Cathy O'Toole (Herbert, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

In 2008 the then Labor government established the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing, aimed at tackling overcrowding and poor living conditions in remote communities in Australia. The review of the program highlighted that, by 2018, the strategy would have delivered 4,000 new houses and 7,500 refurbishments. This increase in supply is estimated to have led to a significant decrease in the proportion of overcrowded houses in remote and very remote areas, falling from 53.1 per cent in 2008 to 41.3 per cent in 2014-15. The review suggested this would fall further, to 37.4 per cent, by 2018.

The review also found that the targets in the strategy to create job opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have resulted in many success stories around local employment, business and training. Local employment, especially in the areas of repair and maintenance, can improve the housing program's efficiency and effectiveness and, if properly organised, can support the core priority of delivering and maintaining quality housing.

In addition, 5,500 homes are required by 2028, to reduce levels of overcrowding in remote areas to acceptable levels. The review also found that the first priority for government is to protect their investments and increase the longevity of houses by maintaining the houses already delivered. In this year's budget, it is very clear that there is no further funding for the National Partnership on Remote Housing from July 2018. Instead, the government will provide $550 million over five years for remote housing in the Northern Territory.

These are the questions that I have for the minister. Can you please confirm that there is no funding allocated in the budget for remote housing in Western Australia, South Australia or Queensland?

Can you confirm whether any transitional funding has been provided in those jurisdictions after 1 July? Is there any provision within the contingency reserve for such an eventuality? If so, how much has been provisioned? In the Indigenous affairs minister's press release on budget night it was claimed that negotiations remain ongoing with Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland; however, the Commonwealth remains hopeful of reaching an agreement with these jurisdictions soon. Can you tell me where the negotiations are up to? Who is leading those negotiations? Is it the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet or is it Treasury? Are you still confident of reaching an agreement? Will agreement be reached by 1 July?

You have indicated in the past that you would match state commitments. Are you still committed to matching any state contribution put forward? Have any financial contributions been put forward by those states? In April this year the Queensland government wrote to the Commonwealth indicating that it would be willing to put $1.08 billion into remote housing. Given you have indicated that you would match funding, why have you not agreed to match the Queensland contribution? In the past you have said that you are not walking away from the project of tackling overcrowding in remote housing. Will you now admit that this government, at least in WA, South Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory, has done just that? Given that there is no funding in the budget for remote housing in these jurisdictions, does the minister have a plan to meet the anticipated need for 2,700 homes required in WA, South Australia and Queensland to reduce overcrowding to an acceptable level? Do you have any plan at all to address these issues or meet these targets? Will you admit that you are walking away from remote communities in these states? The review also indicates that the No. 1 priority should be upkeep of existing housing stock. Do you have any funding available or plans for this? If not, are you concerned about deterioration? How will you address this issue?

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