Australian dole recipients move to the Northern Territory for jobs

UNEMPLOYED Australians are leaving country towns and moving to the Northern Territory for work under a scheme that pays up to $6000 to relocate.

Uluru Camel Tours, Red Centre Image supplied Mandatory credit: Tourism NT

EXCLUSIVE

Unemployed Australians are leaving country towns and moving to the Northern Territory for work.

The crocodile capital has the largest net migration under a federal government scheme which pays dole recipients up to $6000 to relocate for a job.

Residents of regional towns in Queensland and New South Wales have proved most willing to pick up and move to the Territory in order to secure a job, according to new Department of Employment figures obtained by News Corp Australia.

NT Chief Minister Adam Giles said it made sense to move north where the economy was picking up.

“Why wouldn’t you want to come here – to work or to play? We have a diversified economy; the tourism industry is expanding, the gas industry is expanding, construction levels are at an all-time high,” he said.

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The data shows that since the relocation bonus scheme came into effect on 1 July 2014, 738 people who were previously out of work for at least a year, accepted payments from the government to take up a job elsewhere.

Of those, 124 people moved to the NT for jobs, making it the biggest winner from the program in terms of migration.

Unemployed Queenslanders have been most eager to participate in the scheme, with 256 people moving away from Brisbane or their regional Queensland town to accept employment, either elsewhere within the state, or further afield.

People looking for work in NSW were also big participants in the scheme, with almost 200 people leaving their homes in Sydney or other regional NSW towns, to move interstate or across the country.

More than 24 people who struggled to find work in country towns across NSW moved to the Territory, while 45 people from regional Queensland also made the move.

And Mr Giles predicted the trend would continue, with residents of other states lured to the territory by it’s economic opportunities and unique lifestyle.

“In the future, there will be even more jobs in tourism, energy, mining and potentially a further 4500 jobs in Darwin with a new ship maintenance facility,” he said.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash said the program was encouraging people to look outside their local area for job opportunities.

“The government recognises that the best form of welfare government can provide is to help people find and keep a job.

“The Relocation to Take Up a Job program has now seen 124 job seekers take the opportunity to move to the Northern Territory for work, which is the largest net intake compared to other states for this program,” she said.

The scheme, which was criticised for its slow uptake initially, offers jobseekers who have been out of work for more than 12 months, up to $3000 to move to a new city, or $6000 to relocate to a regional area.

It was one of the economic policies former Prime Minister Tony Abbott took to the last election.

Unemployed people who take their families with them are also eligible for an additional $3000 to cover the costs of moving with children.