1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,000 Speaker 1: As we know, the Chief Minister's been well, she's given 2 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: the green light for an NTY Housing Alliance to be established. 3 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: Now it's something that the Property Council of the Northern 4 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:12,879 Speaker 1: Territory has been advocating for, touting the proposal at its 5 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: annual forum. The alliance is said to bring key stakeholders 6 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 1: together to work through land supply, planning and design procurement, 7 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:22,959 Speaker 1: as well as labor challenges. Now this is obviously in 8 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:26,040 Speaker 1: relation to the Federal government making the announcement a little 9 00:00:26,079 --> 00:00:29,840 Speaker 1: while back. Your recall eleven thousand houses for the Northern 10 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:32,400 Speaker 1: Territory is what Natasha Files had told us at the time, 11 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:35,279 Speaker 1: and everybody's saying this sounds great, but how are they 12 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 1: going to be built, where are they going to go, 13 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:40,560 Speaker 1: where's the land? All those kinds of questions. Now joining 14 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:42,560 Speaker 1: me on the line to talk more about this is 15 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:46,880 Speaker 1: the Property Council of Australia's NTI executive director Ruth Palmer. 16 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 2: Good morning, Ruth, Good morning Katie. 17 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 1: Now Ruth talk us through how this alliance would work. 18 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, thanks Katie. Now, this is something that we did 19 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 2: put forward to the Chief on the first step and 20 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:05,319 Speaker 2: then subsequently followed up with a formal letter that's outlined 21 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:07,080 Speaker 2: sort of the terms of reference, how it is going 22 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 2: to work. Pleasingly, we have seen, you know, a few 23 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:13,400 Speaker 2: weeks later this being accepted, so that really shows that 24 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 2: the government is moving quite quickly on this issue. We 25 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 2: know it's an issue that is across Australia at the moment, 26 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 2: but also more so here in the Northern Territory due 27 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:27,320 Speaker 2: to our locations obviously our regional areas as well. So 28 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:30,319 Speaker 2: what we see with the alliance is a group of 29 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:35,680 Speaker 2: key stakeholders coming together and this includes industry, government, specially 30 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 2: power and water. We have housing providers, the community housing 31 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 2: companies like Mt Shelter, basically getting everyone in together for 32 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 2: that collective view, collective voice, to be able to establish 33 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 2: ready to use land so especially that brown field site, 34 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 2: so building up already areas that are established, but also 35 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 2: looking at other land supply as well. But it's getting 36 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 2: people together and it's getting discussions happening to get it moving. 37 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 2: So Ryce my first. 38 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 1: Question is is this going to be an alliance or 39 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 1: a group that the taxpayer are going to have to 40 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:13,760 Speaker 1: fund or is it going to be something that's you 41 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 1: know that is there are people working in the sector 42 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 1: and they're not going to be paid to do it, 43 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:19,799 Speaker 1: because I know people are going to be going hang 44 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:21,800 Speaker 1: on a sec how much is this going to cost? 45 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:25,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, no, this is definitely something that the government, that 46 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:27,880 Speaker 2: the tax layer is not funding. So these are people 47 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 2: who are obviously committed to driving the housing discussion in 48 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:33,760 Speaker 2: the Northern Territory. So we know that there are key 49 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 2: people in this field bringing us all together, all the 50 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 2: experts to a worker who work in the housing space, 51 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 2: but also developers also you know, the groups like Udia 52 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 2: Hia ri E, I n T. Getting all of us 53 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 2: in the room and bringing all of our experience, our 54 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:52,399 Speaker 2: expertise and our knowledge together to be able to make 55 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 2: sure that we have the right regulatory reform in place, 56 00:02:55,639 --> 00:02:58,360 Speaker 2: that we have the right procurement practices to get things 57 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 2: moving quickly, but also so that the land is there 58 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:03,200 Speaker 2: and available and ready to go. 59 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 1: So we see this is one of the biggest concerns, 60 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 1: isn't it. You know, Like I mean, the Chief Minister 61 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:10,040 Speaker 1: said to me on the show a few weeks back, 62 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:14,359 Speaker 1: eleven thousand homes for the Northern Territory is what they're anticipating, 63 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:16,800 Speaker 1: and right at that point in time, people are going 64 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:18,840 Speaker 1: how on earth are we going to be able to 65 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:21,640 Speaker 1: build all of those homes and where are they going 66 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 1: to go? 67 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, and that's right. And as I was mentioning before, 68 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 2: we know that there are large blocks around the northern 69 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 2: Territory and not just talking Darwin, this goes down to 70 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 2: Alice Springs, Catherine Tenant Creek. So they're the areas of 71 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 2: focus that ken actually have some due occupancy on them. 72 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 2: Can we cut some blocks in half? Can we put 73 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 2: a couple of houses on there rather than the one? 74 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 2: So we got it with the alignce we tasked with 75 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 2: looking at those options, but also other pockets of land 76 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 2: that already have some headworks on it, the infrastructures already there. 77 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 2: How do we get those lots moving quickly? So it's 78 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 2: basically looking at the reform, looking at things that aren't 79 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 2: working now to get things moving, but also again stimulating 80 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 2: that supply. So this not only provides opportunities for our 81 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 2: tradees out there, it's going to provide some very quick 82 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 2: affordable and homes that were for territorians and people wanting 83 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 2: to come to the territory. We know that we do 84 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 2: have one of the sort of cheaper sort of housing 85 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 2: options in the territory. We know that our median house 86 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 2: price is five hundred and fifty thousand, so let's try 87 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:27,039 Speaker 2: and keep that affordable for everyone. So getting this housing 88 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:30,039 Speaker 2: up and running right across the Northern Territory is something 89 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 2: that we're focused on. 90 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 1: So Ruth, what are the next steps because obviously now 91 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:35,479 Speaker 1: we know the Chief Minister's given at the green light, 92 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:37,720 Speaker 1: but what are the next steps and who's going to 93 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 1: be on this alliance? 94 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 2: Yes, so what we've asked from the Chief Ministers, we've 95 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:44,919 Speaker 2: put forward our recommendations within the terms of reference. So 96 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:47,279 Speaker 2: we've been meeting with the Chief's Office but also the 97 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 2: Planning Minister, Evia Laula. So we've gone through our list 98 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 2: of who we had potentially thought would be appropriate for 99 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 2: the alliance. We've they've added a couple of extras. So 100 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 2: basically that membership is getting done now is about thirteen 101 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 2: to fifteen stakeholders that will be on that and we've 102 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:06,839 Speaker 2: also requested and asked that this be shared by a 103 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:09,720 Speaker 2: non government official, so it needs to be shaired by 104 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:13,480 Speaker 2: someone from industry or one of the other stakeholders, but 105 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:17,159 Speaker 2: not a government a government alliance because what we really 106 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:18,839 Speaker 2: want to do is make sure that this isn't a 107 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:21,719 Speaker 2: talk fest, that there's some actual outcomes, because we know 108 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:24,599 Speaker 2: people get you know, oh, is this another advisory board? 109 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 2: Is it another one of these? Is it another one 110 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 2: of that. So we need to make sure that we 111 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:33,080 Speaker 2: get outcomes out of this immediately action and that we 112 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 2: see houses out of the ground very quickly. Because we 113 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:38,560 Speaker 2: know another thing as well is the cost of building 114 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:41,719 Speaker 2: is expensive. So this is another thing that the Alliance 115 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:44,560 Speaker 2: will be tasked with, but also around some research and 116 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 2: some real data to be able to build our suburbs 117 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 2: appropriately for the people that live there. And you know, 118 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:51,920 Speaker 2: we've got to look at right sizing as well. So 119 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:54,279 Speaker 2: how do we encourage, say your mum and dad that 120 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:56,279 Speaker 2: are in sort of a four or five bedroom house, 121 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:59,600 Speaker 2: how do we encourage or incentivize that right sizing options 122 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:02,160 Speaker 2: for them as well. So it's a massive piece of work, 123 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 2: but it can be done. The conversation started over in 124 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:09,359 Speaker 2: the week Sundays where my President Patrick went down and 125 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:11,680 Speaker 2: sort of brought back the idea to us. So we 126 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 2: are taking the lead here and really trying to get 127 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:16,719 Speaker 2: this moving. And you know, we're serious about making sure 128 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 2: that the territory remains affordable for people to want to 129 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:19,920 Speaker 2: come here. 130 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 1: Well, let's hope that it is something that you know, 131 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 1: that works and and like you said, that it's not 132 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 1: sort of a talk fest or not another group where 133 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:31,880 Speaker 1: everybody gets together and that we don't see those outcomes 134 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 1: that that people not only want, but we absolutely need 135 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:37,520 Speaker 1: in the Northern Territory right now, when you look at 136 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 1: at housing and our needs for housing, whether it's you know, 137 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 1: whether it's for workers, whether it's for students, whether it's 138 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 1: for you know, those that need social or affordable housing, 139 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:52,159 Speaker 1: it's it's pretty tough. And I really hope that the 140 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 1: Northern Territory government can sort of make the most of 141 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:57,279 Speaker 1: this opportunity because it doesn't come around very often. 142 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, and that's right, Katie. And as I said, looking 143 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 2: at the entire territory, this is an a dull and 144 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:06,279 Speaker 2: specific alliance. We know that there's housing issues right across 145 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 2: the NTY, especially down in Katherine, so there the conversations 146 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 2: will be happening with all the stakeholders and people down here. 147 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 2: And we've also included in obviously our indigenous housing groups 148 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:18,360 Speaker 2: as well, so you know, we will be covering that 149 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 2: broad spectrum of knowledge across all industries that are involved 150 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 2: in the housing space. 151 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:26,960 Speaker 1: Well, Ruth Palmer, always good to catch up with you. 152 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: I really appreciate your time this morning. Thanks for having 153 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:30,040 Speaker 1: a chat with us. 154 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 2: Thanks lot, Katie and I'll be looking forward to be 155 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 2: able to share how the alliance is going as it 156 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 2: kicks off. 157 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:38,280 Speaker 1: Thank you, We appreciate your time.