Land tenure and housing: a policy framework for meeting the needs of Indigenous Australians living in remote communities

This thesis presents a policy framework for improving outcomes for remote Indigenous land tenure and housing policy in Australia. The framework is developed from an analysis of related policies and programs in several pioneer settler societies with similar historical characteristics to Australia. The number of pioneer settler societies in the world is small. Originating in the 16th through 18th centuries, these societies grew out of European colonization practices that displaced indigenous societies, and made indigenous people a minority in their own land. The four societies examined in this thesis are Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and The United States of America. This thesis is presented in three parts. Part 1 (Chapters 1-3) scopes the problem being addressed in this thesis: the gap(s) in well being between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous people as measured by indicators of wellbeing such as housing, health, education, and employment. These quality of life gaps can be seen as the result of two inadvertent and compounding impacts on indigenous people from colonial dispossession: 1) removal of livelihoods through a lack of access to land-based resources, and 2) loss of cultural identity I caused by being separated from the land Elements of successes in different pioneer settler societies are later used to formulate a framework for improved land tenure and housing policy outcomes for remote Indigenous Australia. Part 1 also presents an overview of the research design used in the case studies of ! the four pioneer settler societies. Part 2 (Chapters 4-7) presents the case studies of indigenous housing and land tenure in the four pioneer settler societies. The policy factors that are analyzed illustrate the various methods used by governments in an attempt improve Indigenous quality of life. Part 3 (Chapters 8-10) draws upon the data in the four case studies to develop a policy framework for use in Australia. Chapter 8 presents a meta-analysis of the four case studies, which identifies a wide range of lessons potentially relevant to Australian context from the other three nations. Similarities and differences in policy approaches and outcomes for pioneer settler societies are identified, compared, and contrasted. A synthesis of the lessons from the meta-analysis is used to identify two themes and eight 'building blocks' to frame policymaking. These themes are: 'Experiencing the Land and People', and The Policy Process These 'building blocks' and principles can make sure that the actors, activities and practices used in the policymaking process facilitate the exchange of relevant information, redress potential conflict and maximize opportunities for collaboration among stakeholders in policymaking. The framework for policymaking is an insightful tool for making sense of the complexities associated with particular policy decisions, thus expediting improved policy outcomes on land tenure and housing issues. As such, the policy 'building blocks' and supporting principles provide a road map for developing a policy framework that can bridge 'the gap' in well being between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous people