Labor is today releasing its positive plan to grow the economy of the Northern Territory in a way that protects jobs and improves living standards. 

Northern Territorians deserve a Federal Government that invests in local jobs and improves living standards.

Labor has a plan to build the job-creating infrastructure that will create jobs and drive the economy in the Northern Territory for the next generation.

The projects we’re backing will create local jobs for local people – and guarantee a start for more apprentices.

We will help small businesses grow with our New Jobs Tax Cut, so more Territorians can fulfil their potential in the workforce.

Importantly, Labor has made a specific commitment to Indigenous students and communities.

Labor will stand up for families in the Northern Territory, protecting Medicare from the Turnbull Government’s plans to cut it, undermine it and privatise it.

We have developed more than 100 positive policies that will create real and local jobs for Northern Territorians.

A Shorten Labor Government will:

• Invest $58 million in an infrastructure package that will create jobs and drive growth in the Territory including $12.2 million for a Darwin Rural Area anti-flooding package among many more infrastructure initiatives. We will also pressure the Territory Government to develop business cases for critical infrastructure so projects can be considered by Infrastructure Australia and the Concrete Bank Labor is setting up.
• Create a new Business Advisory Council in the Northern Territory to develop and deliver a long-term plan for growth.
• Double the number of Indigenous Rangers employed under the Indigenous Rangers – Working on Country Program, boosting jobs and environmental stewardship in remote areas.
• Work with Indigenous people living in outstations to build strong remote communities and to create opportunities for economic development.
• Allocate $1 billion from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility to a Northern Australian Tourism Infrastructure Fund, to boost partnerships with the tourism sector and provide incentives for investment in new and upgraded tourism infrastructure across the north.
• Fight to protect penalty rates for some of the Northern Territory’s lowest paid workers.
• Protect Medicare – Labor will reverse the Liberals’ freeze on the Medicare Benefits Schedule, meaning an average family with two children in the Northern Territory will be $400 a year better off.
• Finish the NBN so that businesses and households in the Territory can be engaged in the digital economy.
• Invest in hospitals – Labor will increase funding for Northern Territory hospitals over the next four years. Hospitals in the Northern Territory can expect to receive about $20 million more than they would under the Liberals.
• Deliver child care support that is faster, fairer and more affordable – many of the 3,350 families in the Northern Territory who rely on the Child Care Rebate will be up to $1,627 a year better off.
• Provide $5.5 million a year to work to close the gap on Indigenous health outcomes.
• Invest in our nation’s schools including $100 million more in targeted, needs based funding for Territorian schools in 2018 and 2019.
• Boost Indigenous students’ access to education and leadership opportunities in the Territory, by investing in the AFL Michael Long Learning and Leadership Centre’s full-time Indigenous training facility.
• Invest $8.4 million to create more than 7,000 new spots in the Starts Foundation mentoring program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls across Australia.

These are just some of our positive policies for the Northern Territory. 

This election, there is a clear choice for Territorians. 

Malcolm Turnbull and the Liberals will cut local schools and destroy Medicare, while recklessly spending $50 billion on a tax break for banks and big business.

A Shorten Labor Government will save Medicare, improve schools, invest in job-creating infrastructure and protect middle and working class families.

For more information on Labor’s plan for the Northern Territory, visit http://www.100positivepolicies.org.au/labors_positive_plan_for_the_nt.

FRIDAY, 24 JUNE 2016