Ozanam House future up in air as Indigenous services hub questioned

The future of Ozanam House remains uncertain 18-months out from its anticipated relocation. Read what’s happening.

The new Ozanam House site on Dick Ward Drive. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The Northern Territory Government has refused to commit to the relocation of a contentious sobering-up facility in Coconut Grove, despite a surge in crime and anti-social behaviour in the area.

In October 2024, St Vincent de Paul relocated its Ozanam House facility from Stuart Park to Dick Ward Drive in Coconut Grove.

While St Vincent de Paul is planning a multimillion-dollar workers accommodation project at the old Stuart Park site, residents have attributed the arrival of Ozanam House in Coconut Grove with a surge in crime and anti-social behaviour.

Speaking hours after Nightcliff Friendly Grocer owner Linford Feick was allegedly murdered in his shop on Thursday, Nightcliff resident Caroline told the NT News too many support services were concentrated in a small pocket within the neighbourhood.

She pointed to Litchfield Square, the new social housing at the old John Stokes Square, the Dick Ward Drive renal facility and Coconut Grove’s Ozanam House.

In addition, more social housing could be located at the Sea Breeze apartments on the corner of Dick Ward Drive and Progress Drive.

St Vincent de Paul's chief executive Rob Lutter at the relocated Ozanam House in Coconut Grove last year. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

In April 2024 the Development Consent Authority approved St Vince de Paul’s application to relocate Ozanam House from the corner of Stuart Highway and Westralia Street to its new location at 115 Dick Ward Drive.

Conditions of the permit approval included the site not being used as a ‘habitable room’, and that use of the land for the community centre stopped within two years of the certificate of occupancy being issued.

Despite this, when interviewed by the NT News last October, St Vincent de Paul’s NT chief executive Rob Lutter flagged the centre could be in position for five years, and not the two years recommended by the DCA.

“I can’t guarantee anything,” Mr Lutter said at the time.

Litchfield Court in Coconut Grove is a hotspot for trouble in the Nightcliff area. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“At the moment we’re negotiating with Northern Territory Government on finding a permanent home. So working with Larrakia Nation on that. There is an opportunity as you know, that we can reapply, that can happen.

“Our original application was five years I believe, the DCA suggested three and then it came down to two. It’s not very flexible, we want to move to a permanent site. That’s our number-one aim.”

St Vincent de Paul declined a face-to-face interview on Monday, but in a written response to questions denied it had sought an extension of its two-year DCA approval.

“The St Vincent de Paul Society Northern Territory has not applied for an extension to the two-year approval for Ozanam House in Coconut Grove,” St Vincent de Paul said in a statement.

“We remain committed operating at the current site for two years and are working with the Northern Territory Government to identify a permanent location.

“Our long-term goal is to find a site to develop a new interim accommodation facility that will provide safe accommodation and essential services for people sleeping rough.”

Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro was noncommittal.

“The DCA permit probably gives them about another 18 months (in Coconut Grove),” Ms Finocchiaro said.

“There is an opportunity to work with them going forward. Those discussions, are continuing.”

Originally published as Ozanam House future up in air as Indigenous services hub questioned