Our Mission
AHNT is always learning and growing, determined to keep our founders’ vision in mind, and to embody the values we have embraced. We:
- maintain a good view of the current Aboriginal housing and homelands sector
- understand the policy landscape and reform agendas of governments and land councils so we can work together respectfully and productively
- clearly define the concepts we are all using
- encourage ourselves and our partners to take risks, to innovate and adapt
- put in place ways to monitor and evaluate our work so we know what our priorities need to be
Our role
As a peak body we have several overlapping duties.
Support the members
We do this through:
- general (members’) meetings
- small grants
- engagement work to gather data and provide support
- our annual conference on housing and homelands
- capacity-building workshops
- tools and resources
- projects such as investigating the appetite for self-build housing
Advocate and urge good policy for the sector
We do this by:
- researching and writing policies
- lobbying and negotiating
- preparing submissions to inquiries
- conferring with counterparts
- keeping up with relevant media and research
- producing media releases
- talking up Aboriginal homelands
Raise awareness & deepen understanding
We do this through:
- newsletters, emailers
- annual conference
- media releases
- media interviews
- social media
- website
Our approach
The Aboriginal housing sector is connected to various aspects of Aboriginal people’s lives: health, education and training, employment, livelihoods, country. As we do our work, we are mindful of the whole system and how we can improve it. Our success depends on the quality of our relationships with everyone involved.
Monitoring and evaluating
AHNT independently monitor and report on improvements to Aboriginal housing. We have data our engagement officers have collected on the extent and condition of infrastructure and housing on homelands they visit and have aggregated that data to gain a sense of the big picture.
To track improvements over time in Aboriginal housing – its availability, appropriateness and affordability – AHNT works in partnerships with NT Shelter and the land councils, and engages with research produced through agencies such as the Menzies School of Health Research, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, and so on. We endeavour to keep abreast of relevant research, and remain familiar with the ever-shifting evidence about the quantity and quality of Aboriginal housing. In that way, our work is well-informed, so we can set good priorities and remain true to our purpose.
Our Strategic Plan 2026–29 includes a set of measures for each of our targets, so we will monitor and evaluate our own progress as a peak body.