Article that appeared in the Canberra Times, May 27, 1975

Len Barratt had grown tired of not receiving a reply to his requests. Even “no” would at least have been an answer, but the building societies of Canberra wouldn’t even give him that much. Len was frustrated; he was a fireman with the Canberra Fire Brigade, earning a regular wage, and striving for a better future for his family. It took a chance meeting with his wife and two employees of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs to change his family’s life.

This meeting was when Len heard about the Aboriginal Loans Commission (ALC), an authority established in November 1974 to provide finance for Indigenous Australians wanting to buy their own homes. It was through the ALC that, on 27 May 1975, the Barratts became the very first recipients of an ALC loan ($32,500) with which they purchased a four-bedroom home in Kambah, ACT.

Over the next 34 years, and after going through several restructures, the ALC loan program became the Home Ownership Program which is now administered by IBA.

Niki Donnelly works for IBA, and as a member of the Barratt family, grew up in that Kambah house. She recalls the feeling of security that came from living in a home her parents owned. “I felt very safe that I always lived in the same home. By always living in our home we grew up with the same friends and family support throughout our life.”  She also appreciated the differences between her family’s living situation and that of some of her friends. She said it was great “not having to move every 6 months to a year. Other friends of mine had parents who rented and moved quite often.”

Niki’s mum, sister, her sister’s two children and two brothers still live in the Kambah family home. The stability that the home has provided for Niki and her siblings is something that Niki is keen to pass on to her children and their children.

The positive example set by her parents had a lasting effect on Niki. “In 1996 I bought my first home, in Canberra, through IBA. The support from my family definitely helped.”  Niki and her family sold the house in Fisher and paid out their IBA loan when they relocated to the Central Coast. The money they received for the house assisted them in their business venture and with purchasing another home on the Coast through a mainstream lender.

Niki has returned to Canberra and commenced a role with IBA in February 2009. She is excited about now assisting other Indigenous Australians to own their own home and build assets and wealth as her parents were able to all those years ago.

“I would recommend that anyone considering buying a home should look at IBA first. IBA staff are dedicated to home lending. They deal with the home loan process from start to finish. You can call IBA with any query and know that staff members will give you the right support and answers.”

There is no better advertisement for the benefits of home ownership than the Barratts. In their Kambah home, they raised 12 children in a stable, secure environment with positive role models. It is fitting that their daughter, Niki, is now working for IBA, raising her own family, and continuing the positive cycle of asset and wealth creation for future generations.