Joint media release: Delivering essential power, water and sewerage to Mutitjulu

The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Minister for the Environment and Water
Marion Scrymgour MP, Member for Lingiari

The Albanese Labor Government is investing $92.8 million to deliver essential services to Mutitjulu. 

Located at the foot of one of our most iconic landscapes in Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park, this remote community lives without reliable power, water and sewerage services.

The people of Mutitjulu endure an inadequate, unreliable and unsafe power grid, inadequate drinking water supplies, and have a sewerage system that is over capacity and regularly discharges raw sewage near the aged care home and clinic.

This is another example of the legacy of neglect by the Liberals and Nationals. Their brazen negligence has put community health and safety at risk, and held back local development.

Aṉangu Traditional Owners, many living in the Mutitjulu community, jointly manage the dual World Heritage-listed Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park with the Federal Government.

This funding will support multiple construction jobs in and around Mutitjulu for 3 years and pave the way for future economic development. This will not only benefit the Mutitjulu community of around 350-400 people but also the nearby communities.

The Government will also invest $700,000 per year as ongoing funding to ensure Mutitjulu continues to have clean water, working sewerage systems, and running electricity.

This is an important step in Closing the Gap for First Nations people in and around Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park.

Providing these essential services is also crucial to delivering health and housing projects in the community, including the $8 million Albanese Labor Government is investing to replace the Mutitjulu Health Service Clinic with a new facility.

Quotes attributable to Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek MP:

“We quite rightly want to showcase Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa to the world, we can’t allow the Traditional Owners of these precious places to live in conditions the world would be shocked to see.

“After a decade of Liberal and National neglect, the Albanese Labor Government is stepping in and investing over $90 million to make sure the Mutitjulu community have these basic services.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Lingiari, Marion Scrymgour MP:

“I have always said that if we don’t have adequate infrastructure and essential services in our remote communities – they will not be able to grow and develop. It also leads to more people moving into urban areas to access services.

“I am proud to be a part of a Federal Government that recognises the importance of essential services in our remote communities, and is committed to improving them. This investment in infrastructure and services in Mutitjulu shows the Federal Government is working to deliver for our bush communities.”