Australian Human Rights Commission Australia and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), Shadow report to the CERD Committee – 8 July 2010 Family, Community, Housing and Youth that new housing legislation be enacted. 37 Further the COAG National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing aims to address: significant overcrowding, homelessness, poor housing conditions and the severe housing shortage in remote Indigenous communities. 38 46. However, the Australian Government has made funding for housing under this COAG agreement conditional upon: • secure land tenure being settled • the relevant state / territory government ensuring provision of standardised tenancy management and support for all Indigenous housing in remote areas consistent with public housing standards of tenancy management including through, where appropriate existing service providers • the relevant state / territory government developing and implementing land tenure arrangements to facilitate effective asset management, essential services and economic development opportunities. 47. These conditions risk reducing the capacity for Indigenous peoples and Indigenous organisations to be involved in the decision-making and management of Indigenous housing on Indigenous lands. 48. The Commission supports the Special Rapporteur on indigenous peoples’ recommendation in relation to housing programs. 39 Recommendation 18: That housing programs should avoid imposing or promoting housing arrangements that would undermine Indigenous people’s control over their lands; and should be administered by Indigenous community controlled institutions. 40 6.9 Family violence and other race and gender issues relating to Indigenous women (ICERD Article 5 and Declaration Article 22) 49. The Australian Government’s National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and Children (the National Plan) identifies a number of measures specific to Indigenous communities. 41 The Government has agreed to: 50. • reduce overcrowding in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities • fund healing centres for Indigenous communities. Given the increasing levels of incarceration of Indigenous peoples generally, their over-representation in the criminal justice system and high level of recidivism, any sustained response to family violence should also provide culturally appropriate offender rehabilitation programs. 15