Marrara homeless centre in limbo as lease negotiations stall

STALLED lease negotiations have thrown the NT government’s plans to open a new homeless service centre this month — ahead of the election — into disarray

The Batten Road Specialist Homelessness Centre was due to open this month at an accommodation facility formerly known as the Stayover. Picture: Che Chorley

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STALLED lease negotiations have thrown the NT government’s plans to open a new homeless service centre in Marrara this month — ahead of the election — into disarray.

The Batten Road Specialist Homelessness Centre was due to open this month at an accommodation facility formerly known as the Stayover, following a two-month trial offering 50 short-stay beds to Territorians in need.

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The trial, which is managed by Yilli Housing, aimed to provide cheap accommodation to itinerant populations after biosecurity travel restrictions were lifted on June 5.

Due to ongoing delays with the homelessness centre, Yilli Housing chief executive Leeanne Caton said the trial had now been extended by an extra two months.

The new centre would have an extra 200 beds, with the 50 beds currently available under the trial being filled almost every night.

The NT News understands these delays are the result of stalled lease negotiations between the NT government and the Ausco company that owns the Stayover accommodation facility. These delays mean the centre may not open — if at all — until after the August 22 election.

Housing Minister Gerry McCarthy said: “We continue to negotiate the lease at the Batten Road Specialist Homelessness Centre to deliver the best value for NT taxpayers, including the possibility of purchasing the site.”

Minister for Housing and Community Development Gerry McCarthy.

Ms Caton said heavily intoxicated people would not be allowed to stay at the new centre when it opened.

“We cannot have drinking here; we can’t have heavily intoxicated people when we might have people escaping domestic violence and the like,” she said.

“This will be crisis accommodation as well, so we just have to be firm on that.”

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Ms Caton said that at the moment the short-stay accommodation tariff was $30 for one person in a room and $40 for two.

“Once it changes status there is debate going on whether it should be no cost,” she said.

“I’d be looking at $10 to $15 a night — it’s not unreasonable for meals and nice accommodation.”