A number of Condobolin's Local Aboriginal Lands Council (CLALC) tenants are questioning where $1.55million of State government funding has gone after many have been left in houses with no windows, no hot water, black mould and termites. 

Local tenant, Nikita Atkinson says the issue has been ongoing for many years, but even with available funding from the government, little has improved.  

"My mum has got black mould in her bathroom, dodgy floorboards that have been eaten by termites, no glass in her windows, and yet the Lands Council claim they can't afford the repairs with the $1.5million they've been given." 

When Mrs Atkinson and her family moved into her house, she says it was in a similar condition.  

"I've got three kids and we all slept in the loungeroom while we began repairing the other rooms in the house at our own expense," said Mrs Atkinson.  

"The house was in a terrible state when we moved in. We are still taking loads of rubbish away and my partner and I sanded the floorboards on our hands and knees, painted the entire house and fixed the kitchen which was water damaged and full of cockroaches." 

Local Aboriginal elder, Chris 'Honky' Clark has been living at the Willow Bend Mission in Condobolin for forty years, and claims that he's never had a house inspection. 

"I’ve done all the repairs to this house myself - I've fixed the water pipes, ceiling fans, lights, screen doors, my hot water system, the stove... the list goes on." 

"I always pay my rent, but I've had to pay for everything that's ever been done to this house," said Honky. 

The poor state of many of the homes managed by the CLALC is questionable after $1.55million was granted through the Aboriginal Community Housing Investment Fund (ACHIF) in June 2021 for the purposes of upgrades to community owned homes, improved living conditions and to help reduce homelessness and overcrowding issues. 

All upgrade projects were meant to be completed by June 2022 and tenants are now asking why their homes are still in such a poor state.  

Nikita Atkinson now has three different colored bathroom tiles and incomplete repair job. PHOTO SUPPLIED. 

"It's just a joke" 

Indigenous Engagement Manager and advocate for many of the tenants in Condobolin, Kira-Lea Dargin, describes the expenditure that has been done as 'a joke,' and claims that 'nothing has changed.' 

"There is work being done however the work that’s being carried out is on houses that no-one currently lives in because they are so run down, while other houses that people do live in can't get simple things fixed like new windows or a hot water system ." 

"That's not what the funding was designed for - it's an absolute waste of resources," added Ms Dargin. 

Mrs Atkinson says that she has been very vocal about the issue, which has resulted in her being luckier than others.  

"We have had some repairs carried out, however everything that's been done has been done at low cost and isn't up to scratch." 

After cutting herself on loose tiles in her bathroom, she was successful in securing a re-tiling, however the result is far from perfect.  

"I've now got three different colour tiles in my bathroom and one small section wasn't tiled because they were only obligated to fix the broken ones." 

"They replaced our hot water system with one that is designed for a two bedroom house. Our house is six bedrooms and there's five of us living here. We're all flat out having a shower every day." 

"Everything has been done at cut corners and cut costs," claims Mrs Atkinson. 

Nikita's mum, Tanya, recently went back to court over a missing glass panel in her window.  PHOTO SUPPLIED.

Strained relationships  

The Condobolin Local Aboriginal Lands Council (CLALC) who manage the Aboriginal Social Housing, have had a historically strained relationship with tenants.  

Ms Dargin says that previous mis-management and a lack of trust has fueled a breaking down of relationships between the LALC and its members.  

"In July last year they went into administration due to a dispute between the board and tenants over 18 eviction notices that were sent out after they claimed some tenants weren't paying rent," she said.  

Some tenants living in LALC homes did admit to not paying rent for periods of times due to the "severe state of disrepair" that their houses were in. However, some tenants have claimed that the LALC were fashioning some of these claims in a bid to remove tenants from their houses.  

"I always pay my rent and I've got receipts to prove it," said Honky who claims that the LALC have been trying to remove him from the Willow Bend Housing Mission on the basis of him not paying rent which he says is simply "a lie." 

Mrs Atkinson was also sent an eviction notice.  

"We moved in here originally on an informal agreement... I told them many times that I have been paying rent and that I was very willing to pay rent but I wanted a lease. They refused." 

"I was very stressed at that time; I’ve got 3 kids and we could have potentially been homeless - I rang them frustrated and in tears and they had the attitude that “that’s not my problem.”  

After falling through the deteriorated back stairs on the way out to the clothesline one day, Mrs Atkinson was able to take the issue to court.  

At the first court hearing, she was granted a lease agreement, but claims it has been a constant struggle to get the Lands Council to help with repairs and maintenance.  

Mrs Atkinson says that after the LALC came out of administration, architects and builders did scoping work on all the houses to determine what repairs needed to be done and where and that it was subsequently announced at a meeting that $50,000 would be allocated to each house to complete the necessary upgrades. 

Kira-Lea Dargin (left) with local tenant Nikita Atkinson (right) are attending the AGM tonight and are very keen to see the financial report.  PHOTO SUPPLIED.

Ms Dargin also claims that for every LALC home to have all their electricals' fixed, it would cost $80,000 but "they've chosen not to do it with 1.5million sitting there." 

"They promised everyone everything, and so far, nobody's got nothing," said Mrs Atkinson. 

Tenants are now demanding that the LALC's expenditure be disclosed to all members at their Annual General Meeting (AGM) to be held tonight Thursday 23 June.  

So far, the Western Plains App have been unsuccessful in receiving a response from the CLALC, but were advised that a discussion of finances will be high on the agenda.  

"I'd like to know why they’re running out of money," said Mrs Atkinson.  

"I've got all my rent receipts and they're still trying to kick me out," said Honky.  

"I'll be asking questions."