ALP and CLP’s bold housing promises ahead of 2024 election
A promise to slash project approval times by 50 per cent, and a commitment for 11,000 new homes in a single outer Darwin suburb. These are the bold housing pipedreams the major parties are pitching ahead of the 2024 election
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On a single night more than 13,000 Territorians were living on the streets, in homeless shelters or in “severely” overcrowded homes with the NT recording a homelessness rate 12 times the national average.
According to the latest Productivity Commission Territorians are 22 times more likely to be living in crowded homes than the rest of Australia, while three out of every 20 children in the NT have experienced homelessness.
Here’s how our major parties aim to address our housing crisis, from repairing existing homes to planning new developments.
The High Court has ruled that the community of Santa Teresa could be compensated for the “distress and disappointment” caused by the poor state of their government-managed houses. What will your government do to address the backlog of housing repair requests across remote communities?
ALP
The class action lawsuit regarding the state of housing at Santa Teresa was initiated in January 2016 during the chaotic reign of the CLP, leaving the Territory Labor Government to pick up the pieces when we came to Government later that year.
We immediately set out to improve housing in Santa Teresa and other remote communities across the NT.
Our Government has built and upgraded more than 130 homes in Santa Teresa, and our work has not only transformed the housing landscape significantly but has improved the lives of well over 600 locals.
The Territory Labor Government has listened to the calls for safe and secure housing across remote communities in the NT, delivering an unprecedented $2.2 billion remote housing program investment.
We have proudly built and improved more than 3800 homes, including works underway.
Our remote housing program has created jobs, training and skills development for locals, working with Aboriginal Business Enterprises and Territory companies to improve housing across 73 remote Aboriginal communities, 43 town camps, community living areas and homelands.
Good homes are critical to better outcomes in health, education and employment, which is why the NT Labor Government is investing in housing across the Territory.
CLP
This ruling highlights Labor’s failure after governing for 18 of the past 22 years. The dire housing situation in Santa Teresa highlights the urgent need for intervention across such communities. The CLP will empower Aboriginal communities through local government reforms, returning decision-making power to them.
By rectifying Labor’s mishandling of super-shires with community government councils, Aboriginal people can have more control over crucial issues like housing.
CLP consultations highlight the need for priority in community control, youth leadership, and job creation, aiming to amplify Aboriginal voices sidelined by Labor’s failures.
Labor’s mismanagement, evident in rent arrears and wasteful spending, obstructs progress and has led to the housing failures in Santa Teresa and other Aboriginal communities.
We reject their ineffective policies and commit to meaningful action, integrating bush communities into our economic future.
Our Plan focuses on refurbishing vacant public assets to reduce wait times along with community led housing management opportunities to restore dignity for remote Territorians.
Labor’s negligence, including building homes in flood zones, necessitates proactive measures. Establishing Local Emergency Committees will ensure effective communication and aid for displaced residents.
The CLP will implement community-driven solutions, tackling the housing backlog and safeguarding the wellbeing of all Territorians.
How will your government promote and incentivise new residential builds for the Territory?
ALP
The best way to incentivise new residential builds is to have a strong and future focused economy, with Territorians working in meaningful, well-paying, future focused jobs that contribute to their communities.
That is something we have been working hard on since the CLP failed to remotely capitalise on the huge INPEX project that Territory Labor gifted them.
Since 2016 we have delivered record infrastructure budgets, opened new mines, enabled the onshore gas industry with robust regulations, developed entire new industries from space, to aircraft manufacturing and data.
We have also turned on more residential land – we have $200 million over three years’ worth of headwork’s projects from the Top End to Central Australia.
Progress is underway for more land in Katherine East Neighbourhood Centre and Kilgariff in Alice Springs.
A tender for enabling infrastructure is forthcoming to facilitate the future development in Greater Holtze, with the potential to provide 11,000 additional lots.
To further incentivise residential builds across the Territory, we have implemented policies to expedite land release, bolstered by the establishment of the NT Housing Alliance.
We are also completing the recommendations outlined in the Bringing Land to Market Report, focused on streamlining the land development process.
CLP
The current economic challenges facing the Territory demand proactive measures to promote residential builds and stimulate growth.
Under Labor, the economy has stagnated, and urgent action is needed to reverse the downward trajectory.
The CLP’s comprehensive plan focuses on streamlining project approvals, eliminating destructive taxes, and revitalising key industries to unlock the Territory’s full potential.
Central to our strategy is slashing project approval times by 50 per cent, ensuring crucial infrastructure projects are expedited to meet demand.
Our Plan abolishes Labor’s hybrid mining tax to provide regulatory certainty and incentivise investment in the Territory’s mineral resources sector.
By fostering a business-friendly environment, we aim to attract private investment and reduce living costs for Territorians.
Our plan speaks to the revitalisation of key industries such as defence, mineral resources, energy, tourism and agriculture, leveraging the Territory’s natural strengths to drive sustainable growth.
We acknowledge the chronic shortage in key defence centres like Katherine and the rising rents in Darwin.
The CLP will prioritise housing as a strategic economic issue, ensuring that adequate accommodation is available for families, defence personnel, and international students.
By promoting residential builds and addressing housing shortages, we can lay the foundation for a stronger, more vibrant Territory economy.
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