10 June, 2026
The New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) has delivered the next round of housing alongside the Glen Innes Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC), delivered through the Social Housing Accelerator Fund (SHAF).
SHAF is an Australian Government initiative that provides funding to deliver social housing across the country. Glen Innes accepted the keys and conducted the handover of the property on Wednesday, 3 June.
NSWALC received funding for this project through the NSW Government, with support from the NSW Aboriginal Housing Office. The dwellings were constructed on land owned by Glen Innes LALC, acquired through the land rights mechanisms established under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act (NSW) 1983 (ALRA).
NSWALC Councillor for the Northern Region, Councillor Charles Lynch, said the housing initiative represents a significant milestone for the Glen Innes community, providing critical housing infrastructure while supporting local Aboriginal families and future generations.
“Today, I am proud to see the keys handed over to the Glen Innes LALC in what will be critical community infrastructure for Aboriginal people in this region. There is no understating the impact these houses will have here in Glen Innes,” said Councillor Lynch.
“Our communities are in the midst of a housing crisis. In 2017, it was identified that there was a shortfall of more than 24,000 social and affordable dwellings for Aboriginal people in NSW, which is forecast to rise to 65,000 dwellings by 2031. Homelessness and housing insecurity can negatively impact health and educational outcomes not only for individuals but also for communities.”
“This isn’t the first pod of houses delivered through the SHAF program and NSWALC. We have seen houses delivered throughout the State, but there is more to do. We are calling on the NSW Government to invest more in providing housing support to Aboriginal communities.”
NSWALC Chair, Dr Raymond Kelly, said this project demonstrates what can be achieved through the ALRA, which is currently under threat from the NSW Government through the proposed Crown Lands Management Amendment Bill (the Bill).
“The delivery of this next round of housing in Glen Innes is an example of how NSWALC and the NSW Land Rights Network can work alongside the Commonwealth successfully to deliver safe, affordable housing for Aboriginal people on Aboriginal land,” said Chair Kelly.
“These are positive outcomes being delivered through the ALRA, yet the NSW Government’s proposed Bill would remove future opportunities for Aboriginal communities to acquire land and deliver similar housing outcomes.”
“Let us be clear.. Kamper is directly removing these opportunities by removing land through the Crown Lands Management Amendment Bill.”
“The NSW Government has failed time and time again to work with Aboriginal communities proactively and failed to support NSWALC and the Land Rights Network through declining the second application through the SHAF program, which directly contradicts the NSW Premier’s commitment to supporting rural and regional NSW communities.”
NSWALC continues to advocate for better outcomes for Aboriginal people across the State and is calling on the NSW Government to continue support of communities instead of implementing the Crown Lands Management Amendment Bill, which will hollow out Land Rights and support of Aboriginal people across the State.
For more information on NSWALC, visit https://alc.org.au/
Media Contact
Katie Wainwright
katie@freefolkagency.com
0424 578 785
| About NSWALC NSWALC is the State’s peak representative body in Aboriginal Affairs and aims to protect the interests and further the aspirations of the 121 NSW Local Aboriginal Land Councils and the broader Aboriginal community. It was established in the 1970s to assist in the fight for land rights and was formally constituted as a statutory corporation under the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Rights Act in 1983. NSWALC is the largest member-based Aboriginal organisation in NSW. |