‘Failed’ Welcome to the Territory population incentive dropped
THE Gunner Government has dropped a “failed” cash incentive that offered families up to $15,000 to settle in the NT
Northern Territory
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THE NT government has dropped it’s “failed” Welcome to the Territory cash incentive that offered families up to $15,000 to settle in the NT.
Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the population incentive ended in July, and it is understood no decision has been made to extend it.
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“It was a population program targeted at getting people here that ran for two years,” he said.
In June, the NT News revealed that only 124 people had accessed the incentives since 2018. Australian National University demographer Dr Liz Allen said the program was too narrow to redress the NT’s population decline.
Territory Alliance’s Robyn Lambley said the government had failed to address the NT’s population woes with the incentives and Boundless Possible master brand.
“I think it’s failed and, given money is so scarce, perhaps now is the time to suspend spending on Boundless Possible if they haven’t already,” she said.
“If it’s not working you’ve got to tighten the budget.”
The Chief Minister said the government’s handling of the coronavirus had helped build the NT’s reputation as a place where people should move to.
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“I think we’ve never had a better reputation,” Mr Gunner said.
“We are the safest place in the country, the best place in the country.”
Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said Boundless Possible had been an “expensive and ineffective waste of Territorians’ money”.
“The Gunner government has left us with boundless debt and boundless crime,” she said.
Originally published as ‘Failed’ Welcome to the Territory population incentive dropped