Plea for housing funding
ABORIGINAL organisations and community representatives have called on the Federal Government to “shoulder its responsibility” on funding for remote housing following a forum on the issue in Darwin.
Northern Territory Aboriginal Housing Forum delegates released a statement expressing their deep concern that federal funding for the National Partnership on Remote Housing had “failed to deliver an overall increase in housing stock”.
“(The forum) welcomes the long-term commitment of the Northern Territory Government to set aside $1.1 billion over the next 10 years for aboriginal housing in the NT and calls on the Australian Government to shoulder its responsibility to fund remote aboriginal housing on a needs basis,” the statement reads.
“We remain deeply concerned that the current commitment falls significantly short of the level of funding committed under the NPRH, which has failed to deliver an overall increase in housing stock.”
The NPRH is due to expire in June and the delegates also demanded the Government explain how it intended to tackle the issue going forward. “(The forum also) calls on the Australian Government, as a matter of urgency, to make clear its commitment to aboriginal housing in the NT from July 1, 2018, when the NPRH funding ceases,” they said.
“Without resolution, Aboriginal communities face significant risk of uncertain housing-service provision.”
The delegates said they were “heartened” by the attendance of Chief Minister Michael Gunner, who said he was “happy to talk about” the creation of a new peak body to oversee indigenous housing.
“(The forum) welcomes the commitment of the Chief Minister to support the development of an Aboriginal community-controlled peak housing body for the NT and to support AHNT and (Aboriginal Peak Organisations NT) to progress this work,” they said.
A spokesman for Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion said he was “absolutely committed” to future funding for remote housing in the NT.
“But it’s not just about the money; it’s about how we do the business and making sure aboriginal people have a greater role in delivering the work,” he said.