Govt-funded Aboriginal housing program turns Broome couple’s 25-year home ownership dream into reality

Since the mid-1990s Mervyn and Cathryn Maher have been trying to enter the housing market in Broome to no avail. The couple has been together for 33 years and have raised three children, but despite having regular income have been stuck in the rental trap for their entire adult lives. “It was just hard to save with the cost of living up here, as well as raising a family of five,” Mr Maher said. But on Wednesday the Mahers finally realised their dream, aided by a State Government partnership with Nyamba Buru Yawuru providing an affordable pathway to home ownership for Aboriginal families. “We finally go somewhere early this year finding out about this program and we are over the moon about where we are at now,” Mr Maher said. “To have this program means so much to us because it has been years and years of trying to get into this market. “We chose this house because it was less than 10 years old and pretty much had no landscaping done to it, so it was a blank canvas and we put a lot of effort into the yard.” The Mahers are the first to own a home funded through the $9.7 million Jalbi Jiya (Yawuru for your home) housing program, part of the broader $200m North West Aboriginal Housing Fund. Some 25 houses have been purchased for the program, 17 of which are being used as transitional homes where rental tenants will get financial and other support services to help them one day own the home. The remaining eight have been set up as long-term rentals. Housing Minister John Carey, who was on hand in Broome to welcome the Mahers to their home, said early signs from the program were promising. “The Jalbi Jiya program is a fantastic initiative and it’s great that in less than a year we are already seeing a number of Aboriginal families entering home ownership for the first time,” he said. “Do not underestimate how powerful it is to own your own home — this is life-transformational stuff. “The North West Aboriginal Housing Fund is also working in other areas looking at other partners and there will be further announcements rolling out. “This is not just giving someone a home and walking away, there is support before as part of this particular program, and then after, and that is critical.” The program was launched in 2020 and all 25 homes are occupied.