Housing and homelessness are key issues for remote Northern Territory communities

ABC NEWS (Australia)

In one small community south of Darwin, residents are debating whether a major housing promise made by the Prime Minister last year has made a difference to their lives.

Transcript

00:00Deep in the Northern Territory's remote heartland, the tiny community of Binjari made national

00:10headlines last year after a big visit from the top.

00:14We want to close the gap.

00:16What we've said is that we want to look at measures that will make a practical difference

00:21to people's lives.

00:22Anthony Albanese promising billions to fix the NT's dire housing situation in the bush.

00:29But more than a year on, life in Binjari hasn't changed.

00:33They were saying that we're going to build more houses, but nothing.

00:37We're still waiting.

00:40Danielle Raymond shares the two bedroom unit behind her with up to six others.

00:45It's not uncommon for up to 15 people to share a home here.

00:49We need more, like, extra rooms in a home.

00:52The $4 billion investment aims to build 2,700 homes in the Northern Territory over the next decade.

01:01According to the NT government, which oversees the spending, $24 million has gone toward repairing

01:07remote homes.

01:0925 new or replacement homes have been delivered across 28 communities, but Binjari isn't one

01:16of them.

01:17How are you?

01:18Hi, Libby.

01:19Hi, Libby.

01:20Resident Olivia Raymond spoke to the Prime Minister during his visit about her poor living conditions.

01:26When the rain comes, you know, we'll have mole coming from underneath and mosquitoes and

01:31we hardly sleep at night.

01:33Debbie Aloysi has spent decades working in Binjari and heads the local corporation.

01:39She's witnessed living standards go backwards.

01:42They'll come out and they'll give you these motherhood statements and then nothing happens.

01:47This is where the community of Binjari gathered more than a year ago to hear the Prime Minister's

01:51announcement.

01:52Since then, not only has not a single new house been built here, but employment for local

01:57construction workers has dried up.

02:00The community says they're frustrated to see progress stall, especially when Binjari was

02:05used as the backdrop for a multi-billion dollar housing promise.

02:10Father, Justin Maroney, thought the Prime Minister's announcement would bring more work to the

02:15community.

02:17Government building tenders have dried up and he's doing odd jobs around town to get

02:21by.

02:22I used to have a car, and every time it used to break down, I always had money there to

02:27pay for it.

02:28Now, I had to get rid of it.

02:30The Northern Territory government insists it is on track to meet the targets set under

02:35the remote housing agreement.

02:37But its future under a coalition government isn't clear cut.

02:40How they're being carried out and delivered and also costs associated with those bills will

02:47all be considered and under review.

02:50As the federal election draws closer, the community of Binjari feels neglected.

02:55There's a lot of, you know, kids.

02:57They've got to grow up, you know.

02:59We need houses for the future as well.

03:01Speaking up for those relying on change.

03:04But the first place I am trying to understand.

03:12inger.ed.com

03:13The closing point of the system is also mentioned.

03:14What's the answer to the time is just the HOLLY

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