NT government fails to meet National Partnership for Remote Housing targets

A $2.1bn federal funding partnership to provide more housing in Australia’s homelessness capital is due to end next week, with the NT government failing to meet its targets.

A new one-year social housing deal is being negotiated with the commonwealth following the Territory government’s failure to meet previous funding targets.

The National Partnership for Remote Housing NT, which launched five years ago with $550m of federal money and $1.4bn of Territory money, was designed to build 1950 bedrooms by the end of this month.

It was revealed in Wednesday’s estimates sittings that the government is on track to have built 1577 by that deadline next week – a shortfall of about 20 per cent.

The new deal will extend the partnership by one year with an extra $223m of joint funding chipped in to build 157 more houses, as well as meet the existing rooms target.

Residents at White Gate, a camp outside of Alice Springs, are forced to sleep outside due to living conditions in the small tin sheds they call home. Picture: Riley Walter

It comes just days after the federal government announced a further $50m of urban social housing funds for the Territory outside the partnership.

Those funds will be delivered in the next fortnight and appear to have no targets attached, however Housing and Homelands Minister Selena Uibo said it would build more than 100 new homes.

Despite the government’s failure to meet its target and the surprise announcement of new funding, Ms Uibo said the Territory was “severely underfunded” for its social housing needs.

“(If we’re) to ever get ahead to reduce homelessness or at risk of being homeless here in Northern Territory, we have to be needs-based funded,” she said.

“It is not acceptable that the federal government continues to give the Northern Territory per capita percentage of the population, which means we only are ever able to access 1 per cent of the total pool of the Australian funding towards reducing homelessness in the country.”

Housing and Homelands Minister Selena Uibo said the Territory was “severely underfunded” for its public housing needs during Wednesday’s estimates. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

The government has only built 13 new homes in Tennant Creek since coming to power in 2016.

Barkly MLA Steve Edgington said he was concerned funds were being prioritised for urban builds rather than remote, with Tennant Creek residents facing a six to ten-year wait time for public housing.

“One of the biggest issues facing people right across the Northern Territory, and particularly in the Barkly is overcrowded houses,” he said.

“We know that overcrowded houses impacts on the safety of children, impacts on their education and impacts on the health of people, but it also impacts on the ability of people to hold down a job.”

NT Shelter chief executive Peter McMillan said the Territory has “off-the-charts” need for public housing, with 12 times the national rate of homelessness.

NT Shelter chief executive Peter McMillan said he welcomed the federal government’s surprise announcement on Saturday amid “skyrocketing” public housing waitlists.

“$50m for the NT under this scheme is definitely an improvement on the $20m we would have received if the funds had been based on our share of population alone,” he said.

“While that’s an encouraging step forward, the floor should have been closer to $75m for each jurisdiction with an additional $25m for the NT for our off-the-chart levels of unmet housing need.”

Our share of PM’s $2bn housing pledge revealed

The Territory will get an extra $50m of social housing funds from the federal government, with the cash to flow in the next fortnight.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Saturday announced a new $2bn social housing accelerator fund after a deal was struck between premiers and chief ministers.

Each jurisdiction is set to receive $50m, with the remainder to be allocated on a per capita basis.

Despite having 12 times the national average rate of homelessness, the Northern Territory’s small population means it will receive no more than $50m from the new fund.

However Housing Minister Selena Uibo has welcomed the announcement, which she said would build more than 100 new homes in both urban and remote areas.

“We will continue to work with the federal government to deliver more quality, affordable housing for all Territorians,” she said.

Housing and Homelands Minister Selena Uibo has welcomed the federal government’s surprise announcement. Picture: Jason Walls

“Since 2016, a record 2744 homes have been built or upgraded in the bush, while a further 898 homes are currently underway.

“This is over a billion dollars in job creating work funded by the Territory and commonwealth governments.

“(NT) Budget 2023 continues this investment with $601m for remote housing across the Territory.”

The $50m must be spent in the next two years, with the Territory government to determine whether it is spent on new builds, expanding existing programs or renovating uninhabitable existing houses.

Mr Albanese said the funds were designed to deliver “immediate” social housing supply.

“We know Australians want practical solutions and we’ll work with the Fyles government to get on with the job of delivering more social housing,” he said.

“This is real dollars, driving real change and building more homes for Australians.”

It comes ahead of a Canberra clash next week over the federal government’s $10bn Housing Australia Future Fund, which the Greens has so far stalled in the Senate as they call for more a more ambitious target.

East Arnhem Land has the highest rate of homeless people per region in Australia, with 3500 people without a home according to NT Shelter. Picture: Floss Adams.

The Territory government has also just awarded an $8m contract for a 27-lot residential subdivision in Gapuwiyak.

Awarded to NT company A1 Plant and Civil, works are expected to start late next month.

Completion of this final stage will bring the total number of new lots in the East Arnhem community to 53.

North of Gapuwiyak, progress is under way on a new 24-lot subdivision in Galiwin’ku.

Those builds form part of a $51.5m contract awarded two years ago to build 87 new Galiwin’ku houses over five years.

New subdivisions are also underway across Maningrida, Wadeye and Angurugu in preparation for new housing.

Originally published as NT government fails to meet National Partnership for Remote Housing targets