Government Slow to React to Darwin Housing Crisis

The fact the Territory Government is only now calling for tenders to develop residential blocks at Bellamack highlights just how slow the Labor Government has been to react to the Territory’s housing crisis.

“The Minister shouldn’t be announcing a call for tenders – she should be welcoming the first homebuyers to Bellamack,” says Terry Mills, Leader of the Opposition.

“Land sales in Palmerston have been in freefall because of poor planning by the Labor Government.

“The failure to open up enough land for residential development in Palmerston has placed enormous upwards pressure on house prices in the Darwin region.

“The need to bring the release of Bellamack forward has been apparent for the past couple of years.

“The likely very high cost of the blocks at Bellamack is also of great concern.
“I have been informed that the cost of an ordinary block of land in the Bellamack land release will be around $250,000.
“With just the block of land costing $250,000, a young family would need to find $600,000 to put a 4 bedroom home on it.
“The Treasurer, Delia Lawrie, may think that equates with affordable housing costs, I certainly don’t.
“The high cost of purchasing the land from the Government and the additional development requirements are partially responsible for the $250,000 price tag.
“The Labor Government needs to stop living in cloud cuckoo land and act to give families access to reasonably priced homes.”

2008-05-30