UK hospitality workers to live in hostels, sharehouses while in NT

An influx of UK hospitality workers will relieve the NT’s tightly squeezed workforce, but could increase pressure on the rental market.

As the hospitality industry prepares to welcome about 100 new workers from the UK, some Territorians are concerned how the new recruits will impact the Top End’s already tight rental market.

The additional workers will offer some relief to a tightly squeezed workforce when they move to Australia and bolster the NT’s hospitality industry during this year’s dry season.

But about 1.2 per cent of rental stock in Darwin was available as of January, and experts expected that figure to halve and return to record lows.

The average asking rent was $570 per week for a Darwin home in February.

Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce at Hotel Darwin. Picture: Che Chorley

Hospitality NT CEO Alex Bruce said rental affordability was an issue for all industries trying to recruit and retain workers.

“We know there is increasing residential stock, especially units in the city, that would’ve been long-term tenanted or owner-occupied instead participating in the short-term rental market,” he said.

“This does put further pressure on locals and new arrivals being able to afford to live and work in and around our venues.”

Mr Bruce said some venues – particularly in remote and regional areas – may offer on-site accommodation such as staff quarters.

“Others help organise share houses and units and we know from the hostels that they are seeing an increase in longer-term bookings where their guest is working around town.”

An NT government spokesman previously said a tender request had been released for 180 Alice Springs dwellings and 240 in Katherine, half of which would accommodate “key workers in the regions”.

Charlie's of Darwin events and marketing manager Hayley Wynn said Darwin was the "land of opportunity" and she hoped to relay that when she travelled to the UK to recruit hospitality workers. Picture: Sierra Haigh

A delegation of NT business representatives will travel to Cork, Birmingham, Manchester and Dublin in March to fill the gaps left by worker shortages.

Charlie’s of Darwin events and marketing manager Hayley Wynn moved from the UK to Australia more than five years ago and said Darwin was the “land of opportunity”.

“I’ve found my place and got sponsored here in the Territory, and I have a very nice life here,” Ms Wynn said.

“I love the opportunities that Darwin has given me, which I wouldn’t have been given anywhere else in Australia, so I think going on this trip, I could definitely resonate with the UK and the UK population.”

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said the NT needed to continue growing its workforce. Picture: Annabel Bowles

Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said the NT government was focused on filling the “worker shortage” with the $12.8m skilled workforce program and was targeting the UK and Ireland’s hospitality market.

“We’ve got really strong forward bookings right across the Northern Territory for the dry season as people resume post-Covid travel,” she said.

“We’ll also be launching a new portal where potential employees can upload their details and all jobs in the Territory will go through that portal so that we can connect employers and employees.”

Major Events Minister Paul Kirby answers questions about the ongoing crisis in Alice Springs at a press conference for the Archibald 100. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

Business, Jobs, and Training Minister Paul Kirby said it was fantastic to see a “strong delegation” going to the UK and make sure workers have the information they need to work in the NT.

“We are really confident that with all of the backup work that’s been done ... that it will be a success,” Mr Kirby said.

“We’ll get people started right from the get go and make sure they understand what the benefits are of coming to Darwin.”

[e-mail]