Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program
Encyclopedia
The Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program (SIHIP) is a joint program between the Australian Federal Government
and the Northern Territory
government to design and construct housing in a range of Indigenous Australian communities in the Northern Territory
. It follows on from the previous Federal government's Northern Territory National Emergency Response
.
The A$
647 million program proposes to construct over 750 houses and refurbish another 2,500 houses in 73 communities across the Northern Territory, as well as providing essential urban infrastructure to support the new houses. Major capital works are proposed in 16 communities, pending the establishment of long-term leases. A key focus of the program is the aim to provide jobs and training opportunities for Indigenous Australians.
The Federal Government announced in May 2009 that work under the program had started in three locations, Groote Eylandt
, the Tiwi Islands
and Tennant Creek
. The government has announced that at least 20 per cent of the local workforce will be indigenous, with the aim of creating longer-term employment outcomes for communities. Work at Tennant Creek includes providing electricity
, water, sewerage and roads to the town camps.
The program has been criticised by indigenous leaders such as Alison Anderson
and Galarrwuy Yunupingu
for what they claim is excessive bureaucracy and overheads. Yunupingu said in August 2009 "I keep hearing that, two years on, not one house has been built and I see it, too. Not one house. I keep getting the complaint that all the companies are doing is consulting and consulting, getting their daily fees and disappearing again.", adding "It's a system designed to profit non-Aborigines while nothing gets done." The local federal member of parliament, Damian Hale
had earlier defended the program, citing the remoteness of the areas where the houses are proposed to be built. Hale commented that "It will not be fixed in 20 months but what we can fix is have the land lease arrangements in place properly, the alliances are put in place" and stated that "[W]e're not building in Sydney or Melbourne, we're building in remote parts of Australia."
A briefing to Anderson, a Northern Territory parliamentarian, by the administrator of the program, was said to have indicated that as few as 300 houses may be built; this briefing was later described as "inaccurate". Anderson challenged the administration charge claimed by the Territory government—initially $100 million, 15 per cent of the project budget—claiming it was excessive, and was successful in pushing for cost savings of $50 million. The Chief Minister of the Northern Territory
, Paul Henderson
, has pledged that the program would construct the 750 houses, with construction of 55 new homes to be underway by the end of 2010.
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
and the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
government to design and construct housing in a range of Indigenous Australian communities in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
. It follows on from the previous Federal government's Northern Territory National Emergency Response
Northern Territory National Emergency Response
The Northern Territory National Emergency Response was a package of changes to welfare provision, law enforcement, land tenure and other measures, introduced by the Australian federal government under John Howard in 2007 to address claims of rampant child sexual abuse and neglect in Northern...
.
The A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
647 million program proposes to construct over 750 houses and refurbish another 2,500 houses in 73 communities across the Northern Territory, as well as providing essential urban infrastructure to support the new houses. Major capital works are proposed in 16 communities, pending the establishment of long-term leases. A key focus of the program is the aim to provide jobs and training opportunities for Indigenous Australians.
The Federal Government announced in May 2009 that work under the program had started in three locations, Groote Eylandt
Groote Eylandt
Groote Eylandt is the largest island in the Gulf of Carpentaria in northeastern Australia. It is the homeland of, and is owned by, the Anindilyakwa people who speak the isolated Anindilyakwa language)....
, the Tiwi Islands
Tiwi Islands
The Tiwi Islands are part of Australia's Northern Territory, north of Darwin where the Arafura Sea joins the Timor Sea. They comprise Melville Island and Bathurst Island, with a combined area of ....
and Tennant Creek
Tennant Creek, Northern Territory
Tennant Creek is a town located in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is the fifth largest town in the Northern Territory and it is located on the Stuart Highway, just south of the intersection with the western terminus of the Barkly Highway....
. The government has announced that at least 20 per cent of the local workforce will be indigenous, with the aim of creating longer-term employment outcomes for communities. Work at Tennant Creek includes providing electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
, water, sewerage and roads to the town camps.
The program has been criticised by indigenous leaders such as Alison Anderson
Alison Anderson
Alison Anderson is an Australian politician. She has been a member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly since 2005, representing the electorate of MacDonnell, and is a prominent indigenous activist and former Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Central Zone Commissioner...
and Galarrwuy Yunupingu
Galarrwuy Yunupingu
Galarrwuy YunupinguAM is a leader in the Australian Indigenous community, and has been involved in the fight for Land Rights throughout his career...
for what they claim is excessive bureaucracy and overheads. Yunupingu said in August 2009 "I keep hearing that, two years on, not one house has been built and I see it, too. Not one house. I keep getting the complaint that all the companies are doing is consulting and consulting, getting their daily fees and disappearing again.", adding "It's a system designed to profit non-Aborigines while nothing gets done." The local federal member of parliament, Damian Hale
Damian Hale
Damian Francis Hale is a former Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives, representing the Division of Solomon from 2007 to 2010...
had earlier defended the program, citing the remoteness of the areas where the houses are proposed to be built. Hale commented that "It will not be fixed in 20 months but what we can fix is have the land lease arrangements in place properly, the alliances are put in place" and stated that "[W]e're not building in Sydney or Melbourne, we're building in remote parts of Australia."
A briefing to Anderson, a Northern Territory parliamentarian, by the administrator of the program, was said to have indicated that as few as 300 houses may be built; this briefing was later described as "inaccurate". Anderson challenged the administration charge claimed by the Territory government—initially $100 million, 15 per cent of the project budget—claiming it was excessive, and was successful in pushing for cost savings of $50 million. The Chief Minister of the Northern Territory
Chief Minister of the Northern Territory
The Chief Minister of the Northern Territory is appointed by the Administrator, who in normal circumstances will appoint the head of whatever party holds the majority of seats in the legislature of the territory...
, Paul Henderson
Paul Henderson (Australian politician)
Paul Raymond Henderson is an Australian politician and the current Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.Henderson was born in Croix-Chapeau, France, where his father was serving with the United States military. He was educated in Great Britain to A-Levels and studied mechanical...
, has pledged that the program would construct the 750 houses, with construction of 55 new homes to be underway by the end of 2010.