Promise check: $100 million for housing and essential services on First Nations Northern Territory homelands

At the 2022 election, Labor promised $100 million for housing and essential services on First Nations Northern Territory homelands. Here's how that promise is tracking.

(Image by ABC News: Jano Gibson)

During the election campaign, Labor pledged to deliver an "immediate boost" of funding to address what it described as "overcrowded and run-down housing" in some remote First Nations communities.

In its election policy platform, Labor said it would "commit $100 million to start work immediately on urgent housing and essential infrastructure on Northern Territory homelands."

The Northern Territory homelands are a group of approximately 500 small remote First Nations communities where residents have traditional ownership or historical connection to the land.

The homelands investment would be in addition to a separate commitment to build 30,000 new social and affordable homes through the Housing Australia Future Fund, Labor said.

In its policies, Labor added that the funding boost would contribute towards "improvements to water, power and community facilities, as well as housing upgrades, extensions, and new builds."

Assessing the promise

This promise will be considered delivered if $100 million is allocated and shown to be spent in Northern Territory homeland communities within the priority areas identified: water, power, community facilities, infrastructure and housing.

Furthermore, funding for the homelands must represent an additional investment to the commitment of 30,000 social and affordable houses via the Housing Australia Future Fund.

As the homelands investment was pledged as an "immediate boost" it must also occur in Labor's first term of government to be considered delivered.

Here's how the promise is tracking:

19 May 2023

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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.

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Promise check: $100 million for housing and essential services on First Nations Northern Territory homelands