A KATHERINE company already delivering a range of services in indigenous communities across the region has come out in support of the Northern Territory government’s plan to create an independent statutory body that will become a “one-stop shop” for remote housing.
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On May 19, Chief Minister Adam Giles announced that the Remote Housing Development Authority would be responsible for the administration, construction, tenancy management and the repair and maintenance of housing in the NT’s 73 communities, 43 town camps and more than 400 homelands.
“This is transformational change – a new way of doing business for remote housing in the NT,” he said.
“It will result in much more say for locals, and generate new jobs and greater opportunity for businesses in the regional and remote communities.
“Over the next few months, we will be talking to all key stakeholders, including housing organisations, peak bodies and all other land councils.”
One of the key aims of the RHDA will be to “deliver as much work as possible for Aboriginal people and businesses in construction, repairs and maintenance and tenancy”, a move that has garnered praise from Power Projects NT general manager Andrew Harvey.
Thirty-five per cent of PPNT’s 55-strong workforce identifies as indigenous and Mr Harvey said he believed the RHDA model had the potential to deliver long-term employment sustainability in remote communities.
“It is quite often that current contracts only require a part-time employment solution, however, with training, multiple work packages can be managed by full-time, long-term staff,” he explained.
“The NT government has clearly identified that combining resources into one authority will allow for further economic savings, in addition to the improvements in communication through stakeholder engagement on the ground.”
But Mr Harvey warned that in order for the RHDA to be successful, a permanent presence in larger communities needed to be viewed as a priority.
“Power Projects NT is successful in our communities of operation as a result of physically embedding ourselves within these communities with the support of traditional owners and the [Northern Land Council],” he said.
“Having a long-term physical area to conduct business in communities is imperative for successful contract management and long-term employment.”
This week’s 2016 NT budget included $1 million to establish and support the not-for-profit RHDA, which is set to become operational on July 1, 2017.
