NT 2025-26 Budget will include more than $500m for Corrections

The Northern Territory budget will allocate more than half a billion dollars towards corrections, as the government works to keep pace with its tough law and order reforms.

More than half a billion dollars will go towards corrections in the Northern Territory 2025-26 Budget, as the government works to keep pace with its tough law and order reforms.

There is a record $495m going directly to corrections in addition to the $117m previously committed to deliver the Corrections Infrastructure Master Plan.

Additional funding will also be held in contingency available to be drawn down to meet corrections demand pressures as needed.

The Territory budget will be introduced on May 13.

Corrections Minister Gerard Maley confirmed Corrections would received additional funding of $126m in 2025-26 and $176m per year ongoing from 2026-27.

The extra funding is made up of $80m this year, and $120m ongoing from next year to address rising prisoner numbers through additional staffing and operational capacity, including expanding prisoner health services.

Forty million dollars this year, and $50m from next year will be held in the contingency, and $6m will fund additional electronic monitoring capacity.

A further $4.2m has been allocated for domestic and family violence programs.

Corrections Minister Gerard Maley. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“Our funding commitment of more than $500m for corrections is vital to the CLP government’s priority in keeping the community safe and reducing crime,” Minister Maley said.

“We cannot expect to reduce crime without investing in our police, corrections and justice system, which is why we are boosting the bottom line for corrections.

“Our CLP government promised 2025 would be a year of action, certainty, and security and we’re delivering on that commitment with a strong, well-supported corrections system that keeps Territorians safe.

“While much of the increased funding is for increased operational and staffing costs to ensure we have the tools to manage the increasing prisoner and offender numbers – including the G4S contract – we remain committed to dealing with the root causes of crime to ensure offenders are rehabilitated.”

NT Corrections will receive more than $500m in this year's budget. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Last week the CLP announced $1.34 billion will be allocated to implement the government’s law and order plans in its first proper Budget since coming to office last August.

Last week also saw NT parliament reconvene for an emergency session to push through strict bail reforms.

Changes included the consideration of detention as a last resort for children being removed, and a requirement for judges to prioritise risk to the community when considering whether to disregard a presumption against bail.

Similar bail laws introduced interstate led to the number of youths behind bars increasing by a third.

Originally published as NT 2025-26 Budget will include more than $500m for Corrections