Australian Approaches to Accommodating Visitors from Remote Communities to Regional Towns
Australian Approaches to Accommodating Visitors from Remote Communities to Regional Towns Report
Discussion Paper
- Author(s): Western Australian Department of Indigenous Affairs
- Published: 2006
- Publisher: WA Department of Indigenous Affairs
Abstract: Due to a range of reasons, including: lack of suitable accommodation, lack of funds, lack of transport services and personal choice, visitors from remote communities often stay in public areas in town or with family and friends in already overcrowded housing. In some cases, the town’s lack of preparation for these visitors contributes to intractable social, health and environmental problems and generates animosity between residents and visitors and between Indigenous and non-Indigenous town dwellers. This need for local, coordinated responses to this situation has been highlighted by DIA regional offices and by Service Mapping and Gap Analysis reports12 in relation to Port Hedland, Derby and Kalgoorlie. Due to the similarities in their situations, this discussion considers the issues around people living in public places in regional centres and people who are visitors to regional centres from remote communities in tandem.