The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) today agreed to the renegotiation of the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing.
The renegotiation will enable a more competitive process for allocation of funding by the Commonwealth for capital works and provide strong incentives for the States and the Northern Territory to progress the construction of new housing, repairs and maintenance in remote Indigenous communities over the remaining eight years of this National Partnership.
COAG agreed to the renegotiation following consideration of progress by the States and the Northern Territory on the implementation of the National Partnership.
The Commonwealth has committed $5.5 billion over ten years to address the shocking levels of overcrowding and poor housing conditions in remote communities.
Decent housing is essential for protecting children, improving health, education and employment and re-building positive community norms.
In response to concerns of slow progress on capital works, the Commonwealth has already established an Office of Remote Indigenous Housing in the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and is deploying staff to key jurisdictions to help oversee the rollout of this National Partnership.
The Commonwealth has worked in good faith to agree implementation plans and capital works plans with each jurisdiction. Work that has already been agreed for this financial year will continue under current arrangements.
COAG noted that the Prime Minister has written to Premier's and the Chief Ministers outlining in detail the terms of the negotiation.
Negotiations on the revised agreement will begin as a matter of priority, with a view to the revised agreement coming into effect from 1 July 2010.