People leaving the Territory because of high crime, anti-social behaviour: Survey

The Northern Territory is in the middle of a critical worker shortage but a new survey shows there is one sore-point keeping people away. Find out why.

With the NT government investing millions of dollars trying to recruit workers to the Territory, crime and anti-social behaviour have emerged as key factors contributing to the skills shortage.

A Property Council NT survey of Territory businesses identified 43 per cent of all respondents believe people are leaving the Terrritory because of the high level of crime and anti-social behaviour.

In response to a question about interstate perceptions of the NT, 86 per cent of respondents said there was a strong perception unacceptable behaviour and criminal activity were high in the Territory.

The NT government has spent almost $13m filling critical skills shortages to boost the Territory’s workforce but businesses are still struggling to attract staff.

The NT News reported on Monday that Mindil Beach Casino Resort has about 160 vacancies and more than 250 fewer staff than before the Covid pandemic hit.

Property Council executive director Ruth Palmer said while the government global worker attraction campaigns were welcome, issues closer to home required settlement.

Property Council NT executive director Ruth Palmer Picture: SUPPLIED

“We can see from the survey there is a perception in the NT you will be confronted all day with anti-social behaviour and this spreads all the way south to Alice Springs,” Ms Palmer said.

“The global messaging campaigns don’t reflect what people see when they arrive.”

Ms Palmer said the government should re-think 2019 changes to the Liquor Act that meant it was no longer an offence to consume alcohol in a public place.

“I think we need to be looking closer to home first and at the perception that people are confronted all day with anti-social behaviour. Police can pour out grog but we have to have a conversation about going back to classifying consuming alcohol in public and public drunkenness as an offence.

“The worsening alcohol and crime problems in the NT do not just deter interstate migrants, but they make it harder for long term locals to remain in the Territory as well.

“If the quality of life in the NT is continually challenged by crime and alcohol, you will very likely see the long term local population and their investment leave the Territory.”

The survey identified that of businesses surveyed, 87.5 per cent are actively recruiting and 100 per cent of those are experiencing difficulty filling jobs.

Fifteen per cent of businesses were trying to recruit more than 30 staff, 14 per cent between 15 and 20 staff and 43 per cent less than five.

Skilled workers made up 72 per cent of the workforce gap and 29 per cent of businesses cannot fill vacancies.

Deck Bar worker Michaela-Kate Bamford-Hickey, 19

All businesses reported it takes six weeks or more to recruit workers and 75 per cent identified a lack of skilled local residents as the biggest barrier to recruiting locally.

The biggest barriers to interstate recruitment are perceptions of the Territory as a place to live and work (62.5 per cent) and concerns about housing availability (50 per cent).

At least half businesses surveyed believe the worker crisis will have a high impact on capacity to complete current projects and project cost.

Ms Palmer said the survey showed a need for Territory employers to liaise more closely with Charles Darwin University for recruitment.

“There needs to be a conversation around how we get businesses involved with the University so, for example, third and fourth year students who are studying in trades can be out in field working with the opportunity of stable employment opportunity afterwards.”

This also means our kids stay here in the Territory which improves our population growth and economic activity.