A group of Top End homeowners embroiled in a legal saga over their defect-riddled houses say they're fearful someone will lose their life before any action is taken to either compensate them or demolish and rebuild their homes. The homes were built for an NT government-backed affordable housing scheme which has already seen nine of the same homes demolished and is set to cost $4 million.
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TVTranscript
00:00 Rusted, corroding homes that have been left standing for nearly a decade, despite serious
00:07 fears for safety.
00:08 There is a risk to ourselves and the surrounding homes that these homes will break up and fly
00:14 apart and kill homeowners and damaged property and just create a nightmare in the middle
00:19 of a cyclone situation.
00:21 Trapped in a complex bureaucratic tangle, five homeowners in the Palmerston suburb of
00:26 Bellarmack, who bought into an affordable housing scheme found to be rife with defects,
00:31 are facing new hurdles in their bid for compensation and closure.
00:36 They're stuck in a trap and that's the worst thing about this.
00:41 There is no end in sight for them.
00:44 Engineering reports commissioned by the NT government show the homes present a safety
00:48 risk of serious harm to occupants and potentially to surrounding neighbouring properties during
00:54 a cyclone.
00:56 This politician referred the matter to police last year.
00:59 He's now disappointed with new revelations.
01:02 Detectives reviewed the matter but didn't launch a criminal investigation.
01:06 It still doesn't abrogate their responsibility under the Police Administration Act to deal
01:12 with the issue of public safety.
01:14 A letter obtained by the ABC from an NT assistant police commissioner to a complainant says
01:20 "advice I have received sets out compelling reasons as to why a decision has been made
01:25 to not demolish homes that are currently occupied."
01:29 What those compelling reasons are, the public still doesn't know.
01:32 The police won't say, neither will the Infrastructure Department.
01:36 And if such reasons do exist, then they run contradictory to the fact that nine homes
01:41 from the same scheme have already been demolished due to the same safety concerns.
01:46 The cost to taxpayers to demolish those homes is so far nearly $4.5 million.
01:52 The homes that are still standing aren't eligible for government compensation due to
01:57 a policy change introduced while they were being built.
02:01 It's strange that we're left in this situation to fight for ourselves.
02:07 And yeah, it would be really appreciative if the NT government could come to the table
02:10 with a bit more help.
02:11 Darwin builder George Malatos has been ordered to pay compensation by the NT civil tribunal.
02:17 He's now appealing that and says the saga has ruined him and his business.
02:22 They brought me to my knees.
02:24 You know, I lost millions of dollars and they're suing me.
02:31 Meanwhile, the NT government won't say if the homes are safe for this wet season and
02:37 denies any responsibility to demolish and replace them before a catastrophe occurs.
02:43 [BLANK_AUDIO]