16	Housing
Government plays a significant role in the Australian housing market, directly through housing assistance and indirectly through policies associated with land planning and taxation. The Australian, State and Territory governments share responsibility for housing assistance. Direct assistance includes public and community housing, home purchase and home ownership assistance, Indigenous housing, State and Territory rental assistance (such as State and Territory provided bond loans, guarantees and assistance with rent payments and advance rent payments, relocation expenses and other one-off grants) and Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA).
This chapter focuses on the performance of governments in providing public, Indigenous and community housing under the Commonwealth State Housing Agreement (CSHA) (box 16.1) and CRA. Close links exist between public and community housing services and other government programs and support services discussed elsewhere in the Report, such as:
•	the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program (SAAP), which provides accommodation and other services for homeless people or those at imminent risk of becoming homeless (Report on Government Services 2005 (2005 Report), chapter 15)
•	services delivered by the Australian, State and Territory governments and community organisations to promote independent living, including disability services (see 2005 Report, chapter 13), mental health services  (see  2005 Report, chapter 11) and aged care services, such as, the Home and Community Care Program (see 2005 Report, chapter 12).

Box 16.1	Commonwealth State Housing Agreement	
The CSHA is an agreement made between the Australian, State and Territory governments under the Housing Assistance Act 1996 (Cwlth) to provide strategic direction and funding certainty for the provision of housing assistance. The aim of this agreement is to provide appropriate, affordable and secure housing assistance for those who most need it, for the duration of their need.	
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	Box 16.1	(Continued)	
The 2003 CSHA came into effect on 1 July 2003 and will run until 30 June 2008, and includes bilateral agreements between the Australian Government and each State and Territory government and an overarching multilateral agreement. There are generally separate bilateral agreements for mainstream and Indigenous housing in each jurisdiction. Bilateral agreements are intended to provide greater flexibility for states and territories to respond to their particular housing needs.
A national ten year strategy to improve Indigenous housing, Building a Better Future, was agreed in 2001 by Australian, State and Territory ministers. The State Indigenous Bilateral Agreements are the primary vehicle for implementation of the national Building a Better Future strategy. The desired strategy outcomes are better housing and housing services, more housing, improved partnerships, greater effectiveness and efficiency, and improved performance linked to accountability and coordination of services.
Funding arrangements
The majority of funding under the 2003 CSHA is provided by the Australian Government taking the form of general assistance funding (public housing, home purchase assistance and private rental assistance) and specified funding for identified programs: the Aboriginal Rental Housing Program (ARHP), the Crisis Accommodation Program and the Community Housing Program. The majority of CSHA funding is distributed to State and Territory governments on a modified per person basis, with the State and Territory governments contributing additional funding from their own resources to partly ‘match’ Australian Government funding allocations.
Roles and responsibilities
Under the CSHA, the Australian Government has responsibility for:
•	ensuring the outcomes pursued through the agreement are consistent with broader national objectives, particularly in relation to support for individuals and communities
•	advising State and Territory governments of Australian Government objectives to be achieved under the agreement
•	reporting to the Commonwealth Parliament on performance against agreed outcomes and targets of housing assistance provided under the agreement.
State and Territory governments have responsibility for:
•	developing housing assistance strategies that are consistent with Australian, State and Territory government objectives and that best meet the circumstances of the State or Territory
•	implementing and managing services and programs to deliver agreed outcomes
•	reporting on a basis that enables performance assessment by the Australian, State or Territory governments, based on agreed performance indicators.	
Source: CSHA (2003).	
Public, community and State owned and managed Indigenous housing information has been obtained from the State and Territory governments, except where otherwise indicated. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) collects and collates these data and produces annual data collection manuals and reports. The data manuals and data reports are available from the AIHW web site at www.aihw.gov.au (AIHW 2004b, 2004c and 2004d). This year, most data items for public rental housing and for State owned and managed Indigenous housing were compiled from unit record data under the National Housing Data Repository at the AIHW. CRA data were obtained from the Department of Family and Community Services (DFaCS).
Housing assistance not covered
The chapter does not cover a number of government funded and provided housing services, including:
•	the Crisis Accommodation Program, including the Victorian Transitional Housing Management Program under the CSHA, which provides capital funding for accommodation for homeless people
•	home purchase assistance and private rental assistance provided under the CSHA
•	non-CSHA programs, including those provided by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services/Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Commission (ATSIS/ATSIC)
•	CRA paid by the DVA or the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST)
•	the First Home Owners Grant, provided by the Australian Government and delivered through State and Territory governments
•	some Indigenous housing and infrastructure assistance provided by ATSIS/ATSIC, State and Territory governments, land councils and Indigenous community organisations
•	non-Indigenous community housing not funded under the CSHA.
Indigenous data in the housing chapter
•	regional and remote area concentration of State owned and managed Indigenous housing (per cent), 2004
•	low income and special needs households, as a proportion of all new State owned and managed Indigenous households (per cent), 2003-04
•	households that pay less than market rent and special needs households paying market rent as a proportion of all State owned and managed Indigenous households (new and existing), 30 June 2004
•	new tenancies allocated to State owned and managed Indigenous households with special needs, 2003-04
•	greatest need allocations as a proportion of all new State owned and managed Indigenous housing allocations (per cent), 2003-04
•	gross cost per dwelling, excluding capital costs of State owned and managed Indigenous housing, 2003-04
•	occupancy rates of State owned and managed Indigenous housing, 30 June 2004
•	average turnaround time of State owned and managed Indigenous housing, 2003-04
•	total rent collected as a proportion of total rent charged for State owned and managed Indigenous housing, 2003-04
•	rent charged for State owned and managed Indigenous housing as a proportion of market rent, adjusted for CRA, 30 June 2004
•	overcrowded dwellings of State owned and managed Indigenous housing, 30 June 2004
•	income units receiving CRA, by primary payment type, 2004
•	income units receiving CRA, by income unit type, 2004
•	income units receive CRA, by Indigenous status and geographic location, 2004
•	income units receiving CRA paying less than 30 per cent of income on rent, with and without CRA, 2004
Supporting tables
Supporting tables for data within the housing chapter of the compendium are contained in the attachment to the compendium. These tables are identified in references throughout this chapter by an ‘A’ suffix (for example, table 16A.3 is table 3 in the housing attachment to the compendium). As the data are directly sourced from the Report on Government Services 2005, the compendium also notes where the original table, figure or text in the Report on Government Services 2005 can be found. For example, where the compendium refers to ‘2005 Report, p. 16.15’ this is page 15 of chapter 16 and ‘2005 Report, 16A.2’ is attachment table 2 of attachment 16 of the Report on Government Services 2005.
Service overview
The composition of Australian households is changing. There is an increasing number of smaller households, including a rising number of single person households. The average Australian household size fell from 3.3 people to 2.6 people between 1971 and 2001, while the proportion of single person households increased from 18.1 per cent to 22.9 per cent over this period (ABS 2002a).
The average Indigenous household is larger than the average non-Indigenous household. In 2001, the average non-Indigenous Australian household size was 2.6 people, whereas the average household with at least one Indigenous person was 3.5 people (ABS and AIHW 2003). 
Roles and responsibilities
Each level of government has different roles and responsibilities in housing and housing assistance:
•	The Australian Government provides CRA and shares responsibility with State and Territory governments for housing assistance provided under the CSHA (box 16.1). The Australian Government also influences the housing market through other direct and indirect means, including taxation and home purchase assistance.
•	State and Territory governments provide housing assistance under the CSHA, such as assistance for the homeless, public housing, community housing, Indigenous rental housing, private rental assistance and home purchase assistance. Some also contribute to the delivery of housing assistance through mechanisms such as home lending programs and joint ventures with the private sector. State and Territory governments are also responsible for land taxes, stamp duties and residential tenancy legislation.
•	Local governments implement planning regulations and are sometimes involved in providing community housing.
Size and scope
Housing assistance is provided in various forms, and models for delivering assistance can vary within and across jurisdictions. The main forms of assistance are outlined in box 16.2. This chapter focuses on four forms of assistance: public housing, community housing, State owned and managed Indigenous housing, and CRA. 

Box 16.2	Forms of housing assistance	
There are several main forms of CSHA housing assistance.
•	Public housing: dwellings owned (or leased) and managed by State and Territory housing authorities to provide affordable rental accommodation. The CSHA is the main source of grant funding for public housing, data with internally generated rental revenues and the proceeds of asset sales.
•	Community housing: rental housing provided for low to moderate income or special needs households, managed by community-based organisations that are at least partly subsidised by government. Community housing models vary across jurisdictions.
•	Indigenous housing: State owned housing targeted at Indigenous households (referred to as ‘State owned and managed Indigenous housing’ in this report) and houses owned or leased and managed by Indigenous community housing organisations and community councils in major cities, regional and remote areas.
•	Crisis accommodation: accommodation services to help people who are homeless or in crisis. Services are generally provided by non-government organisations and many are linked to support services funded through SAAP. Sources of government funding include the Crisis Accommodation Program of the CSHA, which provides funding for accommodation, and SAAP funding for live-in staff, counselling and other support services.
•	Home purchase assistance: assistance provided by State and Territory governments to low to moderate income households to help with first home purchases or mortgage repayments.
•	Private rental assistance: assistance funded by State and Territory governments to low income households experiencing difficulty in securing or maintaining private rental accommodation. This assistance may include ongoing or one-off payments to help households meet rent payments, one-off payments for relocation costs, guarantees or loans to cover the cost of bonds, and housing assistance advice and information services. Assistance may be provided by community-based organisations funded by government.
•	The chapter also reports on CRA, which is a non-taxable income support supplement paid by the Australian Government to income support recipients or people who receive more than the base rate of the Family Tax Benefit Part A and who rent in the private rental market.	
Source: CSHA (2003); DFaCS (2003).	
	
	Indigenous housing
Government funded Indigenous housing includes both State managed and community managed housing. The State managed component is generally funded by the ARHP and may be supplemented by untied CSHA funds and State matching funds. Community managed Indigenous housing may be financed from ARHP funds, supplementary State funds, untied CSHA funds, ATSIS/ATSIC funds and funds from other sources.
State owned and managed Indigenous housing
State owned and managed Indigenous housing dwellings are defined as those rental housing dwellings owned and managed by government and allocated to only Indigenous Australians (AIHW 2004b). They include dwellings managed by government Indigenous housing agencies for allocation to Indigenous tenants. There were 12 725 dwellings identified in the 2003-04 State owned and managed Indigenous housing collection (table 16A.6).
State owned and managed Indigenous housing is only one of a number of programs designed to provide housing assistance to Indigenous people. Indigenous Australians are eligible for assistance under Indigenous community managed housing (where community agencies carry out tenancy management functions), the mainstream public and community housing programs, CRA and other government housing programs (both Indigenous specific and mainstream). At 30 June 2004 there were 27 CSHA funded community housing providers that nominated Indigenous people as their primary target group. 
The ACT and the NT are not included in the State owned and managed Indigenous housing data collection. The ACT does not receive funding for, or administer, any Territory owned and managed Indigenous housing programs; in the NT, ARHP funding is directed to community managed Indigenous housing. All Indigenous housing programs in the NT are community managed and administered, and specific management issues (such as eligibility and waiting lists) are the responsibility of Indigenous housing organisations that manage permanent dwellings for people in discrete Indigenous communities. The approaches of these organisations may differ significantly, depending on the size of the organisations, the socioeconomic circumstances of particular communities, and cultural considerations. The Indigenous Housing Authority of the NT allocates funds to the seven ATSIS/ATSIC regional councils in the NT, which in turn allocate funds to those communities most in need. The NT government cannot differentiate between the various funding sources, given its commitment under the CSHA Indigenous Agreement to ‘pool’ all funds earmarked for Indigenous housing and associated infrastructure in the NT.
In NSW, a separate statutory organisation — the Aboriginal Housing Office — is responsible for planning, administering and expanding policies, programs and the asset base for Aboriginal housing in that State. Funding for the office comes from the CSHA, ATSIS/ATSIC and the State Government (in addition to its CSHA commitments).
Some other jurisdictions are increasingly pooling funding but currently report State owned and managed Indigenous housing data separately. Queensland administers a separate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Program, which includes ARHP funds, untied CSHA funds and State funds, and does not report separately against the ARHP component of the program funds (which forms more than one third of total expenditure).
Indigenous community housing
In August 2003 the Housing Ministers Advisory Committee (HMAC) endorsed the National Reporting Framework as the performance indicator framework that would be used to report against both Indigenous community housing and State owned and managed Indigenous housing. The framework includes the State owned and managed Indigenous housing indicators used in this Report.
A national report against a subset of the National Reporting Framework was produced in 2002-03. It was based on data from the 2001 Census, the 2001 ATSIC/ABS Community Housing and Infrastructure Needs Survey (CHINS), CSHA administrative data and additional information provided by states and territories. The 2003-04 report (in preparation) provides national data on a larger number of National Reporting Framework indicators, with less reliance on the Census and CHINS. Consideration is being given to reporting on the National Reporting Framework for Indigenous community housing in future editions of the Report on Government Services.
The data from the ATSIC/ABS CHINS (ABS 2002b) are reported again. The CHINS data provide a snapshot of the sector, covering housing managed by Indigenous community housing organisations, including discrete community councils. Readers should not compare CHINS data and State owned and managed Indigenous housing data. The former is a survey of communities, while the latter are based on household level administrative data. The data from CHINS were collected between March and June 2001, to provide information on all discrete Indigenous communities and Indigenous organisations that provide housing to Indigenous people in urban, rural and remote locations in most states and territories. The response rate was 98.1 per cent for discrete Indigenous communities and 98.6 per cent for Indigenous housing organisations. Trained ABS officers collected information via personal interviews with key community and Indigenous housing organisation representatives. Some results from CHINS are reported in attachment tables 16A.17–16A.20.
Diversity of State and Territory housing assistance operations
State and Territory governments have similar broad objectives for providing housing assistance. Individual jurisdictions, however, emphasise different objectives depending on their historical precedents and ways of interacting with community sector providers. Jurisdictions also face differing private housing markets. These differences lead to a variety of policy responses and associated assistance products. It is important to be aware of all the housing assistance operations in each State and Territory when analysing performance information. 
Appendix A contains information on each State and Territory that may help in interpreting the performance indicators presented in this chapter. State and Territory governments have provided the following additional information on the key operating parameters characterising housing assistance provision in their jurisdictions.
State owned and managed Indigenous housing
Eligibility criteria for access to State owned and managed Indigenous housing are generally consistent with those for public housing once an applicant has been confirmed as Indigenous. Queensland is an exception, having no income or age eligibility limits on State owned and managed Indigenous housing. The management of waiting lists varies across jurisdictions — for example, a number of jurisdictions use the same list for both State owned and managed Indigenous housing and public housing. Terms of tenure are the same as those for public housing for a number of jurisdictions (table 16.1).

Table 16.1	State owned and managed Indigenous housing policy context, 2004a
	NSWb	Vicc	Qldd	WAe	SAf	Tasg	
Eligibility 	
	Income limit per week ($)h	395	339	None	390	585	336	
	‘Other’ asset limits ($)h	None	30 000	None	36 400 in cash	257 500	34 473	
	Minimum age 	18	15	None	18	None	16	
Waiting list	
	Details	Combined with public housing	Combined with public housing	Wait turn	Combined with public housing	Need (Four segment)	Priority, similar to public housing	
Tenure	
	Probationary period	None	None	None	None	6 months	3–6 months	
	Fixed term	3 or 6 months	5 years	None	3 months	None	1–3 years	
	Ongoing	Yes	Lifetime after age 65	Yes	Ongoing	Ongoing after probation	Dependant on housing history	
	Tenancy review	Not regularly	To commence in 2008	None	Annual	None	Fixed term leases reviewed at end of each term	
a At 30 June. b Interest accrued from cash assets is assessed as income. Applicants under the age of 18 years must demonstrate living skills to be eligible for housing. Since November 2002, NSW has introduced renewable tenancies to all public housing tenancies. A fixed term may be offered to clients who have an urgent, short term need for housing but do not meet housing eligibility criteria. Fixed term tenancies are also offered to unsatisfactory former tenants and less than satisfactory former tenants to establish their current ability to sustain a successful tenancy. Tenancies are reviewed as part of normal tenancy management processes. c For households that require major disability modifications, the asset limit is $60 000. Indigenous households generally access long term accommodation through the General Rental program or housing managed by the Aboriginal Housing Board of Victoria. d Ten per cent of applicants can be housed ahead of turn in urgent circumstances. While no formal eligibility review exists, it is an ongoing requirement for clients to meet property ownership limitations. e The income limit for those in north west remote areas is $550 per week. Those aged over 60 years are subject to a cash asset limit of $80 000. f The same definition as the Centrelink asset test threshold at 30 June 2004 for a single person who does not own their own home is used. Includes 21 indigenous households with other special needs (including youth, disability, aged etc.). g For people aged over 55 years the asset limit is $35 000. Applications outside the guidelines may be considered where there are extenuating circumstances in relation to income, asset and age criteria. h Limits are for a single person.
Source: State and Territory governments (unpublished); 2005 Report, p. 16.20, table 16.8.

The proportions of State owned and managed Indigenous housing located in regional and remote areas (using ASGC remoteness areas) are shown in table 16.2. 
Table 16.2	State owned and managed Indigenous housing — regional and remote area concentrations, 2004 (per cent)a, b 
	NSWc	Vicd	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	Aust	
Major cities	40.9	37.7	12.9	29.1	60.6	..	34.1	
Regionale	51.9	61.9	59.6	30.3	25.6	100.0	48.0	
Remotef	7.2	0.4	27.6	40.7	13.8	–	17.9	
a At 30 June. b Under the ASGC remoteness areas. c The number of properties in NSW classified by ASGC is less than the total number of properties reported elsewhere. d In Victoria, the interpretation of the definition of a 'dwelling' varied for providers. Some larger agencies also advised they were unable to provide tenancy units by postcode. For consistency and accuracy, properties have been counted by postcode from the internal administrative system, so the dwelling postcode count will not match the number of tenancy units because group housing program arrangements have multiple tenancies per property. e Comprises inner and outer regional areas. f Comprises remote and very remote areas. – Nil or rounded to zero. .. Not applicable.
Source: AIHW (2004a); table 16A.6; 2005 Report, p. 16.21, table 16.9.
Framework of performance indicators
Public, community and State owned and managed Indigenous housing adopt a common performance indicator framework based on the framework developed for the 1999 CSHA (which ran from 1 July 1999 to 30 June 2003) (figures 16.2, 16.3 and 16.4, pp. 16.23-16.25, 2005 Report). The CSHA framework reflects the national objectives of the agreement to improve the quality of national performance information and to recognise the need for balanced reporting at the national and bilateral levels as outlined in a number of guiding principles (CSHA 1999). 
The new CSHA took effect on 1 July 2003 and will run until 30 June 2008 (box 16.3). Many aspects of this agreement, including the aims and objectives, are similar to those of the previous agreement. The new CSHA places greater emphasis on Australian, State and Territory governments improving housing outcomes for Indigenous people. Governments will work towards improving access to mainstream housing options for Indigenous people living in urban and rural areas. This is the first year that data are reported under the new agreement. Work will be undertaken on the performance indicator framework to reflect changes in the new agreement and to improve the quality and scope of national performance information.

Box 16.3	Objectives for public and community housing under the 2003 CSHA 	
The principles guiding the 2003 CSHA are to: 
1.	maintain a core Social Housing sector to assist people unable to access alternative suitable housing options
2.	develop and deliver affordable, appropriate, flexible and diverse housing assistance responses that provide people with choice and are tailored to their needs, local conditions and opportunities
3.	provide assistance in a manner that is non-discriminatory and has regard to consumer rights and responsibilities, including consumer participation
4.	commit to improving housing outcomes for Indigenous people in urban, rural and remote areas, through specific initiatives that strengthen the Indigenous housing sector and the responsiveness and appropriateness of the full range of mainstream housing options
5.	ensure housing assistance links effectively with other programs and provides better support for people with complex needs, and has a role in preventing homelessness
6.	promote innovative approaches to leverage additional resources into Social Housing, through community, private sector and other partnerships
7.	ensure that housing assistance supports access to employment and promotes social and economic participation
8.	establish greater consistency between housing assistance provision and outcomes, and other social and economic objectives of government, such as welfare reform, urban regeneration, and community capacity-building
9.	undertake efficient and cost-effective management which provides best value to governments
10.		adopt a cooperative partnership approach between levels of government towards creating a sustainable and more certain future for housing assistance
11.		promote a national, strategic, integrated and long term vision for affordable housing in Australia through a comprehensive approach by all levels of government.	
Source: CSHA (2003, p.4).	
	
	The framework reflects the adoption by governments of accrual accounting and depicts the Review’s focus on outcomes, consistent with demand by governments for outcome oriented performance information. The framework also accentuates the importance of equity and draws out the distinction between equity and access. More detail on the general report framework, along with the differences between outputs and outcomes, can be found in chapter 1, the 2005 Report.
Performance reporting for the State owned and managed Indigenous housing
Different delivery contexts, locations and types of client may affect the performance reported in this section. Care thus needs to be taken in interpreting performance indicator results, and the qualifications presented with the data need to be considered. Further, there might have been some difficulties in separating Indigenous housing data from public housing data. Variations in the funding and administration of State owned and managed Indigenous housing across jurisdictions may also influence the comparability of data.
In addition, performance indicator results are not comparable across the public, community and State owned and managed Indigenous housing sections. Some descriptive data on State owned and managed Indigenous housing are included in table 16A.6. (As outlined in 2005 Report, section 16.1, the ACT and the NT are not included in the State owned and managed Indigenous housing data collection.) State owned and managed Indigenous housing dwellings are more likely than public or community housing dwellings to be located in rural or remote areas (table 16.2). 
Outputs
Equity — low income
The first equity indicator reported is ‘low income’ (box 16.4). The data for this indicator is provided on a comparable basis.

Box 16.4	Low income	
‘Low income’ is included as an output indicator of the CSHA’s aim to provide appropriate, affordable and secure housing assistance to people who are unable to access suitable housing. It measures three low income components:
•	new low income households as a proportion of all new households
•	new low income households plus special needs (not low income) households, as a proportion of all new households
•	households paying less than market rent and special needs households paying market rent, as a proportion of all households (new and existing).
High values for these measures indicate high degrees of targeting of low income (and special needs) households.	
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	Box 16.4	(Continued)	
The two household income measures for this indicator are:
•	low income A households — households where all members receive an income equivalent to or below 100 per cent of the government income support benefits at the pensioner rate (Pension rates have been selected for calculating this indicator because they are higher than allowance rates.)
•	low income B households — households with an income above 100 per cent of the government income support benefits at the pensioner rate, but below the effective cut-off for receiving any government support benefits.
Households with incomes below these levels are included in the measure, although they may not necessarily receive income support benefits.
It is not appropriate to use this indicator to compare the performance of public, community and State owned and managed Indigenous housing. State owned and managed Indigenous housing uses a definition of special needs more appropriate to the program. The special needs indicator for public housing includes Indigenous households in the definition of special needs households, so using this definition for State owned and managed Indigenous housing would result in 100 per cent of State owned and managed Indigenous housing households being regarded as having special needs.
The definition also differs for ‘aged’ households: households with a principal tenant aged 50 years or over are considered special needs households for State owned and managed Indigenous housing, while households with a principal tenant aged 75 years or over are considered special needs households for mainstream public and community housing. This difference reflects the lower life expectancy and higher level of illness among Indigenous Australians.	
	
The proportion of new tenancies allocated to low income A households varied in 2003-04 from 94.4 per cent in NSW to 83.3 per cent in Queensland. The proportion of new tenancies allocated to low income A plus special needs (not low income) households varied from 98.1 per cent in Tasmania to 87.5 per cent in Queensland (table 16.3). Table 16A.28, 2005 Report, contains information on both low income A households and low income B households.
Table 16.3	State owned and managed Indigenous housing — low income and special needs households, as a proportion of all new households (per cent)a
	NSWb,c	Vicb,d	Qldb	WAd	SAb	Tasd	Aust	
New low income A households as proportion of all new households	
2000-01	91.3	80.0	81.4	89.3	88.9	76.8	86.5	
2001-02	89.6	88.1	83.1	81.3	87.3	95.5	85.8	
2002-03	91.5	87.8	89.7	89.1	86.5	87.2	89.2	
2003-04	94.4	90.5	83.3	93.5	89.2	89.5	90.6	
New low income A households plus special needs (not low income) households, as proportion of all new households	
2000-01	96.9	83.3	87.0	92.0	97.9	81.7	91.4	
2001-02	92.6	91.7	89.5	84.4	90.1	97.0	89.6	
2002-03	92.9	92.9	94.6	92.1	93.2	92.3	93.0	
2003-04	96.7	96.8	87.5	95.5	92.4	98.1	94.0	
a For details of newly allocated: mixed composition, non-rebated and other households excluded, see table 16A.29. b Data for NSW, Victoria, Queensland and SA are based on a different methodology from that used for their previous years’ data, and a direct comparison of 2003-04 data with previous years for NSW, Victoria Queensland and SA cannot be made. For details of these changes, see the NSW, Victoria, Queensland and SA footnotes in table 16A.7. c Data for NSW for 2003-04 are based on a different methodology from the other data presented and need to be interpreted with caution. For details of these variations, see the NSW footnote in table 16A.7. d Data for Victoria, WA and Tasmania for 2003-04 are not comparable with the other data presented and cannot be directly compared with other jurisdictions’ data. For details of non-comparability, see the Victoria, WA and Tasmania footnotes in table 16A.7.
Source: AIHW (various years), CSHA National Data Reports: Aboriginal Rental Housing Program; table 16A.7; 2005 Report, p.16.59, table 16.17.
The proportion of households paying less than market rent and special needs households paying market rent, as a proportion of all households (new and existing) at 30 June 2004, ranged from 100.0 per cent in WA to 85.6 per cent in Queensland (figure 16.1).
Figure 16.1	State owned and managed Indigenous housing — households paying less than market rent and special needs households paying market rent as a proportion of all households (new and existing)a, b, c, d
	
a At 30 June. b Data for NSW, WA and SA are based on a different methodology from that used for their previous years’ data, and a direct comparison of 2003-04 data with previous years for NSW, WA and SA cannot be made. For details of these changes, see the NSW, WA and SA footnotes in table 16A.8. c Data for Victoria for 2003-04 are not directly comparable to the previous years’ data, and any direct comparison of 2003-04 data with previous years for Victoria need to be done with caution. For details of these changes, see the Victoria footnotes in table 16A.8. d Data for WA for 2003-04 are not comparable with the other data presented and cannot be directly compared with other jurisdictions’ data. For details of non-comparability, see WA footnote in table 16A.8.
Source: AIHW (various years), CSHA National Data Reports: Aboriginal Rental Housing Program; table 16A.8; 2005 Report, p.16.60, figure 16.21.
Equity — special needs
‘Special needs’ is the second equity indicator reported for State owned and managed Indigenous housing (box 16.5). The data for this indicator is provided on a comparable basis.

Box 16.5	Special needs	
‘Special needs’ is an output indicator of the CSHA’s aim to provide appropriate, affordable and secure housing assistance to people who are unable to access suitable housing. It measures the proportion of new tenancies allocated to special needs households. New tenancies are reported as a proxy for all households receiving assistance. Special needs households are those that have either a household member with a disability, or a principal tenant aged 24 years or under, or 50 years or over. A high proportion indicates a high degree of targeting of special needs households.	
(Continued on next page) 	

Box 16.5	(Continued)	
It is not appropriate to use this indicator to compare the performance of public, community and State owned and managed Indigenous housing because the special needs category includes Indigenous people for public and community housing. 	
	
	The proportion of new tenancies allocated to special needs households in 2003-04 varied from 60.3 per cent in Tasmania to 39.5 per cent in SA (figure 16.2).
Figure 16.2	State owned and managed Indigenous housing — new tenancies allocated to households with special needsa, b, c
	
a Data for NSW, WA and SA for 2003-04 are based on a different methodology from that used for their previous years’ data, and a direct comparison of 2003-04 data with previous years for NSW, WA and SA cannot be made. For details of these changes, see the NSW, Victoria, WA and SA footnotes in table 16A.9. b Data for Victoria and Queensland for 2003-04 are not directly comparable to the previous years’ data, and any direct comparison of 2003-04 data with previous years for Victoria and Queensland need to be done with caution. For details of these changes, see Victoria and Queensland footnotes in table 16A.9. c Data for WA for 2003-04 are not comparable with the other data presented and cannot be directly compared with other jurisdictions’ data. For details of non-comparability, see the WA footnotes in table 16A.9.
Source: AIHW (various years), CSHA National Data Reports: Aboriginal Rental Housing Program; table 16A.9; 2005 Report, p.16.61, figure 16.22.
Equity — priority access to those in greatest need
The final equity indicator reported for State owned and managed Indigenous housing is ‘priority access to those in greatest need’ (box 16.6). The data for this indicator is provided on a comparable basis.
The proportion of new allocations to those in greatest need varied for 2003-04, ranging from 80.9 per cent in SA to 2.7 per cent in Queensland (table 16.4). Differences in State housing allocation policies can influence comparability for this indicator. The relatively low level of priority allocations in NSW and Victoria were partly because Indigenous tenants in greatest need are likely to be housed under the State’s general public housing programs.
Box 16.6	Priority access to those in greatest need	
‘Priority access to those in greatest need’ is an output indicator of the CSHA’s aim to provide appropriate, affordable and secure housing to assist people who are unable to access suitable housing. This indicator provides information on whether allocation processes are such that those in greatest need have first access to housing. It measures the proportion of new allocations to those in greatest need. Greatest need households are defined as low income households that at the time of allocation are homeless, in housing inappropriate to their needs, or in housing that is adversely affecting their health or placing their life and safety at risk, or that have very high rental housing costs. 
Table 16.4 shows the proportion of new allocations to those in greatest need by time on the waiting list. Data are provided for tenants waiting less than three months to more than two years. These numbers are not cumulative. A high value for this indicator, particularly for short time frames, represents a high degree of targeting of those in greatest need without these people waiting long periods of time.
This indicator, however, does not provide information on the number of greatest need applicants on the waiting list, or an allocations to those in greatest need as a proportion of all greatest need applicants on the waiting list.
It may not be appropriate to compare the performance of public, community and State owned and managed Indigenous housing in relation to this indicator. In some jurisdictions, different priority allocation guidelines may be used to allocate targeted housing. Priority access for Indigenous people is given through mainstream housing. Further, where allocation is made at the community level, reasons for allocation may not be recorded in information management systems.	
	
	Table 16.4	State owned and managed Indigenous housing — proportion of new allocations to those in greatest need (per cent)
	NSWa	Vic	Qlda	WA	SA	Tas	Aust	
Total for year ending 30 June 2004	15.2	19.4	2.7	22.7	80.9	na	26.5	
Proportion of greatest need allocations to new allocations, by time to allocation	
	<3 months	31.6	21.0	2.7	30.0	71.9	na	36.7	
	3–<6 months	20.4	34.6	12.1	47.3	100.0	na	40.7	
	6 months–<1 year	7.1	26.3	–	11.8	97.5	na	22.8	
	1–<2 years	3.7	16.7	3.7	–	88.1	na	20.0	
	2+ years 	0.9	–	–	–	50.0	na	1.1	
a For details on NSW and Queensland data, see table 16A.10. – Nil or rounded to zero. na Not available.
Source: AIHW (2004a); table 16A.10; 2005 Report, p.16.62, table 16.18.
Efficiency — gross cost per unit and net cost per unit
‘Gross cost per unit’ and ‘net cost per unit’ are the two efficiency indicators for State owned and managed Indigenous housing. Of these, data for gross cost per unit is currently reported. The data for this indicator is provided on a comparable basis. The Steering Committee has identified net cost per unit as an efficiency indicator, but data for this indicator were not available for the 2005 Report (box 16.7). 
Box 16.7	Gross and net cost per unit	
‘Gross cost per unit’ and ‘net costs per unit’ are included as output indicators of the CSHA guiding principle to undertake efficient and cost-effective management. These indicators measure the combined cost of providing assistance per dwelling. Cost per dwelling is broken down into the gross cost to government (administration and operating costs plus capital costs) and the net cost to government (gross cost excluding rents received from tenants).
Only gross cost per output unit is reported for State owned and managed Indigenous housing. The Review of Government Service Provision has identified net cost per output unit for development and reporting in future.
A low cost per dwelling can indicate greater efficiency. Caution must be used, however, when interpreting indicators in this way because the cost per dwelling indicator does not provide any information on the quality of service provided (for example, the standard of dwellings). Caution must also be used when interpreting this indicator because service delivery models differ across jurisdictions.
As with other indicators, it is not appropriate to compare the gross cost per State owned and managed Indigenous housing dwelling with the gross cost per dwelling for public housing (which would be the public housing equivalent of this indicator) because there is greater scope for economies of scale in administration costs with public housing, which is a much larger program overall. 
State owned and managed Indigenous housing dwellings are also more highly concentrated in rural and remote areas where the cost of providing housing assistance is potentially greater. The need to construct culturally appropriate housing (possibly requiring a higher standard of amenities) may also affect the cost per dwelling. Finally, different cost structures may apply to the programs. Construction of dwellings, for example, under State owned and managed Indigenous housing may involve a skills development element to allow for training of apprentices in rural areas.
Care needs to be taken in interpreting the total cost of delivering housing. Administration costs and operating costs, for example, may not capture all costs incurred by government, so the total costs of housing provision could be understated.	
	
	The costs incurred by jurisdictions in providing State owned and managed Indigenous housing include:
•	administration costs (the cost of the administration offices of the property manager and tenancy manager)
•	operating costs (the costs of maintaining the operation of the dwelling, including repairs and maintenance, rates, the costs of disposals, market rent paid and interest expenses)
•	depreciation costs
•	the user cost of capital (the cost of the funds tied up in the capital used to provide State owned and managed housing).
Payroll tax has been excluded from gross cost per output unit calculations for State owned and managed Indigenous housing for the first time this year. Further, depreciation costs and the user cost of capital (capital costs) are not available for reporting on State owned and managed Indigenous housing. The cost per dwelling shown in figure 16.3 represents gross recurrent expenditure (that is, administration and operating costs) per dwelling. Rent received from tenants has not been deducted. In 2003-04 the gross cost per dwelling (excluding capital costs) ranged from $6188 in Queensland to $3425 in Tasmania (figure 16.3). On average, gross cost per dwelling was $5649.
Figure 16.3	State owned and managed Indigenous housing — gross cost per dwelling, excluding capital costs (2003-04 dollars)a, b, c
	
a Payroll tax has been excluded from gross cost per output unit calculations for State owned and managed Indigenous housing for the first time this year. bFor details of Victoria, WA and Tasmania data see table 16A.11. cData for SA for 2003-04 are based on different methodology from that used for their previous years’ data and a direct comparison of 2003-04 data with previous years for SA cannot be made. For details of these changes see SA footnote in table 16A.11’.
Source: AIHW (various years), CSHA National Data Reports: Aboriginal Rental Housing Program; table 16A.11; 2005 Report, p.16.64, figure 16.23.
Efficiency — occupancy rates
The second efficiency indicator reported for State owned and managed Indigenous housing is ‘occupancy rates’ (box 16.8). The data for this indicator is provided on a comparable basis.
Box 16.8	Occupancy rates	
The ‘occupancy rate’ is included as an output indicator of the efficiency of housing utilisation. It is the proportion of dwellings occupied. The term ‘occupied dwelling’ refers to dwellings occupied by tenants who have a tenancy agreement with the relevant housing authority. High occupancy suggests housing is being utilised efficiently, although this indicator needs to be interpreted with the match of dwelling to household size indicator because there could be unused bedrooms. Low occupancy suggests dwellings are underutilised and that there is a high opportunity cost in retaining them. Occupancy is influenced by both turnover and housing supply.	
	
	The proportion of State owned and managed Indigenous housing stock (including untenantable dwellings) occupied at 30 June 2004 ranged from 98.2 per cent in Tasmania to 92.2 per cent in SA (table 16.5).
Table 16.5	State owned and managed Indigenous housing — occupancy ratesa
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WAb,c	SA	Tasb,c	Aust	
2001	98.0	95.4	94.0	96.0	94.3	93.1	95.8	
2002	97.9	96.6	94.6	95.2	91.2	92.7	95.4	
2003	97.6	96.1	94.2	94.4	91.8	95.8	95.2	
2004	98.0	96.7	96.8	94.1	92.2	98.2	96.0	
a At 30 June. b Data for WA and Tasmania for 2003-04 are not directly comparable to the previous years’ data, and any direct comparison of 2003-04 data with previous years for WA and Tasmania needs to be done with caution. For details of these changes, see the WA and Tasmania footnotes in table 16A.12. c Data for WA, and Tasmania for 2003-04 are based on a different methodology from the other data presented and need to be interpreted with caution. For details of these variations, see the WA, and Tasmania footnotes in table 16A.12.
Source: AIHW (various years), CSHA National Data Reports: Aboriginal Rental Housing Program; table 16A.12; 2005 Report, p.16.65, table 16.19.
Efficiency — turnaround time
The third efficiency indicator reported for State owned and managed Indigenous housing is ‘turnaround time’ (box 16.9). The data for this indicator is provided on a comparable basis.

Box 16.9	Turnaround time	
‘Turnaround time’ is included as an output indicator of the time taken to reallocate vacant properties after they have been vacated, acquired or newly constructed. The indicator measures the average time taken in days for vacant dwellings to be occupied. The length of time taken to rent untenanted dwellings affects allocations of housing, waiting times, the length of waiting lists and rent foregone. A low turnaround time suggests efficient housing allocation and asset management. All jurisdictions aim to minimise turnaround times.
This indicator may be affected by changes in maintenance programs and stock allocation processes, and some jurisdictions may have difficulty excluding stock upgrades. Cultural factors may also influence the national average turnaround time for State owned and managed Indigenous housing dwellings relative to public housing dwellings. Following the death of a significant person, for example, a dwelling may need to be vacant for a longer period of time (Morel and Ross 1993). The higher proportion of dwellings in rural and remote areas may also contribute to delays in completing administrative tasks and maintenance before dwellings can be re-tenanted.	
	
	The average number of days for vacant stock to be allocated in 2003-04 varied from 58 days in WA to 33 days in Tasmania (figure 16.4). 
Figure 16.4	State owned and managed Indigenous housing — average turnaround timea, b, c
	
a Data for Queensland for 2003-04 are based on a different methodology from that used for their previous years’ data, and a direct comparison of 2003-04 data with previous years for Queensland cannot be made. For details of these changes, see the Queensland footnotes in table 16A.13. b Data for Victoria for 2003-04 are based on a different methodology from the other data presented and need to be interpreted with caution. For details of these variations, see the Victoria footnote in table 16A.13. c Data for Queensland and WA for 2003-04 are not comparable with the other data presented and cannot be directly compared with other jurisdictions’ data. For details of non-comparability, see the Queensland and WA footnotes in table 16A.13.
Source: AIHW (various years), CSHA National Data Reports: Aboriginal Rental Housing Program; table 16A.13; 2005 Report, p.16.66, figure 16.24.
Efficiency — rent collected
The final efficiency indicator reported for State owned and managed Indigenous housing is ‘rent collected’ (box 16.10). The data for this indicator is provided on a comparable basis.
Box 16.10	Rent collected	
‘Rent collected’ is included as an output indicator of the CSHA’s guiding principle to undertake efficient and cost-effective management. It is the total rent collected as a proportion of the rent charged. A high proportion suggests efficiency in collecting rent. All jurisdictions aim to maximise the rent collected as a proportion of the rent charged.
Differences in recognition policies, write-off practices, the treatment of disputed amounts, and the treatment of payment arrangements may affect the comparability of this indicator’s reported results. Payment arrangements for rent in some jurisdictions mean that rent collected over a 12 month period may be higher than rent charged over that period.	
	
	Rent collected as a proportion of the rent charged in 2003-04 varied from 104.1 per cent in NSW to 97.0 per cent in SA (table 16.6). Payment arrangements for rent in some jurisdictions mean that the rent collected over a 12 month period may be higher than rent charged over that period.
Table 16.6	State owned and managed Indigenous housing — total rent collected as a proportion of total rent charged (per cent)a 
	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SAb	Tas	Aust	
2000-01	99.3	99.5	99.1	101.1	95.0	94.8	98.8	
2001-02	99.9	98.8	97.3	103.0	92.6	99.1	98.5	
2002-03	102.3	98.1	97.2	101.9	107.9	98.8	101.4	
2003-04	104.1	99.8	101.3	103.1	97.0	102.2	101.8	
a Payment arrangements for rent in some jurisdictions mean that rent collected over a 12 month period may be higher than rent charged over that period. b Data for SA for 2003-04 are based on a different methodology from that used for their previous years’ data, and a direct comparison of 2003-04 data with previous years for SA cannot be made. For details of these changes, see the SA footnotes in table 16A.14. 
Source: AIHW (various years), CSHA National Data Reports: Aboriginal Rental Housing Program; table 16A.14; 2005 Report, p.16.67, table 16.20.
Outcomes
Affordability
‘Affordability’ is an outcome indicator (box 16.11). The data for this indicator is provided on a comparable basis.
Box 16.11	Affordability	
‘Affordability’ is included as an outcome indicator of the CSHA’s aim to provide affordable housing to assist people who are unable to access suitable housing. It measures the rent charged to tenants as a proportion of the market rent for each dwelling, adjusted for CRA. A low proportion indicates a high level of subsidy from the State or Territory housing authority over and above CRA. This largely reflects the differing levels of market rent across jurisdictions.	
	
	Across those jurisdictions able to provide data, the rent charged at 30 June 2004 as a proportion of the market rent for each dwelling (adjusted for CRA) ranged from 96.3 per cent in Queensland to 69.5 per cent in Victoria (figure 16.5). Information on the amount of income paid in rent by State owned and managed Indigenous housing tenants as a proportion of income, can be found in table 16A.27.
Figure 16.5	State owned and managed Indigenous housing — rent charged as a proportion of market rent, adjusted for CRAa, b, c, d, e
	
a At 30 June. bFor details of mixed composition, non-rebated and other households excluded, see table 16A.29. c Data for NSW, Victoria and Queensland for 2003-04 are based on a different methodology from that used for their previous years’ data, and a direct comparison of 2003-04 data with previous years for NSW, Victoria and Queensland cannot be made. For details of these changes, see the NSW, Victoria and Queensland footnotes in table 16A.15. d Data for Tasmania for 2003-04 are not directly comparable to the previous years’ data, and any direct comparison for 2003-04 data with previous years for Tasmania needs to be done with caution. For details of these changes, see the Tasmania footnotes in table 16A.15. e Data for Tasmania for 2003-04 are not comparable with the other data presented and cannot be directly compared with other jurisdictions’ data. For details of non-comparability, see the Tasmania footnote in table 16A.15.
Source: AIHW (various years), CSHA National Data Reports: Aboriginal Rental Housing Program; table 16A.15; 2005 Report, p.16.69, figure 16.25.
Match of dwelling to household size
‘Match of dwelling to household size’ is an outcome indicator (box 16.12). The data for this indicator is provided on a comparable basis.
Box 16.12	Match of dwelling to household size	
‘Match of dwelling to household size’ is included as an outcome indicator of the CSHA’s aim to provide housing assistance that is appropriate to the needs of different households, such as household size. It measures the proportion of households where allocated dwelling size is not appropriate due to overcrowding. The indicator uses a proxy occupancy standard based on the size of the dwelling and household structure (see table below). Overcrowding is deemed to have occurred where two or more additional bedrooms are required to satisfy the proxy occupancy standard. 
Proxy occupancy standard for appropriate sized dwelling, by household structure	
Household structure	Bedrooms required	
Single adult only	1 	
Single adult (group)	1 (per adult)	
Couple with no children	2 	
Sole parent or couple with one child	2 	
Sole parent or couple with two or three children	3 	
Sole parent or couple with four+ children	4 	
Source: AIHW (2003).		
A low proportion indicates a low proportion of overcrowded households.
The proxy occupancy standard above may differ from the specific criteria used by State housing authorities to match households to dwelling types, affecting interpretation of this indicator.
Care also needs to be taken in comparing the performance of public housing and State owned and managed Indigenous housing in relation to overcrowding. Two major factors potentially result in an apparently higher incidence of overcrowding in the latter relative to public housing dwellings:
•	differences in Indigenous housing arrangements — for example, several generations living in one house, or visitors having ‘right of access’ in some circumstances (Pholeros, Rainow and Torzillo 1993)
•	the influence of climate and culture — for example, people in rural areas may live outside houses rather than inside, while the proxy occupancy standard does not allow for verandas or larger shared living spaces (Pholeros, Rainow and Torzillo 1993).
The allocation policies of each State housing authority aim to match household size to available dwellings, to avoid overcrowding wherever possible. As household structure changes over time or cultural influences take effect, overcrowding can occur, post-allocation. This indicator does not reveal the proportion of stock that were underutilised.	
	
	Queensland had the highest proportion of overcrowded dwellings at 30 June 2004 (3.3 per cent), while Victoria had the lowest (0.0 per cent) (figure 16.6). More information on overcrowding and underuse for State owned and managed Indigenous housing can be found in table 16A.28.
Figure 16.6	State owned and managed Indigenous housing — overcrowded dwellingsa, b, c, d
	
a At 30 June. b For details of mixed composition, non-rebated and other households excluded, see table 16A.29. c Data for NSW, Victoria and Queensland for 2003-04 are based on a different methodology from that used for their previous years’ data, and a direct comparison of 2003-04 data with previous years for NSW, Victoria and Queensland cannot be made. For details of these changes, see the NSW, Victoria and Queensland footnotes in table 16A.16. d Data for SA for 2002-03 and 2003-04 are not directly comparable to the previous years’ data, and any direct comparison for 2002-03 and 2003-04 data with previous years for SA needs to be done with caution. For details of these changes, see the SA footnotes in table 16A.16.
Source: AIHW (various years), CSHA National Data Reports: Aboriginal Rental Housing Program; table 16A.16; 2005 Report, p.16.71, figure 16.26.
Commonwealth Rent Assistance
Data for CRA recipients are for clients of DFaCS only and generally for the fortnight ending either 6 March 2004 or 11 June 2004. Data exclude those recipients paid rental assistance by, or on behalf of, the DVA or DEST. Centrelink and DFaCS collected data centrally.
Important eligibility requirements for CRA (which is paid automatically once eligibility has been established) are (1) the receipt of an income support payment or more than the base rate of the Family Tax Benefit Part A, and (2) liability to pay rent.
Outputs
Equity — access — primary payment type
The first access indicator is ‘primary payment type’ (box 16.13). The data for this indicator is provided on a comparable basis.
Box 16.13	Primary payment type	
CRA is a demand driven payment that has no benchmark in terms of the mix of customers. The ‘primary payment type’ indicator provides descriptive information only. Access to CRA by primary payment type is included as an output indicator of the CRA objective to provide income support recipients and low income families in the private rental market with additional financial assistance in an equitable manner. This indicator measures the number and proportion of eligible income support recipients receiving CRA, by type of payment received. The level of access experienced by different payment types is influenced by a number of factors, including (but not restricted to) the size of their respective base populations and the levels of home ownership.	
	
	The highest proportion of income units (where income units are analogous to family units, except that non-dependent children and other adults living in the same household are treated as separate income units) receiving CRA at 11 June 2004 were recipients of the Parenting Payment (Single) (21.1 per cent of income units receiving CRA), followed by recipients of the Newstart Allowance (19.3 per cent). These proportions were higher for Indigenous Australians (33.2 per cent and 29.9 per cent respectively). Only 3.2 per cent of Indigenous income units receiving CRA received the Age Pension, compared with 17.1 per cent for all Australians (table 16.7).
Table 16.7	Income units receiving CRA, by primary payment type, 2004a

Primary payment type	
Income unitsb	
Proportion of CRA recipients	
Indigenous income units	Proportion of Indigenous CRA recipients	
	no.	%	no.	%	
Newstart	 182 984	19.3	 7 541	29.9	
Parenting Payment, Single	 200 460	21.1	 8 370	33.2	
Disability Support Pension	 173 825	18.3	 4 303	17.1	
Age Pension	 162 602	17.1	  799	3.2	
Youth Allowance	 87 940	9.3	 1 497	5.9	
Family Tax Benefit	 77 469	8.2	 1 352	5.4	
Parenting Payment, Partnered	 27 492	2.9	  764	3.0	
Other qualifying payments	 36 926	3.9	  565	2.2	
Total	 949 698	100.0	 25 191	100.0	
a At 11 June. Data are for income units receiving CRA who were clients of DFaCS only. Data exclude those paid rental assistance by, or on behalf of, the DVA or DEST. Components may not sum to 100 per cent as a result of rounding. b Income units are classified as the Family Tax Benefit only if neither the person nor partner receives an income support payment. Income units are classified as Parenting Payment (Partnered) only if a partner does not receive an income support payment.
Source: DFaCS (unpublished); table 16A.21; 2005 Report, p.16.73, table 16.21.
Equity — access — income unit type
The second access indicator is ‘income unit type’ (box 16.14). The data for this indicator is provided on a comparable basis.
Box 16.14	Income unit type	
Access to CRA by ‘income unit type’ is included as an output indicator of the objective of CRA to provide financial assistance in an equitable manner. This indicator measures the number and proportion of eligible income support recipients receiving CRA by income unit type. The level of access experienced by different income unit types is influenced by a number of factors, including (but not restricted to) the size of their respective base populations and the levels of home ownership. CRA is a demand driven payment that has no benchmark in terms of the mix of customers. This indicator provides descriptive information only.	
	
	There were 949 698 income units receiving CRA at 11 June 2004. Of these, 25 191 (approximately 2.7 per cent) self-identified as Indigenous. Single people with no children represented approximately 53.7 per cent of income units receiving CRA and 42.3 per cent of Indigenous income units receiving CRA (table 16.8). 
Table 16.8	Income units receiving CRA, by income unit type, 2004a, b

Type of income unit c	

Income units	
Proportion of CRA recipients	
Indigenous income units	Proportion of Indigenous CRA recipients	
	no.	%	no.	%	
Single, no dependent children	 369 998	39.0	 8 024	31.9	
Single, no children, sharer d	 139 796	14.7	 2 636	10.5	
Single, one or two dependent children	 189 543	20.0	 6 890	27.4	
Single, three or more dependent children	 35 709	3.8	 2 176	8.6	
Partnered, no dependent children	 79 333	8.4	 1 155	4.6	
Partnered, one or two dependent children	 90 531	9.5	 2 475	9.8	
Partnered, three or more dependent children	 38 201	4.0	 1 570	6.2	
Partnered, illness or temporarily separated, no dependant children	2465	0.2	62	0.2	
Unknown income unit	 4 122	0.4	  203	0.8	
Total	 949 698	100.0	 25 191	100.0	
a At 11 June. Data are for income units receiving CRA who were clients of DFaCS only. Data exclude those paid rent assistance by, or on behalf of, the DVA or DEST. Components may not sum to 100 per cent as a result of rounding. b Income units are analogous to family units except that non-dependent children and other adults are treated as separate income units (see section 16.6 for more detail). c A child is regarded as dependent on an adult only if the adult receives the Family Tax Benefit for the care of the child. d The maximum rate of assistance is lower for some single persons without dependent children who share accommodation (see the definition of ‘sharer’ in 2005 Report, section 16.6).
Source: DFaCS (unpublished); table 16A.22; 2005 Report, p.16.74, table 16.22.
For all jurisdictions except the NT, the proportion of income units receiving CRA at 11 June 2004 who identified as Indigenous was very close to Indigenous representation in the overall community. The NT had the highest proportion of self-identified Indigenous people receiving the payment (18.3 per cent), while the Indigenous proportion of the NT population was 30.0 per cent. Victoria had the lowest proportion of self-identifying Indigenous people receiving CRA (0.8 per cent) and the lowest Indigenous population as a proportion of the State population (0.6 per cent) (table 16.9).

Table 16.9	Income units receiving CRA, by Indigenous status and geographic location, 2004a
	Unit	NSW	Vic	Qld	WA	SA	Tas	ACT	NT	Austb	
Non-Indigenous											
	Income units	no.	 307 341	 204 291	 225 987	 84 916	 65 257	 22 972	na	 4 550	 923 558	
	In capital city	no.	 168 209	 145 007	 100 319	 65 762	 51 157	 9 746	 8 244	 3 546	 551 990	
	In rest of State	no.	 139 132	 59 284	 125 668	 19 154	 14 100	 13 226	..	 1 004	 371 568	
	Share of all recipients	%	  97.1	  99.2	  96.1	  97.2	  98.2	  96.8	na	  80.7	  97.2	
	Non-Indigenous population, as a proportion of total population	%	  97.9	  99.4	  96.5	  96.4	  98.2	  96.2	  98.7	  70.0	  97.6	
Indigenous											
	Income units	no.	 9 006	 1 611	 8 997	 2 387	 1 214	  744	na	 1 032	 25 102	
	In capital city	no.	 2 501	  790	 2 577	 1 336	  743	  261	  111	  568	 8 887	
	In rest of State	no.	 6 505	  821	 6 420	 1 051	  471	  483	..	  464	 16 215	
	Share of all recipients	%	  2.8	  0.8	  3.8	  2.7	  1.8	  3.1	na	  18.3	  2.6	
	Indigenous population, as a proportion of total population	%	  2.1	  0.6	  3.5	  3.6	  1.8	  3.8	  1.3	  30.0	  2.4	
Total income units	no.	 316 541	 206 041	 235 145	 87 405	 66 483	 23 737	 8 355	 5 636	 949 698	
a At 11 June. b National total includes postcodes that could not be classified. na Not available. .. Not applicable.
Source: DFaCS (unpublished); table 16A.23; 2005 Report, p.16.75, table 16.23.
 
Equity — access — special needs
The fourth access indicator is ‘special needs’ (box 16.15). The data for this indicator is provided on a comparable basis.
Box 16.15	Special needs	
‘Special needs’ access to CRA is included as an output indicator of the objective of CRA to provide income support recipients and low income families with financial assistance. This indicator provides the proportions of special needs income units receiving CRA, such as regional and remote Australians and Indigenous income units receiving CRA, by benefit type. It provides an overview of the level of assistance provided to disadvantaged groups and facilitates comparison with special needs groups in public housing. CRA is a demand driven payment that has no benchmark in terms of the level of assistance provided to special needs clients. Additional measures of special need, which include a geographic dimension, are reported under ‘Affordability’.	
	
	Overall, 64.0 per cent of income units receiving CRA at 11 June 2004 were located in major cities, 34.6 per cent were in regional areas (as distinct from remote areas) and 1.3 per cent were in remote areas (2005 Report, table 16A.47). Of Indigenous income units receiving CRA, approximately 36.4 per cent were located in major cities, 54.5 per cent were in regional areas (as distinct from remote areas) and 8.9 per cent were in remote areas (table 16A.24).
Outcomes
Affordability
‘Affordability’ is one of three outcome indicators reported (box 16.16). The data for this indicator is provided on a comparable basis.
Box 16.16	Affordability	
‘Affordability’ is included as an outcome indicator of the CRA objective to provide income support recipients and low income families in the private rental market with additional financial assistance. This indicator measures the proportions of income units spending more than 30 per cent and 50 per cent of their income on rent with and without CRA. A low proportion implies high affordability for recipients spending both 30 per cent and 50 per cent of income on rent with and without CRA. Affordability outcomes (with and without CRA) have been provided for all income units receiving CRA, Indigenous income units receiving CRA, and Disability Support Pension income units receiving CRA.	
	
	Nationally, 30.9 per cent of income units not receiving CRA at 6 March 2004 have spent less than 30 per cent of their income on rent. Across jurisdictions, this proportion ranged from 38.3 per cent in Tasmania to 27.0 per cent in the ACT. Accounting for CRA (thereby reducing the rent paid by the amount of the assistance), the national proportion of income units who spent less than 30 per cent of their income on rent at 6 March 2004 increases to 64.5 per cent. Across jurisdictions, this proportion ranged from 77.3 per cent in Tasmania to 51.5 per cent in the ACT (figure 16.7).
Similarly, if CRA was not payable, then 72.0 per cent of income units across Australia have spent less than 50 per cent of their income on rent at 6 March 2004. Accounting for CRA payments, this proportion increased to 90.9 per cent (2005 Report, table 16A.63).

Figure 16.7	Income units receiving CRA paying less than 30 per cent of income on rent, with and without CRA, 2004a
	
a At 6 March.
Source: DFaCS (unpublished); 2005 Report, table 16A.63; 2005 Report, p.16.84, figure 16.29.
Data are also available on the proportion of income spent on rent (with and without CRA) by Australians living in rural and remote areas, income units where one or more members self-identify as Indigenous Australians, and income units where one or more members receive a Disability Support Pension. Nationally, if CRA was not payable, then only 36.9 per cent of those Indigenous income units receiving CRA would have spent less than 30 per cent of income on rent at 6 March 2004. Across jurisdictions, this proportion ranged from 49.7 per cent in Tasmania to 28.1 per cent in Victoria. Accounting for CRA payments (thereby reducing the rent paid by the amount of the assistance), the national proportion of Indigenous income units who spent less than 30 per cent of income on rent at 6 March 2004 increases to 70.9 per cent. Across jurisdictions, this proportion ranged from 79.6 per cent in Tasmania to 51.6 per cent in the ACT (figure 16.8). Similarly, if CRA was not payable, then 75.1 per cent of Indigenous income units across Australia would have spent less than 50 per cent of income on rent at 6 March 2004. Accounting for CRA payments, this proportion increases to 93.2 per cent (table 16A.25).
Figure 16.8	Indigenous income units receiving CRA paying less than 30 per cent of income on rent, with and without CRA, 2004a
	
a At 6 March.
Source: DFaCS (unpublished); table 16A.25; 2005 Report, p. 16.85; figure 16.30.
Further directions
Improved reporting on housing provision to Indigenous Australians continues to be a priority, with work to be done by the National Housing Data Agreement Management Group, the National Indigenous Housing Information Implementation Committee and the National Housing Data Development Committee over the next year to improve the availability of data on Indigenous Australians accessing public and community housing. Work will also be done to improve reporting on both State owned and managed Indigenous housing and the Indigenous community housing sector. The National Indigenous Housing Information Implementation Committee has developed a national reporting framework for Indigenous housing. A survey of State owned and managed Indigenous housing tenants is also planned for 2005.

References
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ABS and AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) 2003, The Health and Welfare of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, 2003, ABS Cat. no. 4704.0, Canberra.
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