According to the request from North Ngura and the challenges their brief presented, it felt necessary to go beyond what may be considered the most logical and instrumental response, sending tradespeople in to fix as many houses in the community as possible with the money available.

As the problems are systemic and present in a variety of forms within the region and across Australia, we thought it necessary to confront the challenges in a more multifaceted manner. Whether a designer, health professional, community leader, or in government, it is crucial to be given permission from local representatives prior to any implementation.

First and foremost, there needs to be a process of communication and collaboration with the community, to ensure that the preferences of residents are duly reflected upon. Consultation is even more vital to keep local representatives privy to the process, inform research with local knowledge, concerns and issues.

A nuanced approach is difficult, if not impossible without respect and understanding for the values and culture being affected by them. Rather than rely upon the government to implement the programme, we wish to exploit Health Habitats determination to provide tangible improvements to Indigenous health

and to employ their existing associations and capacity to find skilled tradespeople to assist in training teams of local stewards, dubbed ‘Nika-nika Mala’, ‘fixers’ in the Yolngu language which is most common in East Arnhemland.

Through local contacts, community elders and representatives in North Ngura, a stewardship programme can be set up with the assistance of Health Habitat. With sufficient training the local stewards would provide basic maintenance, identify community-wide problems—waste water, electrical faults, health concerns for instance—and specify the materials and skills required for more complex work.

In essence, the stewards adopt the role of interpreters for the North Ngura community, relaying issues and concerns directly to the accompanying database, highlighting the materials or expertise required. An aspect of housing considered 'fully functioning' according to a government hired inspector's report does not necessarily mean that it is appropriate for healthy living.

Due to the importance of the database, skilled programmers and software designers will need to create a usable database template with an interface that allows easy input and access by multiple parties.The database features a priority flagging system to highlight critical needs that require an immediate response.

For example, if a particular brand of hot water system installed in all government homes is prone to malfunction in North Ngura or neighbouring settlements, the database could be used to flag problematic appliances, and be used to notify the manufacturer or government department responsible for the contract.

With accessible, up-to-date and reliable information, the database would prove a valuable resource to researchers, journalists and other interested parties, as well as provide a means to hold negligent government bodies, manufacturers and tradespeople to account.

For the pilot programme to serve as exemplar and guide to—likely less determined—future projects, it is vital for each aspect to be optimised in response to challenges that are encountered, or highlighted through dialogue with North Ngura residents, trainers, stewards, and other associates.

While government publications and media releases claim to want to ‘close the gap’ and improve housing and health, in the case of North Ngura, Binjari, and many other Indigenous settlements, there seems to be a disjuncture between stated goals and practice.

A long term aim for the Nika-nika Mala North Ngura, is to serve as a case study to convince the government, through constructive example rather than opposition, to alter Indigenous policy and the role of government from a largely paternalistic role to one more conciliatory and supportive, of self-determined methods of implementation and shared responsibility.

A case will be made for the economic incentive of working with, rather than for remote communities such as North Ngura, presumably reducing several layers of bureaucracy and a burden from government in the process. Discussions will also specify how the Northern Territory or Federal government might support the programme by other means,

for example: funding a regional Indigenous body to maintain the database, subsidise the wage of trainers and stewards, and legitimise the skills that they learn through relevant certifications and qualifications.

Should the Northern Territory and Federal government maintain existing policies instead of pursuing a more inclusive, arguably more effective strategy, A contingency to indirectly hold government bodies and associated contractors to account for the array of issues present in North Ngura before the Nika-nika Mala North Ngura pilot programme took effect is in place.

Supported by information from the database, anecdotal evidence collected by Nika-nika Mala, and with testimony from willing community leaders and participants intent on changing the nature of government policy. A public campaign will be launched with the intention of leveraging the success of the programme, bringing media attention, academic, and public support for change.

In addition to promoting the programme, the campaign will draw attention to the challenging circumstances faced in North Ngura: the constant power outages, intermittent water supply and inherent flaws of the current costly development scheme being implemented by the Northern Territory government and its—evidently failing—maintenance scheme.

A key motivation for the contingency is to compel government to realise the value of expanding the programme to neighbouring regions,  and eventually Australia wide to communities responsive to the Nika-nika Mala programme.

A key motivation for the contingency is to compel government to realise the value of expanding the programme to neighbouring regions,  and eventually Australia wide to communities responsive to the Nika-nika Mala programme.