Indigenous residents seeking ‘humane’ housing take fight to supreme court

Abstract

Residents of a remote Indigenous community near Alice Springs are taking a legal fight about the right to “humane” housing to the supreme court, in a case that could prompt widespread housing reform in the Northern Territory.

They are also arguing that rental agreements struck in the wake of the Northern Territory intervention are invalid and are seeking the return of rental payments.

The case concerns two residents of the remote community of Santa Teresa, an Arrernte community about 80km south-east of Alice Springs.

The plaintiffs, Enid Young and Robert Conway, were among a shortlist of four who represented more than 70 households in Santa Teresa in a successful class action against the department of housing in the Northern Territory civil and administrative tribunal (NTCAT) in February.