| Business |
Housing the nation
THE period following a national
election is often a colourful one, with incoming Members and
ministers indicating some of the directions they intend to
follow during the new Parliament. Housing and Urban Development
Minister Andrew Kumbakor provided an example of this approach
when he declared that housing must be provided with employment.
The question of housing in Papua New Guinea has always been a
complex and difficult one. During the territorial era, the
administration government was by far the largest employer and
the majority of staff members was from Australia.
It was obvious that accommodation would have to be provided for
that work force. In the administrative centre Port Moresby and
in the other districts that made up the twin territories of
Papua and New Guinea, housing was constructed of a standard
calculated to be acceptable to that army of imported
administrative workers.
Suburbs of bungalows began to appear, mostly constructed with a
nod to the tropical climate but firmly rooted in Australian
suburbia. The concept of a suburban block with a three-bedroom
house, bathroom, kitchen and living room was simply transferred
to environments as varied as Mendi and Vanimo, Lorengau and
Kainantu.
As independence approached, it became clear the increasing
number of PNG government employees would soon pose a major
accommodation problem. There’s little doubt that few foresaw the
burgeoning development that would occur in the decades ahead.
The depressing Third World squatter settlements that are now a
familiar part of the capital and our other cities were a hidden
future nightmare. Housing in company with many other areas of
PNG infrastructure was to become a black hole.
As independence approached, more government houses became
available as more Australian officers and their families either
chose to return home or became redundant. But that reserve of
housing was never going to be sufficient to accommodate a
rapidly increasing work force.
What was the situation on the other side of the fence? Private
enterprise had traditionally provided housing – often more
luxurious housing than that built by the administration – for
its top management.
Banks, retail and wholesale enterprises such as Burns Philp and
Steamships and the shipping, plantation and construction
managements were well housed. Lower level foreign employees were
frequently single and young; they lived in dongas – a tropical
adaptation of the Australian suburban semi-detached house – or
in messes.
In the years after independence it became very obvious that
policies needed to be established and housing built as a matter
of urgency. What few in the territorial administration has
realised was that the housing needs of the Papua New Guinean
workers would be similar to those of their former expatriate
colleagues.
An employee moving from Vanimo to Port Moresby to take up a
position in the highly centralised public service of the
immediate post independence era was arguably worse off than his
Australian counterpart. For while everyone recognised the
necessity of accommodating the foreigner, few factored in the
very real needs of the Papua New Guinean.
A few attempts were made to create suburbs to meet the
now-pressing needs. A section of Gordon Estate, as it was
originally named, was set aside for low-cost housing. A highly
unsuitable design – basically a rectangular box with small
windows, cramped sleeping areas, tiny family space and even
smaller “kitchens” became known as “matchboxes”.
Many of these dwellings, rarely maintained and now in a state of
collapse, can still be seen near Gordon market. Then came Gerehu
with its now notorious “stages”. Initially, the suburb showed
promise of being a reasonably pleasant community.
Some quality homes were built, a shopping centre was developed
to cater for residents and churches, schools and even a brand
new cinema were built. But as with many similar estates purpose
built in other countries, Gerehu proved to be a suburb without a
heart. It stands to day as an object lesson of a pattern not to
follow in future.
Minister Kumbakor is right.
The great need is for a co-ordinated policy that will see the
rapid provision of affordable accommodation for workers.
And to establish that policy, the minister must network with
private and public sector employees and create a productive
dialogue. PNG housing needs must be addressed now.
 
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