The family is the 1000th recipient of the HomeGrown Territory grant scheme, which helped them buy in the Darwin suburb of Zuccoli. Photo: Northern Territory Government.
The Northern Territory Government is celebrating the 1000th recipient of its housing grant scheme.
The HomeGrown Territory grant gives successful applicants a $50,000 boost towards their first home.
Milestone-figure recipients Anusha and Praveen are Darwin locals who have lived in the Northern Territory for more than a decade. Anusha works in childcare and chose to buy in the Darwin suburb of Zuccoli.
“We like living in this area because it feels safe and there are plenty of work opportunities,” she said. “We’ve always found the community very welcoming and approachable.”
Minister for Housing Construction Bill Yan congratulated the family and said he wanted to see more families access the housing grant, which aimed to make the dream of owning a house more attainable.
“There are many Territorians like Anusha and Praveen who are aspiring to own a new home, which is why we extended the availability of grants to September 2026,” Mr Yan said.
“This will give a new generation more time to keep saving for a deposit, and if needed, find the right block and contract a builder.”
Mr Yan said the CLP was working to put the dream of ownership in the sights of more families, but he asked for more support from the Federal Government.
“We’re rebuilding the economy, reducing crime and restoring the Territory lifestyle that’s seeing more people wanting to call the NT home, but the Federal Government needs to review the cap that’s stopping them from accessing much of the market,” he said.
He called for an increase to the Home Guarantee Scheme cap from $600,000 to $850,000 in the Northern Territory, which would free up more homes for those applying through the program.
Data from the NT Department of Treasury and Finance estimates that the median house price in Greater Darwin for the June quarter of this year was $600,000.
“Building approvals have lifted strongly, thanks in part to our housing grants, and we look forward to helping more Territorians make home ownership a reality,” Mr Yan said.
