The Territory Labor Government is proud to fund Aboriginal Housing NT (AHNT) as the peak body for Aboriginal housing and is excited to participate in AHNT’s first national conference, held in Darwin from 18-20 April 2023.
The Remote Housing and Homelessness Conference brings together housing experts from across the country, with an opening address from Minister for Housing and Homelands, Selena Uibo.
The Territory Labor Government is supporting Aboriginal Territorians living in remote communities and homelands through the delivery of the jointly funded $2.1 billion Remote Housing Investment Package. Since September 2016, 1000 remote homes have been built across the Territory. Since 2017, under ‘Our Community. Our Future. Our Homes’, an additional 1650 bedrooms have been achieved.
In addition, the NT Homelands Program contributes about $40 million in grant funding per year towards delivering housing, municipal and essential services for eligible homelands.
The conference comes off the back of recently released ABS data, which shows that new housing investment in the NT has led to a 10.5% reduction in severe overcrowding since 2016.
In October 2022, the Australian Government announced $100 million to invest in urgent repairs and maintenance across NT homelands. A new agreement on ‘Restoring funding for Northern Territory homelands’ has been signed by both Governments and marks an essential step to improve living conditions for Aboriginal Territorians. Funding has been allocated across two years; $25 million in 2022-23 and $75 million in 2023-24.
The upgrades will contribute to the Closing the Gap Priority Reforms, with the Northern Territory Land Councils and AHNT at the centre of the program’s delivery.
Minister for Housing and Homelands, Selena Uibo:
“We know that having access to appropriate and affordable housing on country for Aboriginal Territorians has never been more important – and we know we need more housing. One way we are delivering this is through our commitment to a $2.1 billion remote housing package, jointly funded by the Territory Labor Government and the Australian Government.”
“Organised by AHNT, the Remote Housing and Homelessness Conference brings together housing experts to discuss how we can further work together to improve housing for Aboriginal Territorians. The event is a reflection of our commitment to returning remote housing to Aboriginal community control.”
Aboriginal Housing Northern Territory, Chief Executive Officer, Skye Thompson
“We need leadership at every level to work with us to build a new system of Aboriginal housing – plenty of healthy and appropriate housing, preferably under Aboriginal community control.
“I’m thrilled that Minister Uibo will open this important first conference on remote housing and homelands in the NT and we particularly welcome her support for homelands. We need to build up our homelands into thriving on-Country communities – and the time to start that work is right now.”
