Housing crisis on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s mind during Tennant Creek visit

PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull has highlighted public housing shortages as the biggest issue in Tennant Creek which is in the midst of a child protection crisis after the rape of a two-year-old girl

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull meets local kids as he rides along in a Julalikari Youth Night Patrol convoy, at Tennant Creek on Sunday night. Picture: AAP/Dan Himbrechts

A REGIONAL deal for Tennant Creek is the way forward to ensuring children are kept safe in the town, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has proposed.

The scheme would be a larger-scale version of collaboration currently under way between police and the town’s local cultural authority, bringing together federal, territory and local government to identify priorities for change.

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“It is doing what people always say governments should do, which is work together rather than criticising each other, so it’s very well received,” Mr Turnbull said on a visit to the town on Monday.

“They’ll have the same objectives. Everyone’s got good intentions but without co-ordination you can be like ships passing in the night.”

As a priority the three levels of government would work with the local community and its indigenous leaders.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion earlier supported the idea which would help the community disengage with alcohol and re-engage with employment.

“When you have very large numbers of people without jobs here, disconnected from employment and independence ... if you can’t get rid of poverty many of these other issues are going to continue to affect us,” he told ABC.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visits the Battery Hill mining museum with tradition owner Ronald Plummer (right), at Tennant Creek. Picture: AAP/Dan Himbrechts

“This is an area where (if) all levels of government do more work together, we are going to see real changes on the ground.”

Mr Turnbull has also highlighted public housing shortages as the biggest issue in the remote town which is in the midst of a child protection crisis after the rape of a two-year-old girl in February.

The NT government has committed to building nine public houses in Tennant Creek in the next 12 months.

But Barkly Regional Council Mayor Steve Edgington, who welcomed regional plan talks after pushing for the concept, said that won’t go far with four-to-six year waiting lists for a three-bedroom house.

“We can’t guarantee a child’s safety when there’s a number of visitors and people coming in from outside Tennant Creek staying at those houses,” Mr Edgington said.

Social Services Minister Dan Tehan says more houses are needed but if new housing is in a state in five years time that it can’t be used throwing money at it won’t solve the problem.

Social Services Minister Dan Tehan agreed more houses were needed.

“But if we just throw money at new housing, and then that housing isn’t in a state in five years time that it can be used, we haven’t solved anything,” he told ABC radio on Monday.

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“These are all things that we are in discussion with the NT government on, because the PM is right that housing is a key.”

Mr Turnbull will on Monday meet with police to discuss Operation Haven, which is aimed at reducing family violence and alcohol abuse.