Investment in remote housing key NT Budget item for Central Australia

GWOJA MLA Chansey Paech says the Labor government will continue investing in remote housing in today’s budget

GWOJA MLA Chansey Paech says the Labor government will continue investing in remote housing in today’s budget.

The Remote Housing Minister said the biggest need in his electorate and other remote areas was housing.

“We are also prioritising water security, health and education,” Mr Paech said.

He said today’s budget would demonstrate the government’s commitment to improving the lives of the “most vulnerable Territorians by building better homes and creating healthy, sustainable communities”.

However, Araluen MLA Robyn Lambley wants the NT government to invest more money in Central Australia land releases.

“There is no land for sale in Alice for people to build homes,” the independent MLA said.

“We need the government to push forward with these (land release) deals that they have been talking about for a long time, like the release of industrial land south of The Gap and more land release at Mount Johns.”

Ms Lambley said there also needed to be a clear economic reconstruction plan for Central Australia.

“There is no economic reconstruction plan for Central Australia, despite the fact that we now have a Central Australia Reconstruction Committee,” she said.

“We are in a deep black hole.”

Ms Lambley also highlighted the need for more spending in tourism and greater action on the revitalisation of the Alice Springs CBD, warning that the community “cannot pin all hopes on the National Aboriginal Art Gallery project”.