29/11/05
The State Government is to spend more than $2million on six new houses in remote Aboriginal communities near the Western Australia-Northern Territory border.
Housing and Works Minister Francis Logan today announced that the dwellings would be built at Wingellina, 150km north-east of Warburton, and Wannan, 299km east of Warburton.
Mr Logan said the tender to construct the new homes had been awarded to Ngaanyatjarra Services, the building services arm of the governing body for 11 remote Aboriginal communities in the east of the State.
“The $1.1million project at Wingellina involves the demolition of three old structures and the construction of two four-bedroom community houses, as well as a duplex with four bedrooms for staff from the local media station,” the Minister said.
“As two of the houses earmarked for demolition are currently being lived in, they will be progressively demolished as the houses under construction become available.
”The $1.07million project at Wannan will see the construction of three four-bedroom single detached houses, as well as minor power and water extensions.”
Mr Logan said Wannan had a severe lack of community accommodation, with about 200 people sharing 20 houses.
“This is partly due to the fact that the community has an aged care centre, which attracts other family members to live in the community,” he said.
“The provision of three more four-bedroom houses in Wannan will go some way to addressing this accommodation problem in the short term.”
Construction work for both projects is expected to start before Christmas and the projects are scheduled for completion by the middle of 2006.
Minister's office: 9222 8950
