46th Aboriginal Housing and Homelessness Forum – Wrap Up
The Aboriginal Housing and Homelessness Forum convened for its 46th meeting on 25-26 February 2026 on Wurundjeri Country at the Moondani Toombadool Centre, Swinburne University.
The AHHF brought together representatives from Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, government, and sector partners to progress shared priorities to improve housing outcomes for Aboriginal Victorians.
The Forum opened with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony, with thanks to Wurundjeri man Willy Xiberras. Across the two days, members and stakeholders engaged in focused discussions on system reform, service delivery, and long-term housing pathways, with a shared commitment to self-determination in housing.
The February AHHF focused on key areas of work spanning immediate system priorities and longer-term reform agendas.
Key areas of discussion included:
- Strengthening access to culturally appropriate homelessness services, including continued advocacy to progress toward statewide entry point coverage
- Working toward greater Aboriginal ownership and control of housing data through a staged, partnership-based approach with government
- Highlighting the need for flexible, long-term funding models that support self-determination and reduce instability caused by short-term funding cycles
- Review and analysis of the AIHW Specialist Homelessness Services Annual Report and the Parliamentary Inquiry into the Supply of Homes in Regional Victoria, including key findings and their relevance to Aboriginal housing and homelessness outcomes
- Supporting regional planning and place-based governance approaches
- Updates on national and state funding streams, including the Housing Australia Future Fund and the First Peoples Home Ownership Program
- Broader system reforms impacting the social housing landscape in Victoria, such as public housing renewal, investment programs, and policy reform
These discussions reflect a coordinated effort to advance the priorities of Mana-na woorn-tyeen maar-takoort, addressing system-wide challenges while ensuring Aboriginal leadership remains central to decision making.
The AHHF continues to support partnership between community and government, with a focus on aligning policy, funding and service delivery. The 46th AHHF reinforced a shared commitment to practical outcomes and self-determination.
The next AHHF will be held on 21–22 May 2026 on Wadawurrung Country.
