- $16.7 million in grant funding awarded to six remote Aboriginal organisations to undertake essential maintenance works
- Maintenance works to upgrade more than 180 dwellings across the Goldfields-Esperance, Kimberley, Pilbara, Mid-West and Gascoyne regions
- Funded through Community Housing Grants program
The State Government has awarded $16.7 million in grant funding to Aboriginal organisations to undertake essential maintenance and upgrade housing in remote areas of Western Australia that will help to extend the lifespan of properties.
The organisations funded under the Community Housing Grants program are:
- Aboriginal Community Housing Limited (ACHL);
- Barrel Well - Echo International Aid Ltd (Barrel Well);
- Jamukurnu Yapalikurnu Aboriginal Corporation (JYAC);
- Kurrawang Aboriginal Christian Community;
- Menzies Aboriginal Corporation; and
- Ngaanyatjarra Council Aboriginal Corporation.
ACHL received $4,298,833 in funding, which will be used for essential maintenance works on 44 of their dwellings in the East Kimberley comunities of Nulleywah and Mirima.
The $2,781,538 in funding awarded to JYAC will be used for essential maintenance works across 25 of their dwellings in the Parrngurr community, located on Martu land in the Pilbara region of WA.
Barrel Well will use their $601,833 in funding to complete essential maintenance works across 11 of their dwellings in Ajana (near Kalbarri) located in the Mid-West region.
The $16.7 million in funding will cover maintenance works including improvements to kitchens and bathrooms, replacement of cabinetry, pest control, waterproofing, flooring and tiling repairs as well as general plaster and tiling works.
These works will enable remote Aboriginal community organisations to build on their commitment to supporting Aboriginal employment and training outcomes in local regional communities.
The grant recipients intend to utilise Aboriginal Business Enterprises throughout the supply chain, with 100 per cent Aboriginal owned businesses to be engaged in undertaking the works funded by the Maintenance Grants Program.
The Remote Aboriginal Communities Maintenance Grant Program is being delivered through the State Government's Community Housing Grants program, designed to support organisations providing social housing in remote areas, and improve the liveability and lifespan of existing housing assets.
The Community Housing Grants program is part of the State Government's $2.6 billion investment in social housing and measures to address homelessness.
As stated by Housing Minister John Carey:
"Our Government is committed to improving outcomes for Aboriginal people living in remote communities and these grants will help to upgrade housing for residents in these regions.
"The Community Housing Grants Program supports organisations that provide social housing in remote areas with maintenance works to improve housing, the lives of community members and to sustain the remote communities in which they live.
"This funding will go towards improving housing conditions for tenants across remote Aboriginal communities and regions."
