Early registrations are open for the second Aboriginal Housing and Homelands Conference in Mparntwe (Alice Springs), to be held at the Alice Springs Convention Centre between April 9 to 12, 2024.
This year's theme is "building a strong, self-determined Aboriginal housing and homelands sector in the Northern Territory".
The event will build on the inaugural event held on Larrakia land last year, which saw keynote addresses from Minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney, as well as Labor MPs Marion Scrymgour and Malarndirri McCarthy and a multiple other high-profile experts.
This year will see a comprehensive program designed to cover all aspects of housing in the NT, as well as a dedicated day to showcase the work happening in the homeland sector.
Two keynote speakers have been confirmed to date: Chief executive of National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation and Arrernte and Gurdanji woman, Pat Turner; and Independent Member for Mulka and senior leader of the Liya-Dhalinymirr clan and Djambarrpuyŋu Yolŋu people, Yiŋiya Mark Guyula.
There are still opportunities to present, with the conference still accepting speaking requests for presentations. Applications close on February 15.
The conference is presented by Aboriginal Housing NT (AHNT), the independent peak body for Aboriginal community-controlled organisations that provide housing and housing-related services in the NT, and with a vision of putting Aboriginal housing in Aboriginal hands.
AHNT says their mission is to provide guidance, support and resources to members and Aboriginal organisations by assisting them to build capacity and become registered Community Housing providers (CHPs) through the National Regulatory System for Community Housing (NRSCH).
AHNT member organisations represent around 41.7 per cent of the population in the electorate of Lingiari, which covers most of the NT and all of the Territories remote Indigenous communities. AHNT also covers around 9752 Aboriginal people or 8.5 per cent of the population in the electorate of Solomon, which covers Darwin and Palmerston.
Further information, including nominations to present, can be found online. Early Bird registrations are open until March 15 and can also be found online.
