Two Years On: Aboriginal Employment and Housing in Katherine, 1986

Abstract

In 1984, on the eve of the commencement of a major construction project in Katherine for the Tindal air base, NARU was commissioned to determine the housing needs of Aborigines in Katherine. The survey to obtain the data was carried out in August-September 1984 and then, in March 1985 a further survey was conducted to determine the levels of employment and unemployment of Aborigines. These surveys were reported in 1985 (Loveday and Lea, 1985’ and in Loveday 1985) The present survey was carried out in August and September 1986, to find out what impact, if any, the two years of construction work and the associated inflow of people to the town might have had on the Aborigines in Katherine. Had the Aboriginal population increased? Had training programs and other measures to increase the employment of Aborigines had any effect? Were Aborigines being pushed ‘downward’ in the housing market?