Four local contracts to build new homes in Alice awarded

The Territory government has awarded $34m for construction contracts in Alice Springs

UPDATE 29 APRIL: ALICE Springs town camps will receive $34m in new homes over the next three years in an effort to address overcrowding.

Minister Remote Housing Chansey Paech announced 54 new homes will be built across 11 communities and 22 homes that are deemed beyond economic repair that will be demolished.

“We know from talking to community and Tangentyere (council) there were a whole series of vacant lots in town that we could actually build on to overcome some of the overcrowding challenges,” Mr Paech said.

Little Sisters town camp. Pictures: Supplied

The announcement follows a review in 2018 that saw top end town camps receive $40m for new homes and infrastructure upgrades.

Mr Paech said the announcement included tenders awarded to four Territory businesses, including Blueprint who plan to employ young people who want to learn a trade.

“Imagine if we could lead the way, working with my colleagues Minister of Territory Families Kate Worden and our Attorney-General Selena Uibo, to design trade certificates that could be an alternative to custody arrangements?”, Mr Paech said.

“Blueprint have said they want to work with young people in Alice Springs, to literally build a sense of pride in their community, that would keep them on Country and with family. It would be life changing.” 

Remote Housing Minister Chansey Paech sits with Aunty Freda Jurra and her grandson at Little Sisters town camp. Pictures: Supplied

Tangentyere chief executive Walter Shaw said the announcement was a “critical need” for the Alice Springs town camp communities.

We have advocated on behalf of our members for many years about the critical need for more investment into Town Camp housing to deal with overcrowding,” he said.

“Town Campers see these new builds as a first step along the road to regaining control over our housing and determining our own priorities.”

Housing was a critical area identified under our Local Decision Making agreement with the NT Government.

UPDATE APR 28: FUNDING FOR THE ‘FORGOTTEN PEOPLE’

LABOR’s plan to invest in the NT’s remote housing and homelands is an initial down payment according to Linda Burney.

“The future will be something that will be a high priority, but at the moment our commitment is $100m immediately in homelands, working in collaboration with Territory Government and of course the land councils,” she said.

Aboriginal Housing NT chair Leeanne Caton said the announcement meant a “great deal” to Aboriginal people living in remote homelands.

“I think we all take for granted the access to services and just basic human right’s services we have living in an urban environment, (but) this means a lot to people living out in the bush.”

Ms Caton said $100m was a start however the Territory required ongoing and sustained investment to address the inequities in housing.

“I don’t think there’s ever going to be enough money to address housing in the Northern Territory or across Australia,” she said.

“But we’ll have a good go with it, to make sure that it gets spent the right way and that people are included in the decision making.”

A Northern Territory’s Review of Homelands policy in 2018 found housing stock was generally in “poor repair,” and “overcrowded.”

“These issues result in Homelands’ residents migrating to communities and urban centres, exacerbating the overcrowding of housing in those places, and leading to poorer outcomes,” the report said.

Remote Housing Minister Chansey Paech likened the announcement to Christmas, following years of lobbing the Morrison government to invest.

“This commitment to address critical infrastructure right across the homeland here in the Northern Territory is amazing. Let’s not be fooled, this is a life changing investment.”

Mr Paech previously described the conditions Territory homelands as “dire” with many people living in “tents” or “tin sheds”.

“The coalition cashed out their responsibility on home lands for 10 years for $155m,” he said.

“This commitment will go to addressing critical infrastructure and draws a line in the sand. [It says] we will not treat homelands residents like the forgotten people of the Northern Territory.”

Homelands Announcement

The Northern Territory government has been responsible for Homelands funding since 2015.

Change the Record executive officer Sophie Trevitt lobbied for remote housing investments, as a long-term and sustainable way to ensure the safety of Aboriginal people across a range of Closing the Gap targets.

“Nearly two decades ago the Little Children are Sacred Report called for 4000 new houses to be built in the Northern Territory immediately and an additional 400 every year for 20 years thereafter,” she said.

“Instead, we have seen years of government neglect and the withdrawal of funding. We welcome Labor’s announcement as a reversal of that trend – but to solve the housing crisis we will need long term funding for Aboriginal-controlled community housing right around the country.”

Change the Record has called for an emergency investment in housing to respond to the overcrowding crisis exposed by Covid-19.

Ms Trevitt said the NT government’s own feasibility studies showed Homelands’ dwellings were in such poor conditions that many could not be repaired but would needed to be replaced.

“Labor’s pledge to start work on housing immediately in the Northern Territory is a welcome start – but it’s a long way off what is needed to meet community need.”

CONTROVERSIAL LIQUOR BILL ON THE TABLE FOR REMOTE NT COMMUNITIES

MONDAY 25 April: CONTROVERSIAL proposed changes to federal and Territory liquor laws could see more alcohol in bush communities.

Community leaders have called on the NT government to shelve legislation that is expected to pass in May.

It comes as CLP senate candidate Jacinta Price on Sunday gave a scathing assessment of the proposed bill, saying it would “open the floodgates” of alcohol into remote communities.

AMSANT chief executive John Paterson said consultation for the bill “hadn’t even begun”.

“There has been no proper consultation and there simply cannot be any in the short time available. Aboriginal health organisations and peak bodies did not know about the bill.”

The changes to Territory law follows concerns the federal government will not adequately transition or consult with communities after implementing the 2007 intervention.

Under the intervention and proceeding Stronger Futures Bill 2013, more than 400 communities became ‘dry’, however the sunset clause on the bill is due to expire on July 16.

Mr Paterson said organisations, including NAAJA, Aboriginal Housing NT and Association of Alcohol and Other Drug Agencies NT (AADANT), had called on the government to develop a plan for years.

“This government has introduced many excellent alcohol reforms, however this sudden and puzzling change is a backward step that has not been explained properly to anyone,” he said.

His concerns were backed by AADANT executive officer Peter Burnheim who said laws to date were paternalistic but dissolving them without consultation could have harrowing consequences.

“We need to see more harm reduction and social services. We have a lot of residential rehabilitation in the NT but it is urban centred, there needs to be better investment in the bush especially if we are going to open them up to alcohol,” he said.

“The biggest risk right now is we haven’t done the consultation with community to truly understand how Aboriginal people want to manage alcohol.”

An NT government spokesman said the Department of Chief Minister and Cabinet had led conversations with stakeholder groups and these would continue over the coming weeks, including with affected communities.

The spokesman said the government they would not be continuing the intervention.

“We are not going to tell Aboriginal communities what to do. We are not going to decide for them whether they are dry communities or not,” he said.

“In our last sittings we introduced legislation to amend the Associations Act and the Liquor Act which will see communities given a choice when it comes to alcohol in their areas.

“For those communities that do not choose to opt-in to the continuation of alcohol restrictions, support will be provided to help manage the risks associated with that decision.”

Northern Territory Police Association president Paul McCue said they were hoping for a delay to get the policy settings right.

“We certainly hope they press the pause button, even momentarily, just for a short time, to allow some full and effective consultation with all the key stakeholders in this,” Mr McCue said.

“We’re not here to have a moral debate about people’s right to choose; we’re here about saving lives.”

Speaking in Alice Springs on Sunday, Ms Price said the legislation would “open the floodgates” if it passed.

“As we know we’ve got highest rates of domestic and family violence in those remote communities,” she said.

“So we have to make sure that we don’t bring back a situation where we have victims in communities who are affected by alcohol and violence.”

Neither Federal Labor nor Liberal-Nationals have indicated if they would extend the Stronger Futures Bill if elected on May 21.