In one small community south of Darwin, residents are debating whether a major housing promise made by the Prime Minister last year has made a difference to their lives.
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00:00Deep in the Northern Territory's remote heartland, the tiny community of Binjari made national
00:10headlines last year after a big visit from the top.
00:14We want to close the gap.
00:16What we've said is that we want to look at measures that will make a practical difference
00:21to people's lives.
00:22Anthony Albanese promising billions to fix the NT's dire housing situation in the bush.
00:29But more than a year on, life in Binjari hasn't changed.
00:33They were saying that we're going to build more houses, but nothing.
00:37We're still waiting.
00:40Danielle Raymond shares the two bedroom unit behind her with up to six others.
00:45It's not uncommon for up to 15 people to share a home here.
00:49We need more, like, extra rooms in a home.
00:52The $4 billion investment aims to build 2,700 homes in the Northern Territory over the next decade.
01:01According to the NT government, which oversees the spending, $24 million has gone toward repairing
01:07remote homes.
01:0925 new or replacement homes have been delivered across 28 communities, but Binjari isn't one
01:16of them.
01:17How are you?
01:18Hi, Libby.
01:19Hi, Libby.
01:20Resident Olivia Raymond spoke to the Prime Minister during his visit about her poor living conditions.
01:26When the rain comes, you know, we'll have mole coming from underneath and mosquitoes and
01:31we hardly sleep at night.
01:33Debbie Aloysi has spent decades working in Binjari and heads the local corporation.
01:39She's witnessed living standards go backwards.
01:42They'll come out and they'll give you these motherhood statements and then nothing happens.
01:47This is where the community of Binjari gathered more than a year ago to hear the Prime Minister's
01:51announcement.
01:52Since then, not only has not a single new house been built here, but employment for local
01:57construction workers has dried up.
02:00The community says they're frustrated to see progress stall, especially when Binjari was
02:05used as the backdrop for a multi-billion dollar housing promise.
02:10Father, Justin Maroney, thought the Prime Minister's announcement would bring more work to the
02:15community.
02:17Government building tenders have dried up and he's doing odd jobs around town to get
02:21by.
02:22I used to have a car, and every time it used to break down, I always had money there to
02:27pay for it.
02:28Now, I had to get rid of it.
02:30The Northern Territory government insists it is on track to meet the targets set under
02:35the remote housing agreement.
02:37But its future under a coalition government isn't clear cut.
02:40How they're being carried out and delivered and also costs associated with those bills will
02:47all be considered and under review.
02:50As the federal election draws closer, the community of Binjari feels neglected.
02:55There's a lot of, you know, kids.
02:57They've got to grow up, you know.
02:59We need houses for the future as well.
03:01Speaking up for those relying on change.
03:04But the first place I am trying to understand.
03:12inger.ed.com
03:13The closing point of the system is also mentioned.
03:14What's the answer to the time is just the HOLLY