Leaders first debate lays down election markers

The leaders of the two main political parties have had their first debate of the 2024 election campaign. Read how it went.

The government defended its two-term legacy and the Opposition took to it with a scalpel during Tuesday’s first leaders debate at Darwin Convention Centre.

Chief Minister Eva Lawler and Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro took about 100 architects and stakeholders through their vision to build and develop the Territory.

But in a dress rehearsal for next month’s election campaign, they also gave a big picture account of why their party should win on August 24.

Mostly respectful, they applauded the other’s response and there were enough differences to provide voters with a contrast in style and substance.

The Opposition Leader and Chief Minister during the debate.

Formerly Infrastructure Minister, Ms Lawler said nearly $11bn had “gone out our door” to assist industry.

“We have done a lot of the heavy lifting around the policy work that needed to be done. We have done the work around planning reforms, the upgrades and reforms around the building act, bringing land to market,” she said.

The government’s achievements included a billion dollars in new remote housing, extracting$4bn from the Commonwealth for additional remote housing, the CDU city campus, the Alice Springs and Darwin Indigenous art galleries, the Darwin CBD deal, progressing Middle Arm, developing a ship lift and progressing rare earths and onshore oil and gas.

“Our big picture infrastructure is having that solid pipeline of work,” she said. “The work the Infrastructure Commission has been able to do for the Territory provides that road map for the future for the Territory.

“Our vision is one of a tropical capital city, it’s one of a vibrant Northern Territory, it’s one where we see our remote communities thrive, it’s one where we have people accessing their homelands and thriving in their homelands.”

Ms Lawler said she would appoint a government architect, develop a Waterfront to Cullen Bay green belt, and announced a new trial program “Sunbooster” to implement the roll out of solar and batteries in remote communities and in apartments.

She said she slashed the feed-in tariff from “money going to people who can afford it”.

Ms Lawler also defended the Cavenagh Street shade shelter, as images emerged this morning of timber damage on the foliage-challenged structure.

“I love the shade structure,” she said to a ripple of applause.

As well as no shade, the wooden struts on the covered shelter are bowing.

Ms Finocchiaro said Labor had held government for 19 of the past 23 years, including the last eight in a row.

“While there’s a lot of talk around infrastructure and biggest budgets and ship lifts and all these things, there’s been very little by way of delivery,” Ms Finocchiaro said.

“If Defence wasn’t here in the Territory, many of you would be wondering what it exactly it is they’d be working on.

“I stand before you so excited and optimistic about the future because I know the Territory can be better. Our vision for infrastructure, and every other facet of the Northern Territory, is about rebuilding, it’s about rebuilding the Territory, and to do that we have to reduce crime.

“I ask everyone to ask themselves, is life better now than it has been in the past.”

She said safe public spaces would be a CLP priority, saying the closure of Johnn Johnn’s ice cream in Darwin’s CBD due to crime “epitomises everything that’s wrong with the Territory”.

She said the Territory needed more public housing, the CLP would double the battery bonus to $12,000, remove payroll tax for apprentice employees and would not commit to appointing a government architect.

Housing on the agenda as leaders shape up for first debate

The leaders of the Territory’s two main political parties will go head-to-head for the first time this election cycle at an Australian Institute of Architects event in Darwin on Wednesday night.

Historically low building approvals will be on the agenda as both major party leaders try to explain how they will resurrect the Territory’s residential construction sector if they win the August 24 election.

Co-hosted with the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, Chief Minister Eva Lawler and opposition leader Lia Finocchiaro will discuss climate resilience, design quality and business sustainability as well as issues around housing delivery.

Residential construction in the Territory is at record lows.

But front and centre will be the two party’s plan to boost housing, with the CLP unveiling a $50,000 residential construction grant scheme last month, which Labor built on this week.

The debate begins at 7pm at Darwin convention centre and is the first head-to-head contest scheduled for the two leaders just seven weeks out from election day.

The confrontation comes on the same day the latest Territory housing data was released, showing a spectacular drop-off in Territory housing construction over the past 12 months.

According to the latest ABS figures, Territory building approvals in May was unchanged from April at 25, with residential building approvals nationally increasing by 7 per cent.

In annual terms, the number of residential building approvals in the Territory decreased by 35.9 per cent and in the year to May 2024, residential building approvals in the Territory decreased by 39.4 per cent to 368.

In the year to May 2024, the value of residential building approvals in the Territory decreased by 17.0 per cent to $322.2m, compared with a decrease of 2.5 per cent to $88.6m nationally.

Ms Finocchiaro said the latest figures showed the Territory government had no plan to revitalise the housing construction sector.

“These figures are further proof the government doesn’t have a plan to grow our economy,” Ms Finocchiaro said.

“Last month Master Builders said we are on track to have the worst year for home building since records began and, sadly, under Labor, housing approvals continue to plummet.

“The Territory’s economy is going backwards under Labor – State Final Demand is down, retail sales have flat lined and CommSec has marked the Territory as the worst performing economy in the nation for the past five-and-a-half years.

“After eight long years Territorians deserve better,” opposition leader Lia Finocchiaro said.

Ms Lawler acknowledged there was a problem.

“We know we need to boost our residential building market and support Territory businesses,” she said.

“This is why I have announced that a re-elected Lawler Labor government will deliver the biggest ever financial boost to first home builders – with a $60,000 grant to be available from October.

“The Home Builder Boost grants – which will only be available to Territorians – will deliver a significant economic stimulus and spur on the Territory’s residential building industry.”