Mr MILLS - 2008-05-01
Each and every year, the Commonwealth Grants Commission’s review committee’s indicative estimates are that the Territory’s need for indigenous housing expenditure is about $95m and allocates the money accordingly. Not counting the federal government’s input, what will be the Territory government’s contribution in next week’s budget to housing for the next financial year only?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I would be happy to give that answer when I hand down the budget. What I can say is, it will be a record. It will be the most that any Territory government has ever spent on building houses for indigenous Territorians. It will be a sea change in the Territory. We will have the biggest construction program and R&M program out in the bush ever in the history of the Territory. Why? We are playing catch-up. We are chasing after decades of neglect.
The beauty of it is, we can make the most of the opportunity that lies in front of all of us where we have a Labor government in Canberra and in the Territory willing to spend on closing the gap of indigenous disadvantage. Well, I say, thank God we have a Labor government to work with because, in the past, we heard a lot of rhetoric out of Johnny and his mates, but not the money we needed to fix it.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I would be happy to give that answer when I hand down the budget. What I can say is, it will be a record. It will be the most that any Territory government has ever spent on building houses for indigenous Territorians. It will be a sea change in the Territory. We will have the biggest construction program and R&M program out in the bush ever in the history of the Territory. Why? We are playing catch-up. We are chasing after decades of neglect.
The beauty of it is, we can make the most of the opportunity that lies in front of all of us where we have a Labor government in Canberra and in the Territory willing to spend on closing the gap of indigenous disadvantage. Well, I say, thank God we have a Labor government to work with because, in the past, we heard a lot of rhetoric out of Johnny and his mates, but not the money we needed to fix it.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016