-----Original Message----- From: Webcentral <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > 28 April 2000 >Housing needs survey to spur State and Federal governments > >ATSIC Commissioner Jenny Pryor says both federal and State governments now >have the opportunity and the information needed to make a serious new >attempt to reduce the shortfall in basic housing, water, sewage and >infrastructure needs of indigenous Australians. > >Commissioner Pryor, who has portfolio responsibility for health and >infrastructure, says the federal and State government s must now respond to >the task in the coming Federal and State budgets. >She says ABS data released yesterday on the housing and infrastructure needs >of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people shows a dire need still >exists. >And that despite evidence of improvements in living conditions in many >communities the size of the task still facing governments remains. > >Now that this definitive data is at hand, this commitment could and should >be made by the next joint meeting of federal and State Aboriginal Affairs >Ministers. > >Commissioner Pryor says she is hopeful that this may happen . > >She said she is encouraged by some of Senator Herron's comments yesterday. > >Senator Herron said that health and housing are pillars of the government's >Indigenous affairs strategy and that there are enormous implications for >governments at all levels in this data. >" The need is indisputable - what we must do now is simply be assured that >we are all heading in the right direction", Senator Heron said. > >Commissioner Pryor said that sounds to me like the minister is looking at >the sort of approach I am advocating from the Aboriginal Affairs Ministers >and from the next round of federal and state budgets. > >I would expect Queensland's Aboriginal Affairs Minister, Judy Spence, and >Housing Minister , Rob Schwarten, to be personally supporting this sort of >approach at these national forums and in their own budget process. > >For our part , ATSIC reaffirms its commitment to work with governments to >put the finishing touches to its 10 year strategic plan for ensuring all >Indigenous families have access to adequate and sustainable living >environments. > >But we can't do it alone, and it won't be done without more funds. > >What we need next is a commitment to more funding to allow ATSIC to complete >the job. >The funds currently available don't allow the backlog of housing needs to be >met while also servicing the growth in demand. >Commissioner Pryor also welcomed the fact that the survey findings show >that ATSIC is making progress towards improving living conditions in >Indigenous communities. >In particular, the impact of ATSIC's housing and infrastructure program. >We have achieved a 25 per cent drop over seven years in the housing that >needed major repairs or replacement. >We've also seen a drop in the rate of overcrowding in remote and rural areas >- the same places that ATSIC has targeted with its housing program. >Released yesterday, the Australian Bureau of Statistics report, Housing and >Infrastructure in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities 1999, >was commissioned and funded by ATSIC and is only the first survey of its >kind since 1992. > > >Contacts: Commissioner Jenny Pryor 0419 702 533 > > > > ------------------------------------------------------ RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznet2%40paradigm4.com.au/
