Public housing tenants from a remote Northern Territory Aboriginal community are taking the Territory government to court for "failing" to provide safe housing during extreme heat.
Candy Nelson, Ashley Robertson, Stanley Roberts and Nereda Roberts are residents of Papunya/Warumpi, about 240km northwest of Mparntwe/Alice Springs.
With a population of 438 according to the 2021 census — and almost 90 per cent Indigenous, the majority Luritja — the town faces the worst of climate change and extreme heat, as well as a public housing crisis, brought on, residents say, by neglect from both sides of politics.
The four residents are leading litigation in the Federal Court on behalf of the community, where homes regularly experience temperatures above 40 degrees but lack basic features such as adequate insulation and functioning air conditioning.
Climate change impacts visible everywhere
Mr Robertson is the lead claimant in the case. He says the impacts of climate change mean that "when it gets hot, it's really hot".
"Most of our houses here in Papunya were built back in the 80s and 90s, and they're really rundown and not built for the kind of summers we're getting now," the 44-year-old Warlpiri and Luritja man says.
Nearly all rental properties in the town are government-owned, a legacy of the Howard government's controversial 2007 intervention. Most families live in public housing rented from the NT Government.
Prepayment power systems are common in Papunya, with families reportedly paying up to $1000 a month during hotter periods to keep their homes cool.
Meters automatically "de-energise" when credit runs out, often without warning, leaving residents without power during extreme heat. A report released last year found disconnections can occur between 14 and 59 times per customer annually, with the Northern Territory recording the highest rate in Australia.
A father and grandfather, Mr Robertson says the crowded home means they are "going into hundreds of dollars of debt just to keep the house cool for a few days".
"When it gets really hot, people have to sleep outside. It's hard on the kids and old people," he says. "We are calling on the NT Government to provide better houses with heating and cooling systems, so that our kids have happy and healthy lives."
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NT Government not listening
Gerard Anderson, an emerging community leader in Papunya, argues there are "major issues" with housing in the community.
"Many houses don't have insulation or working air conditioning and there's a lot of overcrowding," he says. "In the summer when it's hot, it's just impossible to live in these conditions."
The Luritja man claims the NT Government has failed to listen to Aboriginal communities on housing.
"We know what works for our community, and the Government needs to work with us on Aboriginal-led efforts for innovative, culturally appropriate, and sustainable housing," he says.
"I grew up here and this is a special place, with strong people and a proud tradition of art, music and culture. We're fighting for the next generation who deserve to live on Country in housing that is safe, long-lasting, and fit for the climate here in Papunya."
Poor housing leading to long-term issues
In 2024, the Federal and Northern Territory governments announced a joint 10-year, $4 billion investment in remote housing, as overcrowding and poor housing conditions have long affected remote communities in the Territory.
Homes are often not designed for extreme conditions, contributing to poorer health outcomes for Aboriginal people across the NT, which has some of the poorest health outcomes in the state. Experts and advocates have long argued the lack of suitable housing has consistently exacerbated these issues — especially in remote communities.
"Everyone deserves a safe place to call home," says Jack McLean, a senior lawyer at the Human Rights Law Centre, who is representing the claimants.
"But the Northern Territory Government is failing families living in remote Aboriginal communities like Papunya, many of whom live in houses that turn into ovens in the summer months. Our clients have repeatedly raised these concerns with the NT Government, but to date have seen little action to improve their situation."
The Human Rights Law Centre says the case is the first in Australia seeking to require a government landlord to provide public housing that protects residents from extreme heat driven by the climate crisis.
If successful, the case could compel the government to lift public housing standards across the Territory.
"The climate crisis is driving more dangerous and extreme heat events, and we know it's only going to get worse," Mr McLean says.
"The Northern Territory Government and governments across Australia should be taking urgent action to invest in climate-safe housing as well as drastically curbing emissions to keep communities safe."
