PM Turnbull says he's committed to regional deal in Tennant Creek

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says he is committed to a regional deal for the small Northern Territory town of Tennant Creek that involves greater collaboration between all branches of government.

Waziri Mkuu Malcolm Turnbull, akutana na kundi la densi la jamii ya watu wa kwanza wa Australia katika uwanjwa wa ndege wa Tennant Creek, Wilaya ya Kaskazini. Source: AAP

Tennant Creek and its issues have endured months of scrutiny following the rape of a two-year-old girl in February.

The Prime Minister says the single biggest issue is a shortage of housing. The Northern Territory Government says it is trying to address a housing shortage by building three houses so far this year with another nine due by the end of the year.

And federal social-services minister Dan Tehan says he will consider introducing a trial of a cashless welfare card.

The card works like a debit card and would be mandatory for welfare recipients.

It quarantines 80 per cent of recipients' welfare payments to the card, and those funds can only go towards food and other essentials, not alcohol nor gambling.