NT Budget: Chief Minister Michael Gunner to release Jobs First Plan with wage subsidies for small businesses

THE NT government will subsidise wages for small businesses as part of a new $7.8m JobMaker Booster measure to be released in Tuesday’s Territory budget.

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THE NT government will subsidise wages for small businesses as part of a new $7.8m JobMaker Booster measure to be released in Tuesday’s Territory budget.

Chief Minister and Treasurer Michael Gunner will on Tuesday unveil the new Jobs First Plan, designed to protect and create jobs, attract new investment and develop industries and make the NT a desirable and easy place to conduct business.

A major part of the plan is the JobMaker Booster, which will supplement and extend the federal government’s JobMaker scheme hiring credit.

JobMaker Booster will provide a wage subsidy to small businesses who hire a Territorian on JobSeeker.

Under JobMaker, eligible businesses receive a wage subsidy of $200 a week for employees under 30 years old and $100 a week for people aged between 30 and 35.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner says the JobMaker Booster will provide much-needed support for small businesses that have struggled through the COVID-19 pandemic. Picture: Glenn Campbell

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Through the JobMaker Booster the NT government will subsidise an extra $100 per week for employees aged 30 to 35 and extend the local initiative to provide a $200 a week subsidy for staff aged over 35.

The subsidy will be available for 12 months, and employers will need to show the new hire increases the full-time-equivalent count in their business.

These must be new jobs, and the subsidy has to go to workers’ wages.

A portion of this funding will also be available for peak industry groups to promote the Territory to targeted audiences interstate.

Mr Gunner said the JobMaker Booster would provide much-needed support for small businesses that have struggled through the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This year Territory small businesses made sacrifices and saved lives, they survived and saved jobs,” he said.

“Our small businesses are our job makers and I am backing them to make even more Territory jobs as we come back.

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“(JobMaker Booster) means any employer who was wavering on whether they could put new people on has had the decision made for them — they can do it.”

On Sunday, Mr Gunner revealed the Roadhouse to Recovery Fund, a $4m grants program aimed at improving amenities and experiences at roadhouses and wayside inns.

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