Aboriginal mobility data project final report

Each day Aboriginal people gather in Adelaide’s inner city Park Lands for a range of reasons. Some are experiencing homelessness, some gather to socialise or spend time with family and friends, others may gather while they are staying in Adelaide to seek support. In some cases, some have experienced severe health and safety consequences while gathering in the Park Lands, including premature death. Not enough is known about their needs and not enough is done to coordinate efforts to meet those needs.

Culturally appropriate options and responses need to be further developed and improved, including Housing First pathways for Aboriginal people sleeping rough who seek housing and support alongside Support First pathways to coordinate and respond to non-housing needs of Aboriginal people who gather and sometimes sleep in the Park Lands. Cultural Engagement pathways also need to be created for Aboriginal people visiting the Park Lands who are going about their everyday lives and are not in need of support or housing, but where coordinated cultural engagement strategies for welcoming, supporting and setting expectations for visitors on Kaurna land would be broadly beneficial.

This project was funded by the City of Adelaide and commissioned by the Premier of South Australia, through the Commissioner for Aboriginal Engagement. This report and the summary factsheet were prepared by The Australian Alliance for Social Enterprise and the Australian Alliance to End Homelessness for the Adelaide Zero Project.