Casuarina Square owner Warren Ebert wants Casuarina youth hub

As the new NT Government looks for a new site for a proposed youth hub, one of the Territory’s biggest investors has had his say. Read what he wants.

A plan by the CLP Government to relocate a proposed youth hub in Casuarina has been questioned by one of the Territory’s biggest property owners.

Sentinel Property group chief executive Warren Ebert, owner of Casuarina Square and multiple other Top End investment properties, called on the government to stick with the original plan and develop the hub at the old fire station site on Dripstone Road in Casuarina.

In 2022 federal Labor committed $5m to the youth hub, with the backing of Solomon MP Luke Gosling.

A schematic of the proposed hub’s interior.

“It will be for kids going the wrong way and who may not have family support and mentors around them, to give them a place where they can be supported,” Mr Gosling said in 2022. “We want it built as soon as possible.”

But the dynamic shifted after last August’s NT election, with CLP Casuarina candidate Khoda Patel campaigning against the hub.

Youth Minister Jinson Charls said an alternative site was being sought, possible at Sanderson Middle School which has a program for young people.

“I asked the department to further consult, once the proposal is ready it will to be submitted for further consultation,” Mr Charls said.

Sentinel Property Group chief executive Warren Ebert at Casuarina Square. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“It will be in the northern suburbs, but I am unable to say where at this stage. It could be in Casuarina or anywhere in the northern suburbs, but we will know further in the next few weeks or months.

“There is currently a program for young people in the northern suburbs operating out of Sanderson Middle School, and the Youth Hub funding will help secure a permanent home for the program.

“We do not want to bring problems from Casuarina to a youth space where young people are spending their time after school, during school breaks and weekends.”

Mr Ebert called on the CLP to stay the course and build the hub at the Casuarina site to value add on the good work done over the past six months to cut crime.

Solomon MP Luke Gosling is backing the youth hub.

“It gives the kids something to do otherwise they wander around with nothing to do and they get into trouble,” he said. “This will give them somewhere to drop in and then of a morning have something to eat.

“Sentinel is fully supportive of the centre and the location. Since the CLP got in, they have seriously reduced crime through their policies. We’d like to see it continue being reduced with the youth drop-in centre, which everybody thinks is a good idea.

“We need to continue to reduce the momentum of crime so we can continue to reduce the crime rate.”

Mr Gosling defended the Casuarina site and the process around its selection and called for the project to proceed.

Youth Minister Jinson Charls. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“The current site is well situated, close to the Casuarina shopping centre and bus interchange, services such as headspace and areas where young people live, study and work,” he said.

“I have made it clear to the new chief minister that it is my expectation that construction of the youth hub should proceed without delay, and at the selected site that had already undergone wide ranging consultation.”

Deputy opposition leader Dheran Young said “significant work” had been done to identify and prepare the old fire station site. He said there had been “extensive consultation” with young people, Casuarina Square and service providers.

“Of course this process takes time but the hard work is done, the CLP Government needs to stop playing politics and just get on with building it,” Mr Young said.

“The old fire station is the ideal location for a youth hub, near public transport and key services, giving young people something constructive to do rather than just hang around Casuarina Square.”

Originally published as Casuarina Square owner Warren Ebert wants Casuarina youth hub