Indigenous Councillors And Sustainable Housing In Broome

We’ve heard from a Broome local about the recent Local Council election. There are now five Aboriginal Councillors, three newly elected candidates joining two already sitting on a Council of nine members – an historic first for Broome Shire Council.

The Newly Elected Broome Council

One of these new Councillors, Anne Poelina, narrowly missed out on being voted Shire President. She is now Deputy President.

It’s hoped that Broome locals – Indigenous and non Indigenous – are going to have a Council that ‘works in the best interest of everybody’.

Indigenous Sustainable Display House For Broome in 2012

In May 2010 PWF wrote about the concept of the Foundation for Indigenous Sustainable Housing (FISH).

Poor housing conditions adversely affect the health and social cohesion within Indigenous communities and FISH aims to address widespread disadvantage through community based programmes of house building.

FISH is now partnering with a development company and next year, 2012, will see the first FISH house built by young Indigenous people, in Broome. This will be training programme for the young people and when finished, the house will be used as a display home. When sold the proceeds, less expenses, will go to the Foundation.

If this concept works as is hoped, the exercise will be repeated as long as possible, to maintain interest, and approaches will be made to local tertiary institutions to see if there’s interest from that quarter.

Great to see FISH getting off the ground