Leader of the Opposition, Lia Finocchiaro, says the Gunner Labor Government’s spectacular policy failures around economic growth, crime, health, education and housing have all contributed to a decline in the Territory’s population over the past 12 months.
“According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ most recent population growth survey, in the year ending September 2021, the Territory has the second-weakest population growth – only behind COVID-ravaged Victoria. In fact, our population went backwards by 0.2%.
“The Gunner Government came to power with the promise to grow our population, and has sensationally failed. We have less people, yet more crime. We have less people, yet our hospitals are under enormous, relentless strain.
“We’ve seen the ridiculous master brand flop Boundless Possible which cost millions of dollars – including more than $400,000 for a 60-second advertisement during the AFL Grand Final which attracted just 661 people to visit the government’s website and $40,000 for branding on the side of a rocket, which flew nowhere.
“The campaign created more jobs for public servants, but failed to attract the interstate and international migration needed to kick-start our ailing economy. It was a failure from the start and by the government’s own admission never had any specific key performance indicators to work out its impact on growing our population.
“Crime is undoubtedly having an impact on people looking to move to the Territory, with the latest crime statistics showing house break-ins, right across the NT, have increased by 32% in the past 12 months. Since 2015, house break-ins have increased more than 50% Territory-wide, under the Gunner Labor Government.
“A CLP Government will cut red tape and attract private investment to kick-start the economy; implement an Approvals Fast-Track Taskforce; introduce a Territory Coordinator to facilitate and fast-track private investment and reform the way significant economic projects are supported; and move away from the complicated hybrid mining tax model and implement an ad valorem mining tax model.
“These are just some of the measures that will help attract much needed private investment, grow the Territory’s own-source revenue and make the NT an attractive place, to those living interstate and overseas, to live and work,” said Mrs Finocchiaro.
ENDS