Budget 2017-18 Budget Overview
Tabled Paper 274
Tabled Papers for 13th Assembly 2016 - 2020; Tabled Papers; ParliamentNT
2017-05-02
Tabled by Nicole Manison
Made available by the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory under Standing Order 240. Where copyright subsists with a third party it remains with the original owner and permission may be required to reuse the material.
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Tabled papers
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https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/271471
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/432606
6 Budget Overview Creating Jobs and Buying Local Delivering for Local Business The Territory Government spends around $3 billion on goods and services annually. The Governments Buy Local Plan has increased the minimum local content weighting on contracts to 30 per cent and includes a Value for Territory criteria so decisions arent based on price alone. The 2017-18 Budget supports buying local through $0.2 million to fund an independent industry advocate of the Buy Local Plan. The advocate will be supported by staff and have the capacity to conduct spot audits across government. The 2017-18 Budget also supports and delivers jobs for Territory local businesses and tradies through: $30 million for the Immediate Work Grants program, helping to improve community facilities; $16.3 million to expand the Home Improvement Scheme, providing home owner-occupiers with the opportunity to do minor improvements, and repairs and maintenance on their home using Territory small businesses; $7.9 million for Home Owner Grants, a voucher program for first home owner-occupiers to undertake minor improvements on their new homes by Territory small businesses; $7.9 million for the Small Business Champions Unit and to support the business round tables; and $1 million in additional Business Innovation Support Initiatives grants to enable local businesses to undertake research and development of new products, processes or services. The 2017-18 Budget supports job creation through a range of initiatives including the economic stimulus program, the Buy Local Plan and initiatives to favourably position the Territory as a place to do business and facilitate private sector investment in key projects and industries. Economic Management The 2017-18 Budget delivers a significant economic boost across the Territory through a $1.75 billion infrastructure spend including a $250 million economic stimulus program across 2017-18 and 2018-19, which involves a suite of strategically timed initiatives to create jobs for Territorians including: $129 million to fast-track major infrastructure projects across the Territory; $14 million for additional minor infrastructure projects; $10 million to commence works on the $120 million City Deals project, for the redevelopment and revitalisation of infrastructure in the Darwin and Alice Springs central business districts (CBDs); $30 million for the Immediate Work Grants program for community and incorporated not-for-profit organisations to carry out repairs, maintenance and improvements to facilities; $5 million in Security Systems Assistance Grants for local businesses; $60 million for additional repairs and maintenance works across the Territory, including $5 million for urban social housing; $10 million in incentive funding for social housing headleasing projects in Darwin, Palmerston and Alice Springs; and $2 million to increase the Urban and Regional Oval Lights Program to $3.5 million in 2016-17 and 2017-18. In addition, the 2017-18 Budget provides: $2.2 million for the Strategic Infrastructure and Projects division to continue to support the delivery of major projects and attract private investment; $1.5 million over three years to establish a Canberra-based Territory defence advocate to ensure future defence investment is focused on the Territory; and $1 million for investment attraction processes for a potential water theme park in Darwin and retirement resorts in the Darwin, Darwin rural and Alice Springs areas. Infrastructure The 2017-18 Budget provides $1.75 billion for infrastructure expenditure across the Territory, including the largest investment in roads, substantial investments in housing, works to stimulate the economy, and projects to enhance our quality of life, embrace our culture and provide for our families. Major program highlights include: $733.5 million to upgrade roads and transport infrastructure across the Territory, including $78 million in partnership with the Commonwealth, to continue upgrading the Arnhem Highway on the Adelaide River floodplain to provide all-weather access, and $40 million for upgrades to the Buntine Highway; $640.3 million in housing and related works, including $233 million in partnership with the Commonwealth for new remote Indigenous housing and $106 million as part of the $1.1 billion 10-year Remote Housing Investment Package;