Chansey Paech hands over keys to six new homes in Amoonguna to alleviate overcrowding

REMOTE Housing Minister Chanston Paech has unveiled six new homes for the Amoonguna community

AMOONGUNA local Audrey Miller moved into a brand-new home on Friday, which was built by the NT government to help alleviate overcrowding in the Aboriginal community 15km outside Alice Springs.

“We used to live in a tin house,” Audrey said. “This is much better. Our old house had louvred windows and mosquitoes would come in.”

Remote Housing Minister Chansey Paech unveiled six new modular homes at Amoonguna on Friday as part of the government’s $1.1 billion remote housing project.

Mr Paech travelled to Amoonguna for a meet-and-greet with some of the families who will move into the six dwellings, which were completed for a total price tag of $4.4m, factoring in demolition, headworks, site servicing and transport costs.

Audrey Miller will move into the new home with her mother, Kathleen Miller, who used to work in the kitchen in the community back when it was still a mission.

Audrey’s daughter, grandson and niece will join her and Kathleen in the four-bedroom house constructed by NT Link and Northern Transportables.

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Each home is designed in consultation with the future tenants and a local Housing Reference Group, which is made up of members from the community. Homes include multiple bedrooms and bathrooms as needed, and either evaporative or split-system cooling.

“Remote housing should be of the same standard as urban housing. That’s my view,” Mr Paech said.

One of the new homes launched by Chansey Paech in Amoonguna. Image: DANIEL WOOD

Mr Paech also explained that he agreed to personally donate an orange tree and a lemon tree to be planted in the backyard of Audrey Miller’s home.

“Lemon because you can put it in a cup of tea, and orange because the kids love them.”

Mr Paech explained that he was pleased the Northern Territory government was finally able to provide Amoonguna with some housing relief.

For years the government was unable to provide services to Amoonguna due to an ongoing legal challenge, first raised in 2007, regarding local government amalgamations and land tenure agreements.

“That’s since been resolved, and we’ve worked with all parties in Amoonguna to make sure that everyone’s happy with the services and the scope that the Northern Territory government is providing,” Mr Paech said.

Supplied Editorial Chansey Paech with Francine Palmer (front centre) and her family in their new home

Another five homes will be constructed in Amoonguna later this year, and a further 22 homes will be upgraded with additional living spaces under the Room to Breathe program.

Of the six completed homes, three have been allocated to families in the community and three will be used for short-term transitional accommodation while other homes are replaced or renovated.

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The transitional homes will be allocated to permanent residents once Amoonguna’s housing program is completed.