Members

Established in 1972 as a cooperative of community stores, The Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation (ALPA) is now financially independent and the highest-earning Aboriginal corporation in Australia. Its business operations are diverse and include Bukmak Constructions, contracted by the territory government in 2021 to build 87 houses at Galiwin’ku (on Elcho Island) through its Room to Breathe program. ALPA is a founding member of AHNT.

Anindilyakwa Housing Aboriginal Corporation (AHAC) was set up in 2018 by Anindilyakwa Land Council (ALC), which represents traditional owners across the Groote archipelago. AHAC enables Anindilyakwa people to make decisions about community housing on their lands: who owns it, what type of housing is built, who owns it and who lives there, and to take responsibility for tenancy management as well as repairs, maintenance and upgrades. AHAC joined AHNT in 2019.

Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation represents and supports 4000 Aboriginal people from more than 100 clans in West Arnhem Land. Its business footprint covers Maningrida as well as 32 surrounding homelands. Amongst many other services, Bawinanga provides municipal and essential services; it builds, renovates and maintains houses and other infrastructure; it maintains roads and airstrips through its civil works program; and it makes mud bricks. Bawinanga is a founding member of AHNT.

Tangentyere Council set up Community Housing Central Australia (CHCA) in 2009 after the federal government’s intervention into Northern Territory administration, which would have transferred management of housing and tenants in Alice Springs’ town camps to the Territory government. But Tangentyere negotiated to maintain community control and created Central Australian Affordable Housing Company – now CHCA – to manage houses and tenants in town camps. CHCA is registered under NRSCH and manages its own properties – a mix of affordable, seniors and supported housing. CHCA is a founding member of AHNT.

Registered in 2016, Demed Aboriginal Corporation serves Aboriginal people in about 40 homelands immediately west of Gunbalanya (AKA Oenpelli), working to maintain houses and provide essential services. In 2022 its joint venture with Dice won a 3-year territory government contract to construct, refurbish and upgrade housing infrastructure around Gunbalanya under the Room to Breathe program. Demed is a founding member of AHNT.

In 1985 traditional owners of land north of Alice Springs set up Ingkerreke Services Aboriginal Corporation to provide Aboriginal people with the services they need to maintain a healthy and sustainable lifestyle on their homelands. Today Ingkerreke serves 51 homelands in Central Australia, providing municipal and essential services, doing repairs, maintenance and capital works; training staff in all its work; and advocating for residents. Ingkerreke is a founding member of AHNT.

Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation was established in 1989 and provides a range of housing, community and commercial services in Tennant Creek and the broader Barkly region. As well as housing for Aboriginal people, and support and advocacy for tenants, Julalikari has a construction arm that does repairs and maintenance. Julalikari is NRSCH-registered and the preferred provider to test Central Land Council’s new model for remote community housing that would see public housing transferred to Aboriginal community control. Julalikari is a founding member of AHNT.

Over the past 40+ years, Kalano Community Association has served the population of about 15 thousand Aboriginal people in and around Katherine. The area has an extremely high number of homeless people, so Kalano’s community housing and social services are in high demand. Kalano does repairs, maintenance, renovations and upgrades on its 73 houses and is actively seeking funding to build new houses to alleviate homelessness and overcrowding. Kalano is a founding member of AHNT.

Based in Yirrkala, Laynhapuy Homelands Aboriginal Corporation (Laynhapuy) supports homelands established on traditional clan lands from the early 1970s. Laynhapuy was established in 1985 and today it serves 30 homelands with a population of about 1100 Yolngu residents and about 300 regular visitors, doing maintenance, essential and municipal services as well as plumbing, carpentry and electrical repairs. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Ganybu Housing Aboriginal Corporation, constructs houses for Aboriginal people and advocates on their behalf through a strategic alliance with design and construction firms. Laynhapuy is a founding member of AHNT.

Established in 1983 and based in Borroloola, Mabunji Aboriginal Resource Indigenous Corporation serves 4 town camps and 20 homelands with a population of more than 700 Indigenous people in Gulf Country and the Sir Edward Pellew Group of Islands. Over the years it has grown to be the largest employer in greater Borroloola, with a strong financial base, purchasing land and constructing houses and other infrastructure. Its operations today include a sea ranger unit, art centre, radio station, aged care, safe house and childcare. Mabunji is a proud founding member of AHNT.

Ngaliwurru-Wuli Aboriginal Corporation (NWAC) formed in 1988 to serve as a homelands resource centre in the Big Rivers region west of Katherine. Based in Timber Creek, NWAC provides municipal and essential services to 13 communities and homelands, including around 480 residents in 133 houses. With carpenters, plumbers, painters, steel fabricators and an electrician on staff, NWAC also regularly contracts to the Northern Territory Government to construct and maintain infrastructure. NWAC joined AHNT in 2022.

Ngurratjuta/Pmara Ntjarra Aboriginal Corporation (Ngurratjuta) was established in 1985 by 7 communities impacted by oil and gas mining at Mereenie and Palm Valley. Today its member communities include Haasts Bluff, Papunya, Mount Liebig, Kintore and Nyirripi along with many small homelands such as Mbunghara and Warren Creek, to which it provides resources. Njurratjuta joined AHNT in 2023.

Tangentyere Council Aboriginal Corporation was established in the early 1970s to help Aboriginal people secure legal tenure over the land they lived on in and around Alice Springs, as well as to gain housing and municipal services. Now, its operations are diverse and include Tangentyere Design and Tangentyere Constructions, tenancy support and municipal services. Tangentyere is a founding member of AHNT.

Thamarrurr Development Corporation is a leader in construction, housing maintenance, tenancy and civil works throughout Wadeye and the Thamarrurr region. They have 50% local indigenous workforce which they are striving to increase.

Tjuwanpa Outstation Resource Centre (Aboriginal Corporation) is a service provider for the Northern Territory Government homeland/outstation program.

Set up in 1981 and located in Arlparra – at the Sandover River about 300km north-east of Alice Springs – Urapuntja Aboriginal Corporation serves around 440 people living on 17 homelands. It repairs and maintains houses, bores and other infrastructure; provides municipal and community services; and manages the world-renowned Utopia art centre. Urapuntja joined AHNT in 2022.

Wilya Ajjul Janta Aboriginal Corporation is a housing design and evaluation consultancy
working from the community with design and construction industry
specialists to design remote homes good for culture and climate.

Yapa-Kurlangu Ngurrara Aboriginal Corporation (YKNAC) is a Warlpiri organisation based in Yuendumu. Established in 2015, it maintains and upgrades homelands infrastructure in the Tanami region. It is also seeking to extend its essential services work and to set up a construction arm. YKNAC joined AHNT in 2022.

Yilli Rreung Housing Aboriginal Corporation (Yilli) was set up in 2003 to provide housing, municipal and infrastructure services to Indigenous people in Darwin and surrounding communities. It manages around 250 properties – a mix of affordable housing, community housing and short-stay accommodation; and is a NRSCH-registered CHP. It also does repairs and maintenance, construction and refurbishment. Yilli is a founding member of AHNT.