The gap

Nearly a quarter of Indigenous people aged 15 years and over in Australia are living in overcrowded housing. This situation is most pronounced in the Northern Territory, with more than 60% of Indigenous Territorians living in overcrowded conditions. Overcrowded houses are more difficult to maintain and keep clean, and lead to increased likelihood of spread of infection and infectious diseases.

The approach

Access to adequate housing, infrastructure and essential services provides the basis for healthy families, a healthy lifestyle, strong communities and economic growth. By providing better access to housing, infrastructure and essential services we can improve health, safety, education and employment outcomes.

Over the next 5 years, the Northern Territory Government will:

Remote Housing

• In partnership with the Australian Government, work to address the backlog in remote Indigenous housing
• Roll out the Northern Territory Government’s $100m commitment to remote housing
• Negotiate with the Australian Government for a significant share of the $1.6b Australian Remote Indigenous Accommodation program
• Implement the Territory Housing management framework across the Territory, including providing life skills and tenant responsibilities training
• Continue the existing housing construction and upgrade program, incorporating flexible design and low cost housing, catering for special needs groups and providing for Indigenous employment in housing construction, repairs and maintenance
• Continue to manage and maintain remote Indigenous houses under the existing programs
• Continue to provide essential service infrastructure and land servicing for Indigenous housing.

Government Employee Housing

• Provide new houses for the growth in government employees to be based in remote communities – $42.32m.

Housing Fact Sheet (PDF document, 450 kilobytes)