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APPENDIX CONSULTATION PROCESS

OVERVIEW OF CONSULTATION PROCESS

During 2013, discussions about concepts of 'home' and 'homelessness' were held with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in communities and with some service providers across several jurisdictions. ABS Indigenous Engagement Managers (IEMs) facilitated access to most communities in urban and rural settings. The ABS' National Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Statistics (NCATSIS) sought advice from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations to determine suitable methodological approaches and question wording to translate complex homelessness concepts into meaningful and understandable questions that were culturally appropriate. Engagement was conducted in a culturally appropriate manner, and with due consideration to the burden of research and time already placed on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Findings from this first round of engagement were published in the Discussion Paper: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Perspectives on Homelessness, 2013 ( cat. no. 4735.0), released last year.

Submissions were sought from stakeholders in response to publication findings, with the aim of further developing the ABS' understanding of perceptions of home and homelessness and how perceptions aligned with the ABS statistical definition across Australia. Feedback was received from several organisations.

Following engagement used to inform the discussion paper, the ABS conducted a second round of engagement from October 2013 to March 2014 with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, outreach workers and selected service providers to inform this information paper. The first round of engagement in early 2013 involved NCATSIS staff and IEMs visiting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to hear perspectives on homelessness. The second round of engagement was undertaken in several locations, again with the assistance of IEMs (see consultation tables), either by video conference with NCATSIS staff in Canberra or through face to face meetings.

Members of the ABS Round Table on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Statistics, and IEMs were consulted regarding the discussion topics for both rounds and suggested suitable locations and organisations to engage with. Separate consultation guides were developed and used to frame discussions. The second round centred on how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's perspectives matched with the ABS statistical definition of homelessness.

Key concepts such as home, country, dwelling adequacy and crowding, were used to elicit comments on the elements of the ABS statistical definition of homelessness. Discussions were aimed at addressing the following:

• How home and homelessness is understood from a service provider perspective and how that might differ compared to the elements of homelessness in the ABS statistical definition (i.e. secure tenure, adequate housing, control of, and access to space for social relations).
• Whether examples of particular circumstances were perceived as homelessness and whether assistance was sought by:
  • Persons living across multiple dwellings with extended family or as a result of cultural factors, for example:
    • (a) persons with no security of tenure or control over space,
    • (b) as a result of having no dwelling to go back to, and
    • (c) persons who choose to live a nomadic lifestyle (cultural) or to visit family/friends.
  • Persons living in improvised dwellings/ tents or sleeping rough, for example:
    • (a) persons who had nowhere else to go, and
    • (b) persons who 'choose' to live on their spiritual homeland but not in a dwelling.
  • A person living in an adequate house but not located in their community or near family.
• Does connection to country and/or family ever take precedence over the elements of a 'home' as identified in the definition
• How is usual residence/address understood and is there a distinction between 'home' and 'feeling at home' in determining one's usual address.
• What particular aspects of housing make a dwelling more culturally appropriate.
• Potential benefit in a statistical distinction to measure those visiting at a dwelling for cultural reasons from those seeking accommodation because they're homeless; and
• Other cultural values to consider in interpreting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander homelessness estimates.