By IBN REPORTERS

Indigenous leader Warren Mundine has slammed the Albanese government’s $4 billion housing plan for the Northern Territory as “idiotic”, arguing much more needs to be done to enable communities to own their own homes.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a joint investment to build 2,700 homes over 10 years yesterday, suggesting an average three-bedroom home could cost as little as $8000,000.

The plan and funding is the latest bid to halve overcrowding in remote communities and part of the Federal Government’s latest Close The Gap initiative.

Mr Mundine described the plan on Sky News as “another one of these idiotic ideas that have always come out of the last 50 years in this area”.

“You know (in) the referendum, the Australian people spoke very clearly about it was we want to stop all this nonsense that goes on,” he said.

“We want accountability and dollars better spent and that we’re going to create situations where communities are safe, where people can get a job and where people could own their own home. Why is the Federal Government spending $4 billion on houses that will be in a few years time and then they’ll be spending another $4 billion.”

The $4 billion commitment will be delivered in partnership with the Northern Territory government, with the commonwealth providing $2.1 billion and the territory $1.9 billion.

But of the Federal Government’s share, only $843.8 million is new spending, the remainder will come from the redirection of funds from other areas.

Asked what solution he had for the issue, Mr Mundine suggested mining and the energy sector could provide jobs and security that could grow remote communities.

“It could be pulling in billions of dollars that could be providing jobs and providing the infrastructure for the development of the Northern Territory and getting people into jobs, not only Aboriginal people, but everyone into jobs,” Mr Mundine told Sky.

“The mining industry in the NT could be just as good as Western Australia and help to improve the lives of First Nations people.

“It could be pulling in billions of dollars that could be providing jobs and providing the infrastructure for the development of the Northern Territory and getting people into jobs, not only Aboriginal people, but everyone into jobs.

“But the problem that I have is that they always got to fall back on the federal government. They always, you know, come out and handout a few dollars here and hand a few dollars here. And that’s all they do. This is just a nonsense.”

Mr Mundine also questioned Resources Minister Madeleine King’s claim that the funding allowed Indigenous people to “own their own home”.

“How is this going to work when they can’t get a job to own their own home?” He asked.

“We know there’s so much more that needs to be done, but investment makes a difference,” the Prime Minister said in the NT yesterday.