A joint keynote at the National First Nations Housing & Homelessness Forum

Homes on Country, led by Community

Earlier this month in Melbourne, Debbie Avery from The Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO) and Pam Jackson and Stephen Woodlands from Head Start Homes were honoured to deliver a joint keynote at the National First Nations Housing & Homelessness Forum on expanding Pathways to First Nations Home Ownership.

But the bigger story was the one happening across the whole three days.

Community-controlled organisations are leading. Cultural design is being embedded. And there is growing recognition of our People before Property approach and that a home is far more than a roof - it is the foundation for belonging, health, wellbeing, education, economic participation and connection to Country.

Home ownership belongs in that conversation. For many families it is the step that turns stability into security, and security into something that can be passed on.

What we shared came from work we do together: The AHO's Aboriginal Home Buyer Saver grants, including Home Buyer Booster, Deadly Deposit and The AHO Tenancy Plus, alongside Head Start Homes' guarantee and empowerment products and services.

We also shared our newer and emerging models - Affordable Rent-to-Buy, Equity+, and the pathway pioneered in Moungibi (Burketown) with Burke Shire Council and Westpac, which has already helped First Nations tenants in the Gulf buy their own home.

None of it works alone. It works because government, community and industry sit at the same table and stay there.

Thank you to Salus Events, to the First Nations Advisory Board, and to every speaker and delegate who shared their knowledge so generously.

There is a long way to go. But when communities lead, the solutions are already there.

#FirstNationsHousing #HomeOwnership #PeopleBeforeProperty #HomesOnCountry #HeadStartHomes #AboriginalHousingOffice #NationalFirstNationsHousingHomelessnessForum