Introduction by Croakey: Housing is a top election priority for Northern Territory peak bodies, with calls for the next government to address the Territory’s housing crisis.
Skye Thompson, CEO of AHNT, the peak body for Aboriginal Housing in the NT, said in a statement that while the recent commitment by the NT and Federal governments for $4 billion over 10 years for new remote houses “is a great step in the right direction”, they want to ensure the funding goes where it will have greatest benefit.
This election, AHNT is calling for new housing for homelands, more Aboriginal control of design, construction and management of housing, better government accountability and action to alleviate the rising cost of living.
In recent weeks, both the NT Labor and Country Liberal Parties have promised substantial first home buyer and/or builder grants of $60,000. Chief Minister Eva Lawler also announced that, if re-elected, the Government would introduce a stand-alone department called Territory Homes to facilitate the building of the new homes.
With the NT election just around the corner, on 24 August, some practical recommendations for addressing housing needs are outlined below by Peter McMillan, CEO of NT Shelter – the peak body for affordable housing and homelessness.
Peter McMillan writes:
The Commonwealth, State and Territory governments have finally found a good deal of aspiration on setting “ambitious” five-year housing supply targets under the National Housing Accord and the Housing Australia Future Fund.
Many of the new 11,500 homes penned in for the Northern Territory are earmarked for social and affordable housing, which of course is vitally important in not only preventing and addressing homelessness but improving the standard of living of those living in severely overcrowded, low quality housing.
This is undoubtedly welcome news for those across the health community, and especially so for those who work with First Nations communities, who bear a disproportionate share of the burden of unmet housing demand across Australia.
Increasing the supply of social and affordable housing for very low and low income earners should reduce health costs by reducing the incidence of preventable diseases of poverty, improving mental health outcomes, and making communities more liveable by providing housing that is aligned to local needs, expectations and aspirations.
However, some fundamental stakes need to be put in the ground to ensure that the housing supply program is set up for success.
Getting the basics right
Firstly, we need a new agency that is capable of overseeing the community consultation, design, procurement, place making and amenity, and maintenance of housing.
This includes, but is not limited to, housing for remote Aboriginal communities and urban social and affordable housing – importantly, an agency that is business-savvy and able to work with myriad partners to secure private sector investment in the housing market to deliver a wide range of housing for rent and for sale is needed.
We’re delighted that Territory Labor has committed to centralising responsibilities like these under the guise of a new agency, Territory Homes. A good start.
Secondly, we need to get the basics right. We need to see short-stay accommodation for Aboriginal families coming to Katherine, an important economic and social hub, for medical treatment.
At the moment, with a paucity of accommodation options, people continue to sleep rough in riverbeds or on the fringes of the town, hardly conducive to their medical conditions and needs.
Transitional housing for women and children escaping domestic family violence in Tennant Creek is another ask. We know that over 50 percent of clients seeking help from homelessness support services have experienced domestic violence.
However, apart from very short-term crisis support, there is no stable housing option in the absence of sufficient social housing. That means that many women and children, of necessity, return home to the risk of further violence from perpetrators.
Rental matters
Barely a day goes by without a feature story on a family struggling to make ends meet in the midst of a national cost of living crisis.
Across Australia, rents have soared as vacancy rates have plummeted, leaving many families struggling or unable to meet rent payments. This is particularly important issue in the Northern Territory, with close to 50 percent of the population renting.
Practical solutions that are actionable and will make a tangible difference for those struggling to find and maintain appropriate, affordable and accessible housing are available.
For starters, residential tenancy legislation needs to be modernised to ensure that the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants alike are better balanced.
Getting rid of no-cause evictions, as NSW has done, would be a sensible place to start. Landlords being required to have a valid reason before evicting a tenant seems entirely reasonable.
Getting rid of discrimination in the rental market is also pretty modest ask, as is the inclusion of minimum standards in legislation as other states have already done.
In fact, bringing renting laws in the NT up to the standard already in place in other jurisdictions across Australia is hardly a radical ask.
Fund frontline services
We’ve asked that funding for frontline homelessness services be restored to 2018 levels.
There has been a systematic deterioration in funding from the application of public sector efficiency dividends to non-government services, as well as a lack of compensation for sector award wage increases and broader cost inflation.
In a small jurisdiction with huge need, frontline services need to be well placed to respond to ever rising demand and provide help to get people’s lives back on track.
There has been enormous coverage on the need to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour, with far too little focus on investing in prevention and support – interventions that will help tackle the needs of people sleeping rough before becoming broader community challenges of antisocial behaviour and crime.
We have been working closely with Foyer Foundation recently and are very keen to see a youth foyer established in Alice Springs. In a community rife with youth homelessness, it is now the time to invest in the potential of young people by providing accommodation in return to a commitment to education and employment.
The model is effective and well known across Australia. It works. We need an incoming government to play a leadership role in brokering a deal with other key partners to bring it to fruition.
Finally, and not to be underestimated, we need the support of communities to embrace the supply of more social and affordable housing.
An incoming government will need to outline its vision of where the 11,500 additional homes will be located, the proportion that will be mandated for social and affordable housing, and how it will ensure that we do this in a way that maintains and indeed enhances community liveability and cohesion.
This will require careful consideration of urban planning, community infrastructure, and design elements as well as access to employment, connecting transport services, and precinct development.
With Commonwealth money now flowing into the Northern Territory for much needed remote and urban housing, the task ahead on housing for the incoming government will require a comprehensive, articulate, commercially savvy and actionable housing plan.
There will be many constraints to tackle and challenges to overcome.
With the requisite degree of urgency, collaboration with industry partners, agency resourcing and determination, the task is not impossible.
More reading on the NT election
Experts call for the end of “tough on crime” electioneering, by Alison Barrett
Next Northern Territory Government must invest in community safety and the community services sector, by Sally Sievers
Why the climate health crisis should be front of mind for the Northern Territory election, by Alison Barrett
See Croakey’s archive of articles on housing and health.
