NT land councils call for overhaul of ‘failed’ Indigenous housing model

THE four Northern Territory’s land councils want the Morrison and Gunner governments to commit to replacing the NT’s ‘failed’ public housing system with a new Aboriginal-controlled model for remote communities, homelands and town camps

The four Northern Territory’s land councils want the Morrison and Gunner governments to commit to replacing the NT’s “failed” public housing system with a new Aboriginal-controlled model for remote communities, homelands and town camps.

Meeting in Darwin with Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt and NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner, the land councils have told governments that returning responsibility for housing design, construction, maintenance and tenancy management to Aboriginal people is essential to closing the gap.

Represeentatives of the NT’s four land councils have met with the Federal Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt (pictured) to discuss replacing the NT’s ‘failed’ public housing system. Picture: Marie Nirme

The land councils are calling for a transition to a community housing system governed by Aboriginal people at the local, regional and NT levels that maximises Aboriginal employment and training.

Part of the detailed new model is a statutory NT-wide Aboriginal-controlled body, together with regional housing organisations that would allow the Territory’s diverse regions to participate according to their needs, aspirations and capacity.

The NT-wide body would manage housing funds and implement appropriate housing regulation and standards, and an independent Aboriginal-controlled peak body would monitor its performance.

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Central Land Council chief executive Joe Martin-Jard said the model would be essential to closing the gap and lifting people out of poverty.

“Both governments have invested substantial funds in NT Aboriginal housing and are willing to move towards a community housing system. We now have a road map for real action,”

“It’s encouraging that Minister Wyatt is committed to working with us on housing reform. We welcome his support and call on whoever forms the next NT Government to commit to joining this effort.”

Anindilyakwa Land Council chair Tony Wurramarrba said that in the Groote Archipelago they are already implementing one of the building blocks of the new system, a regional Aboriginal

community housing organisation.

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“We support the new model because we believe only Aboriginal accountability and control will resolve the national disgrace that is the current NT housing system,” he said.

“We welcome the model’s support for our neglected homelands that haven’t seen any new houses for more than a decade,” Tiwi Land Council chief executive Andrew Tipungwuti said.