Wadeye SIHIP Aboriginal Housing Standards Report due this Friday
During Senate estimates 0n the 3rd June 2011 a series of photographs depicting a completed house rebuild in Wadeye through the Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program, SIHIP, were provided to the committee.
“On the face of it, it is hard if not impossible to believe that this house could have been ticked off as acceptable for not only a rebuilt house but for a family to move back into, said Senator Scullion.
“Given the publicity and scrutiny surrounding the SIHIP program I was staggered to hear in evidence from government officials that this was the first that they had heard about these houses.
“Surely someone from the government responsible for the expenditure of $672m of tax payers money would have some idea of how and where it is being spent, said Senator Scullion.
“The photographs showed a house with among other items as loose tin, broken bricks and miss matched tiles on the floor. The concrete verandah had also only partially been resurfaced and the house was not repainted.
“Even with the replacement of a couple of ceiling fans and a few light switches it is impossible to believe that any thing near the budget of $200,000 was spent on this house, said Senator Scullion.
“The house identified in estimates was not the only house that had received similar treatment. An inspection of other rebuilt houses in Wadeye revealed similar disturbing images.
“The government agreed to report pack to the committee in three weeks from the date of the estimates hearing with a response to the issues raised.
“I understand that a visit has been made to Wadeye and the three weeks time frame to report back to the senate committee ends this Friday.
“I await the presentation of the government’s report into the house rebuild program in Wadeye so that we can finally see where the millions of dollars have been spent and what was delivered for the money, said Senator Scullion.
