Mr DUNHAM - 1998-10-14
Katherine, like many other centres in the Territory has benefited from the defence build up in the north. Defence housing, in particular, has an enormous capacity for economic spin-offs right through the community. Can the minister advise of any initiatives regarding defence housing in Katherine?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the member for Drysdale is very correct in what he says about the opportunities that have come with the defence build up in the north and, certainly in specific reference to Katherine and the defence there, the operation of Tindal and the airforce as well.
With the move of defence force personnel to the Top End and to Katherine it is obvious that housing is needed for the families of the defence personnel. Certainly that has been the case over a number of years now in Katherine, and we have experienced considerable residential development through the Defence Housing Authority. Apart from the obvious quality of those developments, the Defence Housing Authority has chosen to construct a lot of its housing in the greater part of Katherine rather than just totally on the base at Tindal.
I have just finalised the sale of a further 33 residential blocks in Katherine to the Defence Housing Authority to allow the Authority to further develop its accommodation. Last week the Defence Housing Authority completed its negotiation for the purchase of those 33 residential blocks from the Northern Territory government. The authority advises that it plans to build and develop over the next 15 months some 60 new homes in Katherine. That is a house a week for the next 60 weeks, and that is great news for the development and economic development of Katherine and certainly for the Northern Territory as a whole.
Members will know that we have been assisting the Defence Housing Authority in all its movements in relation to development of housing in the Northern Territory, and we certainly welcome the expansion of the defence presence in the Northern Territory.
I had the blocks independently valued by the Australian Valuation Office and the overall purchase price is in the order of $1m, so that is good news for the Northern Territory. I know that the quality of those houses will be much appreciated and certainly the work to Northern Territory contractors in the next 15 months will also be much appreciated.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the member for Drysdale is very correct in what he says about the opportunities that have come with the defence build up in the north and, certainly in specific reference to Katherine and the defence there, the operation of Tindal and the airforce as well.
With the move of defence force personnel to the Top End and to Katherine it is obvious that housing is needed for the families of the defence personnel. Certainly that has been the case over a number of years now in Katherine, and we have experienced considerable residential development through the Defence Housing Authority. Apart from the obvious quality of those developments, the Defence Housing Authority has chosen to construct a lot of its housing in the greater part of Katherine rather than just totally on the base at Tindal.
I have just finalised the sale of a further 33 residential blocks in Katherine to the Defence Housing Authority to allow the Authority to further develop its accommodation. Last week the Defence Housing Authority completed its negotiation for the purchase of those 33 residential blocks from the Northern Territory government. The authority advises that it plans to build and develop over the next 15 months some 60 new homes in Katherine. That is a house a week for the next 60 weeks, and that is great news for the development and economic development of Katherine and certainly for the Northern Territory as a whole.
Members will know that we have been assisting the Defence Housing Authority in all its movements in relation to development of housing in the Northern Territory, and we certainly welcome the expansion of the defence presence in the Northern Territory.
I had the blocks independently valued by the Australian Valuation Office and the overall purchase price is in the order of $1m, so that is good news for the Northern Territory. I know that the quality of those houses will be much appreciated and certainly the work to Northern Territory contractors in the next 15 months will also be much appreciated.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016