The Northern Territory government unveils new population and economic targets

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The economic and population growth targets the NT Government has set itself are being criticised as unrealistic and unachievable. The promise is to increase the NT's population growth by 4000 people a year and increase economic growth by more than the national rate.

Transcript

00:00With the rest of the country trying to cap migrant numbers, the Territory signs a deal

00:07to bump them up.

00:08This is a bloody fantastic agreement.

00:11It's good for the Territory economy, it's good for Territory businesses.

00:15The deal between the federal and Territory governments will allow local employers to

00:19bring in 1,500 workers to fill shortages in 300 professions.

00:25We can't wait to see this new wave of migration come into the Territory.

00:30The NT government says the deal will help it meet economic targets and help the NT economy

00:35outperform national economic growth.

00:37It also wants to increase the Territory's population by 4,000 people per annum.

00:43What we're doing is we're opening up the Territory to the broader investment sector.

00:47We're actually inviting businesses to come in.

00:49But with the economy and population both lagging since the construction of the Inpex gas plant

00:54more than a decade ago, the targets are being called into question.

00:584,000 is very ambitious, I don't know if we're going to get there, but I think there

01:03is a real chance that Territory could start to increase its population.

01:09The Labor opposition have questioned whether there are enough incentives for workers to

01:13stay in the Territory long term.

01:15Soon after the government signed the deal to increase migrant numbers, they also moved

01:19to prevent community service workers from transferring long service leave from one job

01:23to the next.

01:24We are not going to see people stay in the Northern Territory if they can get the work

01:28entitlements that have been offered in other jurisdictions.

01:32Experts also warn the NT government's debt is a big problem.

01:36It's now so bad the government is removing the cap which stopped debt rising above $15

01:41billion.

01:42Look, it is problematic because it's not fiscally sustainable.

01:46With the government hoping migration is the answer, it remains to be seen how many people

01:51will make the move.

01:54For more UN videos visit www.un.org

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