A good news story for once, early in the thread I mentioned this is the only way that you can skill up kids in the communities, teach them how to build the houses, repair the gen sets and water treatment plants, so they can become self supporting.
then those that want to stay become productive and those that want to leave have skills, ATM all we do is send in people to fix damaged houses and broken equipment, we need to empower them to be self supporting not dependants.
Wadeye is home to more than 2,000 people and struggles with social issues such as severe overcrowding, which many hope these new builds will help overcome.
A year and a half since dozens of homes were destroyed during violent unrest in the remote community of Wadeye, young Indigenous men are picking up the tools to help build brand new ones.
The community of more than 2,000 people in the Northern Territory's remote west struggles under social issues such as severe overcrowding, which many are hoping the new builds can help overcome.
Among those employed on the $18.5 million government remote housing contract is Wesley Miler, who recently completed a certificate in carpentry, which he undertook locally.
"I have a little one here, a young fella, I wanted to find a job here and support my son," he said.
Six local Indigenous men have been working in the crew of 14 tradespeople.
Mr Miler said the Indigenous and non-Indigenous tradies working on the project had formed strong bonds since the contract got underway last year.
"Been helping these boys build these houses out here, been good, been fun, seeing different whitefellas come in for work, get to know them very well, get to talk to them," Mr Miler said.
"Go out hunting after we do all the works out here."
The 16 new homes are being built by the Thamarrurr Development Corporation for a new sub-division in the community.
They're additional to 125 homes that were in varying states of damage following rioting in the community in 2022,
which were all repaired by May this year to a tune of $10.5 million.
NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles defended having to spend taxpayer funding on those repairs.
Among those counting themselves lucky to have secured one of the new homes in Wadeye is Lirrga man and Aboriginal interpreter, John Kingston Luckan.
"I don't know for how many years I was struggling to get a new house," Mr Luckan said.
"I had to stay with my brother-in-law and my sister and the family, a bit overcrowded."
It is not uncommon in the remote NT for more than 15 people to be forced to live together in a three-bedroom home with one toilet,
which evidence shows can be badly detrimental to health.
In Wadeye's case, Mr Luckan said the overcrowding can also contribute to ongoing family tensions.
However, he said he was pleased to see the young residents "working together" on the new builds.
"All these young fellas that I see working out here, they good, they're trying to get some skills, learn something different for themselves that can change their lives," Mr Luckan said.
The community has long grappled with high rates of unemployment — in the 2016 Census, Wadeye's jobless rate was nearly 59 per cent.