One of the happiest periods of my life was spent in Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory. Love the place, love the people. So all the political stuff that is going on at the moment brings to me great sadness. So, dear Networkers, please bear with me and share with me as I write about the dreadful failed policies of The Intervention or the Northern Territory Emergency Response or Close the Gap Campaign. The smell rising from these failed policies is the same no matter what the policies are called. I want to remind the Commonwealth and Northern Territory Governments that what is happening in the Northern Territory is not only affecting Aboriginal people. It is affecting remote communities whether they are black, white, or mainstream. Nobody is fooled by government messages when they can see that actions do not match the PR.
Reader’s anger over SIHIP mismanagement
– NAME WITHHELD, TENNANT CREEK.
14/08/2009 9:13:00 AM
I WOULD like to voice my opinion on the disgraceful SIHIP Program.
The town camp leases in Tennant Creek were SOLD to the Government by Julalikari in exchange for $30 million dollars, and promises were made to the town camp residents that they would be getting new houses built on their camps.
Extra money was even thrown in by the Federal Government bringing the total to be spent in Tennant Creek to $36.5 million.
This sell out was meant to alleviate overcrowding in households, alleviate health problems, education problems and the list goes on.
How is refurbishing going to help the problem of overcrowding?
The refurbishments do not offer any additional infrastructure like an additional room, so I would like someone to tell us where all this money has gone, and why everyone is going back on their words and not building any new houses in Tennant Creek town camps.
This has just built up peoples’ hopes up then kicked them out in the teeth.
Under the SIHIP program in other areas of the NT, there are communities that have received the same amount of money such as Groote Eylant and Bickerton Island who received $37 million and are managing to build 26 new homes, visitor houses and refurbishments.
Why can’t Tennant Creek manage their money?
Throughout the Barkly Region, for all of the money given to the NT Government from the Federal Government, there will only be approximately four new houses built in Ali Curung and nothing throughout our region.
Again, refurbishments maybe me completed on some houses, no extensions, no air-conditioning, no verandas – what is the NT Government doing?
They have Territory Housing Standards and then they have Remote Housing Standards and we all know why there are two different standards don’t we?
I am sure all government worker houses out on the communities have air conditioning don’t they?
And I am sure if they had 15 teachers in one house they would build another don’t you think?
Oh no, they would not put up with sharing with so many people.
Well why is it good enough for some while others have to live in such bad and sad conditions. Closing the Gap my eye!
Can the Labor Party please tell us where these 750 new homes are/were coming from?
And yes, Alison Anderson and Karl Hampton should be standing up for the Indigenous people who have elected them in as these people elect Indigenous leaders to make their lives better, hoping they understand their living conditions which I know Alison does.
As for our member for Barkly, Mr McCarthy - I hope you are enjoying feathering your nest because you have done absolutely nothing for the people who have elected you in.
Your newsletters indicate nothing more than ‘I have done this and I have been here and I am now off to ...’.
No mention of what you are doing for the town you are meant to be representing – still no skate park and youth activities etc and now we have youth sniffing petrol too.
Everything you have done has been on the tail end of Elliott McAdam’s final projects; you have to come up with no innovative ideas nor fought for your region on any level.
I hope you enjoy this term because you will not be there next term.
Sick of money grubbing liars.
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