History
We thank those who came before
AHNT acknowledges Aboriginal Peak Organisations of the Northern Territory (APO NT) as its founder. AHNT was conceived at a forum APO NT hosted in 2015. At that event, Aboriginal elders and leaders resolved to regain control over Aboriginal housing development, design, construction and property and tenancy management – and to work with government to make sure that happened.
For several years, AHNT existed as a committee of APO NT, advocating, advising, and contributing as needed to proposals, discussion papers, strategies and reviews.
In March 2018 AHNT hosted the second APO NT Aboriginal Housing Forum, attracting around 200 delegates and representatives from 60 Aboriginal organisations in the Territory. Delegates decided to incorporate AHNT as a voice for Aboriginal people in the NT and to organise for Aboriginal people to regain control over housing in urban areas, town camps, community living areas, communities and homelands.
We are proud of what we have already achieved
Some milestones in our journey:
- 2018 – March – resolution to incorporate Aboriginal Housing Northern Territory as a peak body
- 2018 – won the Fitzgerald Diversity Award for ‘taking action on promoting, protecting and fulfilling human rights’
- 2019 – 23 August – incorporation under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 – see our certificate of registration (368kb PDF)
- 2021 – 13 July – signed a memorandum of understanding (2mb PDF) with our sibling peak organisation, NT Shelter
- 2022 – 4 February – attained ‘deductible gift recipient’ status with the tax office
- 2022 – 3 March – first CEO, Skye Thompson, started at AHNT
- 2022 – 1 December – gained membership of the Joint Steering Committee (JSC) to the National Partnership for Remote Housing NT – find out more about the work we’re doing as part of the JSC
- 2023 – 18–21 April – hosted the inaugural Remote Housing and Homelands conference – download the report (3mb PDF)
- 2023 – new branding
Tribute to our founders
The formation of AHNT owes much to the commitment of the following organisations and their representatives:
- Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation
- Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation
- Central Australian Affordable Housing Company (now Community Housing Central Australia)
- Ingkerreke Outstations Resource Services Aboriginal Corporation (now Ingkerreke Services Aboriginal Corporation)
- Kalano Community Association Incorporated
- Laynhapuy Homelands Aboriginal Corporation
- Marthakal Homelands and Resource Centre Aboriginal Corporation
- Tangentyere Council Aboriginal Corporation
- Thamarrurr Development Corporation
- Yilli Rreung Housing Aboriginal Corporation
- Deewin Kirim Aboriginal Corporation
- Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service
- Katherine West Health Board
- Roper Gulf Regional Council
- West Arnhem Regional Council
- Barkly Regional Council
- North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency
- Central Land Council
- Northern Land Council
- Tiwi Land Council
- Anindilyakwa Land Council
- Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance of the Northern Territory
We also thank the following members of the AHNT Committee from 2015 for their contribution:
- Barbara Shaw
- Yananymul Mununggurr
- Theresa Roe
- Norman Frank
- Matthew Ryan
- Ross Williams
- Chris Neade
- Dr Bush-Blanasi
- Graham Castine
- Alan Mole
- Tony Jack
- Tobias Nganmbe
- Leeanne Caton
Photo credit: ‘Aboriginal children around a bark dwelling‘ – names, place, date unknown – Library and Archives Northern Territory