► The Labor Government is delivering better housing and more of it to Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory.
Safe and healthy homes
The Government is investing more than ever in new and improved housing for Indigenous communities all across the Territory, acknowledging the importance of a healthy and safe living environment in keeping families healthy and strong.
Through the $672 million Strategic Indigenous Housing Investment Program (SIHIP), the Federal Government is prioritising construction of new housing stock in Aboriginal communities across the Territory, including the construction of 85 new homes in the Alice Springs town camps at a cost of $100 million.
This program will deliver 750 new houses, 230 rebuilds of existing houses and 2,500 refurbishments across 73 remote communities and town camps in the Territory by 2013. In addition to this, SIHIP projects will create jobs for local Indigenous people: as of October 2010, the program has achieved a level of 30 per cent Indigenous proportion of the on-site workforce, exceeding the program's target of 20 per cent.
Temporary accomodation
Forming part of the $150 million Alice Springs Transformation Plan, the Federal Government is supporting the construction of much-needed additional temporary accommodation facilities in Alice Springs to provide a safe and affordable place to stay for those visiting Alice Springs.
Projects such as the Apmere Mwerre Visitor Park and transitional housing developments at Percy Court and Bath Street will make it easier and safer for visitors to Alice Springs to access services such as medical treatment and Centrelink, and participate in community life when in town. ► Full information about the progress being made can be found at the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs website.
Funding through the Australian Government's Social Housing Initiative has constructed more public housing in Lingiari, expanded and refurbished existing public housing and created jobs and economic opportunities for local communities and businesses.