Court win paves way for camp upgrades

THE federal government will move to clean up Alice Springs Aboriginal town camps ahead of a $100 million package of housing upgrades.

THE federal government will urgently move to clean up Alice Springs Aboriginal town camps ahead of a $100 million package of housing upgrades, after a court rejected a last-ditch bid by residents to halt long-term lease deals.

The Federal Court decision yesterday cleared the way for a 40-year lease between the commonwealth and 16 town camp housing associations, ending a four-month legal stalemate that had prevented even basic repairs and maintenance to housing in the squalid camps.

Unless the court decision is appealed, the 40-year leases the federal government has made a condition of the $100m injection of housing funds into town camps will be executed within 10 days.

If there is no appeal, judge John Mansfield ruled yesterday that the injunction preventing the leases being executed would be lifted on December 3.

Apart from a successful appeal or an unlikely fresh court action, the only thing that could derail the 40-year lease deals is if the housing associations renege on their agreement with the government to execute them.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin said the government was pleased it would be able to begin the task of lifting the appalling standards of living in the camps. "Acute overcrowding and sub-standard housing combined with alcohol abuse, despair and hopelessness mean the basic human right to a safe and healthy life is denied to many residents," she said.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Paul Henderson also welcomed Justice Mansfield's decision, which found that the 16 town camp housing associations that had moved to sign up to 40-year leases with the federal government had not acted contrary to their legal obligations towards residents.

Justice Mansfield also ruled against residents' claims that Ms Macklin had failed to properly consult with them over the implications of a compulsory takeover of the town camps, which would have occurred had a lease deal not been reached.

The lead claimant in the action, Barbara Shaw, said yesterday she would consult with other residents before deciding whether to appeal against the court ruling.

Stop the Intervention Collective spokesman Paddy Gibson maintained that the housing associations had signed up to a lease with the federal government "with a gun held to their heads".