous households in 2016
More than 23,000 (1 in 28) Indigenous Australians were homeless on Census night 2016

At a glance

This report examines changes in the housing status of Indigenous Australians across the housing continuum, from those housed through to the homeless. The report focuses on financial stress and overcrowding and services and assistance provided to relieve these housing stresses.

All data are available in the PDF report and data tables.

This report also contains state/territory, Indigenous Regions (IREGs) and Statistical Area Level 4 breakdowns, and an interactive housing outcomes data visualisation.

PDF report table of contents Expand

1. Introduction

Background
Data sources

2. Indigenous housing profile

Policy response to housing affordability and overcrowding
Housing tenure
Geographical trends in Indigenous tenure
Overcrowding in Indigenous households

3. Housing stress and financial assistance

Housing affordability and financial stress
Financial assistance

4. Indigenous households in social housing

Social housing and Indigenous households
New housing allocations and tenure length
Social housing dwelling standards and tenant satisfaction

5. Homelessness among Indigenous Australians

Types of homelessness
Characteristics of the homeless
Indigenous people in marginal housing

6. Indigenous Australians seeking homelessness services

Specialist homelessness services
Number of Indigenous people who sought help
SHS client characteristics
Priority groups
Indigenous SHS clients by state and territory
SHS clients by presenting unit type
Why people are seeking help
Services needed and provided
Housing status of Indigenous SHS clients
Geographical trends in changes in SHS clients’ homelessness status
Indigenous clients returning for assistance in 2017–18

Appendix A: Data quality statements

A.1 Census of Population and Housing
A.2 Specialist Homelessness Services Collection
A.3 Housing assistance data collections

Appendix B: Data scope and quality

Appendix C: Technical notes

C.1 Census of Population and Housing
C.2 Specialist Homelessness Services Collection
C.3 Housing assistance data collections
C.4 Number of households receiving financial assistance

Appendix D: Geography methods

End matter: Acknowledgments; Abbreviations; Symbols; Glossary; References; List of tables; List of figures; Related publications;