Towards a design framework for remote Indigenous housing
Towards a design framework for remote Indigenous housing Report
AHURI Final Report
- Author(s): Fien, J, Charlesworth, E, Lee, G, Morris, D, Baker, D, Grice, T
- Published: 2008
- Publisher: Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute: RMIT-NATSEM Research Centre
Abstract: The three case study communities in this study are located in Queensland (Palm Island), South Australia (Mimili) and the Northern Territory (Maningrida). All three are culturally, historically and environmentally distinct, and home to three very different communities. However, despite these differences, the communities were found to share many housing problems, due to: their common experiences of remoteness; the legacy of chronic under-funding for housing, infrastructure and services; and the lack of local education, training and employment opportunities. The studies of housing in Mimili, Maningrida and Palm Island identified significant liveability problems related to a lack of concern for core cultural issues, inappropriate settlement planning, the lack of liveability of internal and external spaces, and the ineffective management of the housing process. Most significantly, also, the housing procurement and construction processes in all three communities failed to leave an ‘economic footprint’ in terms of enhanced livelihoods for residents.