Environmental indicators and analysis

Environmental indicators and analysis

The overall level of home ownership has changed very little since 1994. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Year Book Australia 2003 shows that in 1999-2000, 71 per cent of Australian households were living in their own home, 38 per cent owned their home outright, 20 per cent were renting privately and almost 6 per cent were in public housing. The Commonwealth Bank-Housing Industry Association Housing Affordability Index shows housing affordability is 23 per cent higher than in the late 1980s.

Homelessness continues to present a challenge to all Australian communities. It is affected by a multitude of factors. There is no single estimate of the number of homeless people, but the ABS is refining its methods for application to the 2001 National Census in an attempt to provide an estimate of the number of people who were homeless on Census night.

The demographic profile of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is significantly different from that of the non-Indigenous population. Based on the 2001 Census, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of Australia is estimated to be 460 100, or 2.4 per cent of the total population. The Indigenous population has a much younger age profile than the non-Indigenous population, with a median age of 20 compared to 35 for the whole Australian population. While the Indigenous population is growing more rapidly than the non-Indigenous population, the life expectancy at birth for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males and females is 19 to 20 years lower than that of other Australians.

Research shows strong communities can make a difference to dealing with adverse effects of social and economic change. Community strength is even more important when that community has to respond to disaster. While there is no single model or design for strengthening communities, the enduring approaches appear to be those tailored to local circumstances. Partnerships between communities, government, business and non-government organisations can be effective in developing local solutions and creating a lasting benefit for the community and individuals through opportunities for economic and social participation.

The Stronger Families and Communities Strategy contributes to prevention and early intervention initiatives designed to strengthen and support Australian families and communities, especially families at risk and disadvantaged communities.

Through ex gratia payments, FaCS offered a wide range of assistance and support to victims and families of those who died as a result of the Bali tragedy.

Social justice and equity impact

Performance highlights and policy outlook

Key achievements included:

successful negotiation of the 2003 CSHA with states and territories, which provides grants of around $1 billion per year to state and territory governments for housing assistance to people in need, and sets the strategic objectives for housing assistance. Funding is primarily for public housing as well as for Indigenous housing, community housing and crisis accommodation programs. Funding is directed towards home purchase assistance and private rental assistance.

reducing homelessness through SAAP and the National Homelessness Strategy

successful negotiation of a memorandum of understanding with states and territories to implement the National Gambling Research Program

a strong performance by the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy. Based around an early intervention and prevention approach, the strategy provides opportunities for communities to build strength and capacity through projects that tackle their local issues. In 2002–03, 164 projects were approved under the strategy, of which 104 projects were community-focused (family-focused projects are reported in Outcome 1).

assessing and improving housing-related health issues in 11 remote Indigenous communities across Western Australia, the Northern Territory and the Torres Strait region in Queensland through the Fixing Houses for Better Health (FHBH) Projects.

Work is required to:

negotiate a bilateral agreement with each state and territory on local strategies to implement the 2003 CSHA

complete research and evaluations to inform future policy directions to deal with homelessness

foster a national approach to minimise the harm of problem gambling, including drafting a memorandum of understanding between the Australian Government and state and territory governments to facilitate national research on gambling

ensure the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy continues to support local community and family capacity-building and undertake a review of the program

further improve health related outcomes from Housing services to Indigenous communities by building on and learning from FHBH projects of previous years.

Policy outlook

The policy outlook for Outcome 2 reflects the Government’s commitment to building community capacity for self reliance, encouraging development of local solutions to local problems and through capacity building creating opportunities for economic and social participation within local communities. Outcome 2 future directions will continue to address the barriers to participation, particularly for disadvantaged groups including Indigenous, those at risk of homelessness, sole parents, and people living in rural and remote localities. There will be added emphasis to facilitate partnerships between business, communities and government.

Measures from Portfolio Budget Statements and Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements

Budget measures

Extension of the Family and Community Network Initiative

The Family and Community Network Initiative (FCNI) aimed to improve access to information and services relevant to families and community organisations and to enhance the capacity of communities and services to work together more effectively. An independent evaluation demonstrated that it was achieving its objectives and making a strong contribution to disadvantaged communities in a variety of ways, including networking, leadership, information technology and advocacy projects. The program was renewed with funding of $0.82 million in the 2002–03 Budget and $6 million over the following three years, with priority given to Indigenous Community Coordination Pilot projects. The program in 2002–03 is based on the successes of the first four years.

Portfolio additional estimates statements

Ex gratia payments for victims and family members of victims of the Bali terrorist attacks

The Government provided a wide range of support measures for Australian victims of the Bali tragedy and their immediate families, including assistance with travel, accommodation and funeral costs, access to social workers and other services.

The financial assistance measures covered all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses not covered by insurance or other disaster-related assistance.

Additional funds of $0.51 million were provided in both 2002–03 and 2003-04 to help eligible persons attend part of the Bali bombings trials, which began on 12 May 2003:

Further assistance was provided on a case-by-case basis.

Table 22: Total assistance to victims and families affected by the Bali tragedy, 2002–03

Types of assistance	Activity levels	Clients	Cost
Fare assistance	693	519	$464 288.61
Accommodation	M2	470	$802 800.12
Funeral and memorial expenses	108	106	$384 097.76
Total	1343	1095	$1651186.49

See also the related expense measure titled ‘Funding to the Red Cross Appeal for victims of the Bali terrorist attacks’ following.

Funding for the Red Cross Appeal for victims of the Bali terrorist attacks

The Government donated $1 million to the Red Cross Bali Appeal. The Australian Red Cross provided an important role in channelling appeal funds to community support for victims and families of the Bali tragedy. The appeal has provided emergency assistance and support throughout the first year following the Bali tragedy to the victims and their families. This assistance augmented Australian Government measures.

Additional personal counselling services for drought-affected communities in rural regions

As part of a whole-of-government drought package, the Government provided $2 million for counselling and other support services for people adversely affected by the drought.

FaCS arranged for additional Centrelink Social Workers and Psychologists and 32 counselling organisations with 110 outlets, funded by family relationship service providers, to deliver the services to people in rural and regional communities.

The funding allowed them to make contact with thousands of people. Outreach activities involved attending community meetings, establishing web sites, organising workshops, distributing locally produced information on coping with psychological and social aspects of the drought, and other innovative practices, such as photographic exhibitions, that helped unite communities.

The success of outreach approaches led to a gradual increase in people making appointments for more formal support through counselling.

Given the exceptional circumstances of farm families, all services were provided free of charge. Achievements included:

In the Albury/Wodonga area, social workers and counsellors from Relationships Australia travelled to field days with Financial Information Service Officers.

In Mudgee, Centrelink Social Workers worked with Barnados’ Reconnect, Mudgee Shire Council, Fletchers Fotographics and CTP Graphics to create a ‘Weather the Weather’ photographic exhibition with youth living in drought-affected areas.

Centacare and Relationships Australia in central Queensland concentrated on suicide prevention programs. They made presentations to agricultural groups, attended agricultural expos and field days, staffed information displays at cattle sales, made contributions to rural newspapers and ran information sessions for stock and station agents.

In central Victoria, Relationships Australia, Centacare and Lifeworks conducted family nights, workshops and ‘time-out days’ for farming women, attended men’s ‘BBQ and shearing shed days’, conducted radio interviews and direct-mailed farmers.

In South Australia, Centacare and Relationships Australia gave presentations on effects of stress and parenting in drought-affected areas, participated in radio and TV promotions with local politicians and National Farmers Federation representatives, and ran farm family relationships workshops.

The support services were delivered in an environment where there were significant sensitivities for those affected by the drought, and delivered the services across significant distances.

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