Federal Labor admits it will only be able to deliver on its promise of over $1.1 billion over 10 years for remote indigenous housing - with matching Northern Territory government funding - if it stays in power.
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The funds match the NT Labor Government's own 10-year promise and go beyond the federal Coalition's five-year $550 million commitment.
Housing shortages and chronic overcrowding were contributing to poor outcomes in health, education, employment and community safety for residents living in remote communities, a federal Labor statement said.
Aboriginal residents from the remote Santa Teresa community won compensation after suing the NT Government over the squalid state of their houses and lawyers have threatened to pursue more cases.
"We can certainly promise it because that's what we will certainly do as Labor if we are fortunate to continue for that amount of time," NT Labor Senator Malarndirri McCarthy said.
"I would say to any incoming government beyond these next three years: don't be so mean, seriously this is significant to the First Nations people of this country."
Senator McCarthy said while too much public money had been spent on administrative costs in past agreements such as Labor's Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program(SIHIP) she said lessons were learnt and she believed it would not happen again.
The funding deal between NT Labor and the federal government threatened to fall apart this year after the NT accused the Commonwealth of putting unrealistic conditions on the agreement.
While a deal was struck after a bitter public dispute, on Wednesday Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion repeated his criticism of NT Labor and accusing them of not involving Indigenous groups.
During a visit to the Tiwi Islands, he said local land council members told him they were not consulted about Labor Leader Bill Shorten's remote housing commitment.
"If Mr Shorten managed to elicit $550 million from the Northern Territory Government for an additional five years - well good on you, Bill, but let me tell you mate, they can't be trusted, they've got no money and you'll need to hold them to account," Senator Scullion said.
In 2014-15, more than half of indigenous Australians in very remote areas lived in overcrowded households, and overcrowding is the leading contributor to Indigenous homelessness, Labor said.
The deal also provides $251 million in funding to Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia in 2019-20.
Australian Associated Press
