www.firstnationstelegraph.com
Bourke families new home owners by Georgie Hinrichsen 25 December 2013
A
long term vision of Murdi Paaki Regional Enterprise Corporation CEO Janelle Whitehead has been realised recently as two Bourke families move into their new homes as part of an Indigenous Home Ownership Model project managed by MPREC. Frustrated by seeing dilapidated, sub-standard social housing in remote communities and fly-infly-out building operators leaving no training, skills or economic development within these towns, MPREC went about formulating a new housing model, selecting the Bourke community for its trial. Ms Whitehead pulled together a team of heavy-weights to assist, including major corporate Lend Lease, Bourke Aboriginal Community Working Party (with well respected leaders Alistair Ferguson and Phil Sullivan), an Indigenous Building Company Murdi Paaki Building, Australian Integrated Training, Australian Government (FaHCSIA), Bourke Public School and the community to create a model which encompassed a complete suite of wrap-around services, not a one-off building of a house. “Education is the key. Educating the community in areas such as financial security and independence, budgeting, maintaining a home and nutrition all serve part of a wider plan to develop resilient and knowledgeable home owners. It is not just a house. Home ownership is a big deal and should be treated as such. Assisting families to get off social housing and into their
MPREC CEO Janelle Whitehead (second from left) with Craig McDowell, IBA, (far right) and Bourke family. Image supplied
own home is a life-long dream which most thought was never achievable”, said Ms Whitehead. “Many remote communities have experienced the effects of fly-in-fly-out contractors who do not leave any skills within these communities, nor do they train or use an Indigenous workforce. Our model proved you can use an Indigenous Building company, train local job seekers and engage experienced local contractors, all in one” she added. Lend Lease brought critical expertise to the project through conducting community meetings to ensure the design of these houses were right for the prospective owner’s needs and climatic conditions. Lend Lease also initiated efficient “green” ideas to
keep future costs down. Murdi Paaki Building, a leading Indigenous Building company, built the houses using an Indigenous workforce and to the brief and specifications of the communities. Two local families were assisted with finance through an Indigenous lending institution and are now living in their modern homes in Bourke. A far cry from the outdated, poorly designed social housing models commonly on offer. “I couldn’t be happier with the result” added Ms Whitehead. “We have proven that real changes can be made in remote communities and that this Model can be replicated across Australia. We just need some other communities and new supporters to come to the party to support this new way forward” she said.
Page 1