NTCOSS’ nine key budget demands to make the Territory ‘fairer’
The NT Council of Social Services is calling for the government’s next budget to improve the lives of those in need. Here’s its list of nine demands.
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The Territory’s peak social services body says support for the community’s most disadvantaged should be front and centre in the next budget.
The Fyles government releases its 2023-24 budget on Tuesday.
NT Council of Social Services (NTCOSS) chief executive Stephanie Kelly said she would like the financial plan to “invest in building a fairer Territory.”
“We want the budget to provide an immediate increase in funding to community services, with future funding indexed to the CPI to cover the ongoing and significant impact of last year’s national minimum wage increase, increasing superannuation costs, and the historic lack of sufficient CPI attached to funding,” she said.
Ms Kelly has also called for the 10-year generational strategy for Children and Families in the NT, a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the NT, to be fully funded.
“In addition to ensuring that our services remain open, accessible, and fit for purpose, we are hoping that the NT budget includes long-term funding to implement the Aboriginal Justice Agreement and reduce offending and imprisonment rates for Aboriginal Territorians,” she said.
“(We also hope it) increases funding for youth diversion programs, proven to have better outcomes than children in detention.”
To tackle mounting cost-of-living pressures facing vulnerable Territorians, Ms Kelly said the NT government should expand its concession scheme to include all Commonwealth card holders.
She has also implored the government to boost spending on the maintenance of public housing, as well as put solar panels on them.
“NTCOSS’ latest cost of living fact sheets found the average median rent in the NT is so high that it may put anyone on a low income into extreme housing stress,” she said.
The organisation has also called for the government’s Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Reduction plan to be fully funded.
NT budget: Environment centre calls govt to face ‘threats’
One of the Territory’s most prominent environmental academics has called on the government to fund four key areas in its next budget.
Environment Centre NT director Dr Kirsty Howey said funding for renewables, parks, biodiversity protection and environmental regulation needed to be addressed when the Fyles government releases its 2023-24 budget on Tuesday.
Her calls come just days after Beetaloo Basin fracking was greenlit, which Ms Howey described as a “profoundly sad” moment for the Territory.
“The Territory lifestyle and what we love about living here are under threat on all fronts – from fracking, petrochemicals, big cotton, toxic mine sites, and the weakest environmental regulation in Australia,” she said.
“There are four things the NT government could commit money to right now and earn the trust and support of Territory voters by doing so.
“(One): adequate resourcing for environmental regulation, monitoring and compliance.
“The Territory lacks accountability and transparency in these areas – there is little public scrutiny, decisions are made in secret by unelected bureaucrats, conflicts of interest run rampant, and what little regulation we have is rarely enforced.”
Ms Howey also implored the government to fund renewables rather than subsidise gas.
“This includes investment in solar power infrastructure and retrofits for communities and public housing to lower the cost of living,” she said.,
“Let’s get on with it and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels by making the most of our world class renewables potential.”
To improve both the visitor experience and lifestyle of locals, Ms Howey said the Territory’s parks and “wild places” needed investment.
The federal government has already flagged it will spend $262m in its upcoming budget to address “chronic underfunding” of national parks, with Kakadu and Uluru-Kata Tjuta set to get a share.
Ms Howey said targeted investment was needed to protect threatened biodiversity.
“The NT has the highest rate of mammal extinction in the world,” she said.
“With increasing pressure from agribusiness, land clearing, feral animals, invasive plants, and poor water management it is more important than ever we commit the money needed to address these issues.
“Territorians need leadership, and we need strong leaders who will stand up and protect this special place.”
NT budget: Key employer’s wishlist includes call for tech funding
Camden Smith
A week out from the NT budget being handed down, a key employer is calling on the government to develop an industry transition fund, provide extra support to combat crime and cut payroll tax.
In a wishlist delivered to the NT government in February, the Motor Trade Association called for establishment of a $2m automotive industry “preparedness fund” to assist automotive dependent businesses transition to emerging technologies.
As of March 20, the Territory had 318 battery electric vehicles and 43 plug-in hybrids, more than double the 130 EVs registered in September 2022.
MTA NT represents more than 700 businesses and 4100 employees and contributes more than $511m to the NT economy.
In the submission, MTA chief executive Darrell Jacobs warned the industry is concerned at a lack of support for the development of a skills base relevant to emerging EV vehicles.
“This concern ties into the need for the re-skilling of the existing automotive workforce to service and repair vehicles that will range from regular private and public transportation to industrial and commercial vehicles,” Mr Jacobs said in the submission.
“Similarly, hydrogen is beginning to make a mark both locally and internationally as an alternative low emission automotive technology.
“We are witnessing additional technologies enter the market which are unmet in the Australian training environment.
“In response the MTA is requesting that $2m in funding is allocated to a tools, technology and training program to help 200 automotive businesses to access up to $10,000 in a one-for-one contribution to upskill staff in future vehicles technology and purchase tools and infrastructure needed to service these vehicles.”
The MTA’s wishlist stated an increase to $30,000 from $15,000 in BizSecure grants would help businesses meet the cost of soaring NT crime.
In September a survey of MTA members showed a majority faced repeated property vandalism and theft in the previous 12 months.
“While members have accessed the program, to secure large automotive dealerships and businesses will require additional funds,” the submission said.
“As these businesses have larger facilities than regular businesses and will require more equipment to secure these sites, the cap should be expanded to $30,000 to help cover the extra expenses in securing large automotive businesses with higher inventory costs.”
The MTA submission calls on the NT government to cut the current payroll take rate from 5.5 per cent for businesses with an annual wage threshold of $1.5m to 4.85 per cent and implement a regional employer rate of payroll tax.
Payroll tax was expected to add $233m to the NT budget in 2022-23, the second largest contribution behind mining royalties.
“With rising costs to businesses brought on by domestic and international economic factors, such as inflation and supply chain constraints, automotive businesses in the Northern Territory require taxation relief to continue to grow and compete,” the submission said.
“To achieve this, the MTA submits that the NT government reduce the rate of payroll tax – which currently sits as one of the highest in the nation.
“A reduction of payroll tax in this manner would more broadly align the NT with the other jurisdictions, creating an environment where businesses can absorb the inflationary pressures in the economy, while allowing further room to invest back into the economy when the current economic climate eases.”
Treasurer Eva Lawler said transport infrastructure was more than half the government’s total infrastructure spend “predominantly to improve road access, quality and safety across the Territory”.
The budget also contained a stamp duty concession of up to $1500 on registration of new and second-hand battery electric vehicles and plug in hybrids.
“These initiatives were directed at supporting the take-up of EVs,” Ms Lawler said.
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