Prime Minister Julia Gillard today visited Larrakeyah Barracks to see first-hand some of the housing investments the Australian Government has funded for Defence personnel in Darwin.
The Gillard Government has invested more than $650 million in new projects and constructed 543 new homes since 2007 with plans for more than a thousand new residences for Australian Defence Personnel in Darwin.
These investments will provide first class housing for ADF members.
They will support the recruitment and retention of our ADF personnel and at the same time help relieve the tight local housing market here in Darwin.
The Prime Minister toured permanent live-in accommodation for single members at Larrakeyah Barracks which will soon be replaced with 230 new apartments onsite, with another 680 to be built at Robertson Barracks.
The tour with the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, Warren Snowdon also included a visited to a construction site at Larrakeyah Barracks where 97 new houses are underway in a separate $63.8 million project.
In total, these investments in Defence Housing in Darwin will provide more than 900 jobs for Territorians.
Defence contributes more than $800 million a year to the Gross State Product in the Northern Territory, and stimulates over an additional 4,500 non-Defence jobs in local business.
Business across the Top End benefit significantly from the Government's housing plan in Darwin.