Darwin to get cheap housing but Alice not yet

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Alice Springs is missing out on a low-rent housing initiative by the NT Government but it has been promised for later.
Acting Chief Minister Delia Lawrie said yesterday the government has finalised the establishment of Venture Housing Company “to provide affordable housing options for Territorians”.
Dwellings will be made available at 20% below market rate in the Darwin suburbs of Parap (35 units) and Driver (21), according to a media release by Ms Lawrie, which does not mention Alice Springs.
In response to questions from Alice News Online Mychelle Curran, of Territory Housing, said as the Venture Housing Company becomes more established further affordable rental properties will be made available across the Territory.
“The new suburb of Kilgariff is set to initially deliver 150 dwellings onto the Alice Springs housing market over the next few years which will help Territorians buy their own home sooner.
“The Kilgariff subdivision will include both AZRI and airport land with the capacity to grow to 4500 dwellings over 20 years, with 15 per cent set aside for affordable housing, which includes affordable rental and home ownership opportunities as well as public housing.
“Venture Housing Company will be given the opportunity to work with the government and developers to participate in these subdivisions where 15 per cent has been allocated.”
ILLUSTRATION: The planned Kilgariff suburb. The existing rural subdivisions of Rangeview Estate and Heffernan Road are in the top right-hand corner of the image. The airport is at the bottom.

3 COMMENTS

  1. Here we go again, Delia looking after Darwin again, just like there are no other places in the Territory.
    Just remember, Delia, elections coming soon. BYE BIRDIE.

  2. Oh yeah, within 20 years, 15% of 4,500 new dwellings will be ear-marked as “affordable” housing: this is a mere 675 if my maths are correct. The other 3,825 will be available at commercial / market value. I insist “within 20 years”. In the meantime Alice accommodation deficit remains in crisis and the Melanka block is still vacant! And who are they, those who may be willing to live in “Kilgariff” and commute to work and could afford it? Where does the figure of 15% of 4,500 for “affordable housing” come from? Why not 50-60-70% thus shorten the waiting list for public housing? Government and developers may find themselves with an even larger problem if and when some of the 3,825 new dwellings remain with the “for sale” sign for lack of buyers.
    Whether the NT government likes it or not, Alice Springs is and remains a “regional and remote” (not even “rural”) centre servicing the large Centralian region. The major part of its permanent or transient population are public servants (the scores of xxx@nt.gov.au). Its Indigenous population is increasing and will require even more than today decent and affordable accommodation, schooling facilities and jobs. I am not sure that Kilgariff + AZRI will answer this need.
    The tourists want the exotism of a Town like Alice: suburbia has never attracted tourism.
    What is sure is that for the time being, it is Darwin that receives all the attention (and funding) and in the meantime Alice-Town is slowly loosing its population and small businesses are closing down and move away. What could be the attraction of the Centre to promote a sudden increase of population – unless the US military to be stationed in Darwin expand 1,500kms south? Would Power and Water supply be able to cover the consumption of 4,500 additional dwellings? They talk of dwellings, not individuals … so many un-answered questions.
    I may lack vision – but my 26 years in Alice tell me that we better keep it simple and focus on the revival of our township as expressed in the public consultations held in 2010-11 without waiting for Darwin to come good within 20 years.

  3. @! You should know where the figures come from – out of their heads – they have not got a vision for Central Australia – they say politicians and actors have a lot in common – only thing is the actors are doing what they are supposed to be doing.
    Who really wants to live in the path of the aeroplanes. It is not only Melanka that is vacant – there are other places too. It is not so long since all we heard was about the government trying to get people away from the cities – what are they doing about it.
    If the politicians refuse to consider Central Australia then maybe we should refuse to pay taxes (which were meant for the benefit of ALL Australians – not just city people). It’s not only housing but remote services that are losing out. We are getting untrained or semi-trained people as staff for essential services just because we live here – things are deteriorating rapidly. I think if they can’t come up with something better then we should put them on income management until they get their act together.

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