Ms ANDERSON - 2008-02-13
Can the minister update the House on Closing the Gap initiatives that involve the provision of infrastructure?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her important question because, certainly in her electorate, she is seeing the real benefit that is provided in the $268m commitment under Closing the Gap being delivered on the ground into the communities. You cannot be providing services that are critical to addressing the disadvantage of indigenous Territorians without actually building the infrastructure to support those services. Improving housing is fundamental to the work that we are doing, as more than 60% of indigenous Territorians currently live in overcrowded conditions. There is a significant housing construction program occurring across the Territory and that is, in part, occurring in our remote communities and regions.
We are also providing infrastructure in areas such as education, health and policing. The construction and installation of 15 classrooms and 22 teacher houses are currently under way. The upgrade of the homeland learning centres and community education centres are currently in design phase. As the Chief Minister indicated, many police stations are under construction.
In addition to the $42m allocated in Closing the Gap for government employee housing in the bush, government has also allocated an additional $100m for indigenous housing. This goes with the significant Commonwealth commitment of $793m. It is a big project. The government is in consultation with the Commonwealth government at the moment to put in place project and delivery teams to lead this significant construction program right across our regions in the Territory.
As Infrastructure minister, I am committed to working with the Commonwealth government and Territory Housing to ensure that this project delivers the best possible outcomes, delivers the most houses we can get, the best bang for dollar right across the Territory into the regions and remote communities where the need is the greatest.
As Minister for Public Employment, I am also focused on ensuring that the Closing the Gap initiative actually increases indigenous employment in the public service. The Department of Health and Community Services and the Department of Employment, Education and Training have identified actual jobs and positions that can be transferred from CDEP to fully-funded paid positions. We are also working with the Commonwealth and local government on a three-year plan to create 400 to 500 full-time jobs in local government across our regions. This will be done by a combination of CDEP transfer and new positions.
In construction and employment, there is a lot of work to do, but we have made a significant start to this work. As minister, I am committed to ensuring that Closing the Gap initiatives help to overcome the disadvantage of our indigenous Territorians.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her important question because, certainly in her electorate, she is seeing the real benefit that is provided in the $268m commitment under Closing the Gap being delivered on the ground into the communities. You cannot be providing services that are critical to addressing the disadvantage of indigenous Territorians without actually building the infrastructure to support those services. Improving housing is fundamental to the work that we are doing, as more than 60% of indigenous Territorians currently live in overcrowded conditions. There is a significant housing construction program occurring across the Territory and that is, in part, occurring in our remote communities and regions.
We are also providing infrastructure in areas such as education, health and policing. The construction and installation of 15 classrooms and 22 teacher houses are currently under way. The upgrade of the homeland learning centres and community education centres are currently in design phase. As the Chief Minister indicated, many police stations are under construction.
In addition to the $42m allocated in Closing the Gap for government employee housing in the bush, government has also allocated an additional $100m for indigenous housing. This goes with the significant Commonwealth commitment of $793m. It is a big project. The government is in consultation with the Commonwealth government at the moment to put in place project and delivery teams to lead this significant construction program right across our regions in the Territory.
As Infrastructure minister, I am committed to working with the Commonwealth government and Territory Housing to ensure that this project delivers the best possible outcomes, delivers the most houses we can get, the best bang for dollar right across the Territory into the regions and remote communities where the need is the greatest.
As Minister for Public Employment, I am also focused on ensuring that the Closing the Gap initiative actually increases indigenous employment in the public service. The Department of Health and Community Services and the Department of Employment, Education and Training have identified actual jobs and positions that can be transferred from CDEP to fully-funded paid positions. We are also working with the Commonwealth and local government on a three-year plan to create 400 to 500 full-time jobs in local government across our regions. This will be done by a combination of CDEP transfer and new positions.
In construction and employment, there is a lot of work to do, but we have made a significant start to this work. As minister, I am committed to ensuring that Closing the Gap initiatives help to overcome the disadvantage of our indigenous Territorians.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016