Infrastructure

The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC) recognised the need for culturally appropriate housing and funding for roads and infrastructure, regarding it as foundational to the health, wellbeing, and justice outcomes for Aboriginal people. The commissioners emphasised that housing design should reflect the cultural needs of Aboriginal people, the need for support for infrastructure innovation in remote areas, and equitable funding for roads and services. The underlying principle was that Aboriginal people should not be forced into unsafe or unsuitable housing models. Infrastructure investments must be designed with, not for, Aboriginal communities.

Victoria has made some progress, including the launch of the Mana-na woorn-tyeen maar-takoort housing framework (2020), transfer of housing stock to Aboriginal Housing Victoria (AHV), and programs like the Big Housing Build, which allocated 10% to Aboriginal-specific housing. However, In many cases, ACCOs face limitations due to regulation, funding constraints, or lack of true design control. Reports from the community describe housing that fails to meet the needs of Elders, families with disabilities, or kinship obligations, and highlight systemic issues with delays in maintenance, lack of solar infrastructure, and energy inefficiency that drives up living costs.

The AJC continues to advocate for systemic change, stressing that Aboriginal people must be meaningfully engaged in the design and location of housing and infrastructure, and that genuine cultural safety can only be achieved when communities have real power in shaping their built environments.