Chamber of Commerce NT calls for a reset on business and Territory government relationship

RELATIONSHIPS between business and the Northern Territory Government need to be reset, the Chamber of Commerce NT says.

Relationships between business and the Northern Territory Government need to be reset, the Chamber of Commerce NT says. Picture: IStock

• NT business leaders call for seats at the table in economic fightback

RELATIONSHIPS between business and the Northern Territory Government need to be reset, the Chamber of Commerce NT says.

Consecutive years of Chamber NT polling have revealed the Gunner Government’s poor standing with the local business community.

Chief executive Greg Ireland says the reset is needed to facilitate shared objectives, strategies for economic growth and joint problem solving.

Like the other key business groups worried about the post-coronavirus economic crisis facing the Territory, Mr Ireland wants a recovery plan in which business has a say.

“Government needs business to provide it with real-time feedback on business conditions, impacts of government policies and proposals for change,” Mr Ireland said.

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Reinforcing the need for an economic recovery commission, Mr Ireland said business needed an NT government that would test policy settings with it before implementation and to engage in joint planning of initiatives that facilitated economic growth.

“We need to bring fresh, big thinking to development in the Territory, unconstrained by business-as-usual, to leap to the next phase of sustained economic growth and social development,” he said.

“There is a great opportunity to rethink development in the Territory and the rest of Northern Australia. The vision to date generally has aimed low and delivery and execution have been disappointing.”

Mr Ireland has a broad list of areas in need of reform.

“Areas for reform include industrial relations, taxation and charges, government spending, project approval processes, regulation planning, infrastructure and business facilitation. The aim is to achieve more efficient government, lower costs, less red tape, more dynamic business and stronger economic growth.”

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Mr Ireland said the relationship with the Morrison Government needed to move from holding out financial begging bowls to generating robust value propositions for joint participation in infrastructure, development facilitation and defence investment.