The recent turmoil in the ranks of the Henderson government says more about the majority of the people who make up this horribly inefficient, extremely wasteful, but very “spun” administration, than any individual Labor member.

Most observers of NT politics would be well aware that almost all Labor members of parliament previously fed at the taxpayer-funded trough prior to embarking on a political career. In my view this total absence of any real marketplace experience is at the heart is the heart of the failure of this NT Labor government.

Whilst Alison Anderson is of course very much a loose cannon, and has seriously damaged what remains of the Henderson government’s credibility, she does make at least one very valid criticism of the waste and mismanagement of funds allocated to Aboriginal housing.

Whatever the real ratio of administration costs to actual housing costs actually is under the Henderson government’s administration of the “Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program” (SIHIP), there is no doubt that there has been plenty of squandering of taxpayer’s funds on unnecessary bureaucratic process and more than likely the usual government bungling.

Anyone who has ever worked in Aboriginal “communities” would be well aware that housing designed by public servants and “consultants” are rarely if ever appropriate for the needs of aborigines. Large expensive suburban-style-bungalows are the last thing aborigines require.

Territorians who have been to Beswick would be aware of the older (still-standing) housing – constructed of concrete blocks. These houses consist of a front verandah, an outside covered laundry, internal ablution facilities, a kitchen and bedrooms. There are no glass windows, instead concrete breeze-blocks. However, the design of housing is relatively easy to construct, has very low maintenance and lasts for many years. If Alison Anderson is fair-dinkum about providing effective and appropriate housing for aborigines, then I suggest she inspect these dwellings. In my opinion these hoses could be built for around $500,000 – half the cost of a suburban bungalow style that is currently being built.






Forget the bureaucrats and consultants. The federal and territory governments should immediately call for expressions of interest (and quotations) from experienced remote area NT builders to design and construct houses built from concrete panels or reinforced concrete blockwork. Provided that a few basic criteria are met, the cheapest proposal for each community should be accepted and construction started immediately, before the wet. Simple really!


In the history of the Northern Territory parliament since self-government, the Labor Party has not been served well by members with aboriginal blood. Of course, again like most of the fully-white Labor members of the assembly, to my knowledge, there has never been a part-aboriginal member of the NT parliamentary Labor Party who has not previously been on the taxpayer-funded payroll. As a result, a money-grows-on-trees attitude is rife throughout the Labor government of Paul Henderson - hence the massive debt burden and astronomical wages bill for the extra 4,000 public servants that this government has forced Territorians to wear.

Whatever of the outcome of the current parliamentary crisis, hopefully a strong, efficient government will emerge that gets on with things with the minimum of fuss and least cost to the taxpayer.

Territorians do not want another all “spin and bloat” government like that of Henderson to sneak back into power – with renegade aboriginal members still intact. Territorians deserve better. Territorians deserve a stable committed government.

As the Rudd Labor government continues to wreak havoc upon the Australian economy with jobs-destroying schemes like CPRS “Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme” and other unnecessary interventionist, anti - free-market measures, Territorians more than ever require a well-managed team of dedicated members to form the next government and provide sound economic leadership.

Dave Wane

Woodleigh Gardens
14th August, 2009