Terry Mills MLA

Shadow Minister for;
Police, Fire & Emergency Services
Education & Training
Territory/Federal Relations
Climate Change
Asian Relations

Release date: 08 March 2010

LABOR’S HOUSING LEGACY

The Henderson Government’s public housing failures continue to hurt Territorians, with waiting times for a two-bedroom home in Darwin blowing out by 7 months in February and wait times for all types of public housing in the Top End increasing.

Opposition Leader Terry Mills said Territory Housing’s February waiting time data shows why so many people are faced with the grim prospect of leaving the Territory because they can’t find a home.

The waiting time for a 3-bedroom home in Darwin is 58 months – just two months short of 5 years – 4 years for a 1-bedroom home and nearly three years for a 2-bedroom home.

The prospect of securing a public tenancy in Palmerston is also unlikely, with a 5-year wait for a 1-bedroom home, 50-month wait for a 2-bedroom home and 41-month wait for a 3 bedroom home.

There are also considerable waiting times for housing in Alice Springs, Katherine, Tennant Creek and Nhulunbuy.

“This is a direct result of Labor’s heartless sell-off of 2000 public houses since winning Government,” Mr Mills said.

“Territorians who, for whatever reason, can’t afford private rental require the safety net of public housing.

“In the Territory, the safety net is non existent. As we saw recently with the terrible story of Vivian Hoy, the single mother of 4 young children faces the very real prospect of having to leave the Territory because she can’t find either affordable private accommodation or public housing.”

Mr Mills said when asked about Ms Hoy in Parliament last month, Labor Minister Chris Burns tried to mask the fact there were extensive waiting times to access public housing in the Territory.

“This is the same Government that last year even stopped publishing public housing waiting times because the numbers were so bad,” he said.

“Waiting times for priority housing are also unacceptably high.

“The Government’s failed housing and land release policies have left Darwin with the country’s highest median house prices, highest rent and run-away public housing waiting lists.”


Further comment: Terry Mills 0418 833 594