Housing a 'potential crisis': GIHO
A high-profile delegation including Shadow Minister for Housing Fran Logan met with residents of the Nambi Village indigenous community on the edge of Leonora yesterday to address long-standing issues of "gross overcrowding" and Government neglect.
But the Goldfields Indigenous Housing Organisation has hit back, accusing the men of grand-standing and “chasing ambulances” while not addressing the complex issues of land tenure, as well as the competing demand for more housing throughout the region. The delegation, which also included Mining and Pastoral MLC Stephen Dawson and Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union State secretary Steve McCartney, heard residents needed at least nine more houses to address overcrowding.
Community spokesman Kado Muir told the Kalgoorlie Miner some of the eight houses in the village – also known as katampul– had more than 10 residents and three separate families.
"The lack of housing has contributed to people pulling out of jobs," he said. "They basically can’t sustain a lifestyle that’s going to work and coming back to an overcrowded home situation."
Mr Logan vowed to raise the issue in State Parliament.
"One thing they can do is dip into Royalties for Regions," he said.
"The town is surrounded by gold mines, but there doesn’t appear to be much money put into the communities and the original owners of the land."
He compared the rusted and dilapidated playground used by the indigenous children with a modern playground built beside the Shire offices from Federal Government stimulus money.
