Northern Territory announces workforce strategy and budget surplus

The Northern Territory Government has launched a 10-year workforce development strategy, titled “Building a Bigger, Better Workforce: Northern Territory Workforce Development Strategy 2026–2036.” The plan aims to prepare for a projected 29,000 new jobs driven by increasing investment in mining, energy, infrastructure, and defence. This follows research from the Minerals Council of Australia identifying 16 advanced mining projects in the region, representing $6.1 billion in planned capital investment.

In a separate fiscal update, the Northern Territory Government reported a $234 million general government operating surplus for the 2025-26 period. This represents a $1.12 billion improvement over the previous year’s $886 million deficit. Treasurer Bill Yan attributed the stronger-than-anticipated result to higher GST revenue, tax collection, and mining royalties. The government managed to absorb $131 million in unbudgeted disaster expenditure from cyclones and flooding while increasing spending in health, education, and public safety. The Territory also maintained its Aa3 credit rating following a review by Moody’s.