The Northern Territory Government is holding a series of economic summits across the Northern Territory in partnership with independent consultants Deloitte.
From the summits, a co-designed Economic Development Framework will be developed.
General Manager Engineers Australia, Northern, Mark Monaghan said that it is important for the Northern Territory’s engineering sector to actively contribute to the summits.
“Participation in the summits by industry provides an opportunity for a shared partnership in the future economic benefits of the Territory,” Mr Monaghan said.
“The engineering sector is a critical voice in developing the roadmap for infrastructure development as it provides key knowledge about what is possible in today’s modern cities, towns and communities.”
Key topics being considered through this process include:
- creating jobs in the economy
- the right place to invest in infrastructure spending
- stemming the population outflow
- innovation in the Territory economy
- regional growth
- Indigenous economic engagement.
The first of four phases of consultation was completed in November 2016, with consultations held in Darwin, Katherine, Nhulunbuy, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs where over 114 organisations and in excess of 250 individuals were consulted during this phase.
The initial consultations revealed a number of common issues across industries and locations and from these issues, six preliminary factors or 'levers' have been refined from which economic growth can be accelerated, and these include land, people, capital, enterprise and innovation, connectivity and liveability.
These levers are now the focus of the second phase of the summit process.
Phase 2 commenced in December and will conclude in late February 2017.
During this phase, workshops will be held with sector groups and the regions to develop principles, targeted strategies and recommendations to be included in the Economic Development Framework.
General Manager, Northern Australia Development and Trade, Luke Bowen said that it is important to capture people’s vision, ideas and suggestions.
“The draft Economic Development Framework should represent the views and aspirations of Territorians. This has to be a co-designed process because every Territorian has a stake in our future,” Mr Bowen said.
Planned workshops in February include:
- Regional workshop: Nhulunbuy – 31 January
- Tourism sector: Darwin – 1 February
- Health Services and Research sector: Darwin – 1 February
- Land Management and Environmental Services sector: Darwin – 2 February
- Defence and Defence-related industries: Darwin – 2 February
- Agribusiness sector: Darwin – 3 February
- Human Services sector: Darwin – 6 February
- Housing Industry Association: Darwin – 6 February
- Small Business sector: Darwin – 15 February
- Engineers Australia: Darwin – 16 February
- International Education sector (2nd session): Darwin – 21 February
- Regional workshop: Katherine – 7 February
- Solar and Alternative Energy sector: Alice Springs – 10 February
- Regional workshop: Tennant Creek – 13 February
- ICT Industry Association: Darwin – 20 February
Specific Indigenous stakeholder groups will be consulted over this same period and discussions with Land Councils will form part of this process.
Phase 3 will comprise of a series of mini-summits open to the public in:
- Nhulunbuy – 2 March
- Tennant Creek – 6 March
- Alice Springs – 7 March
- Palmerston – 8 March
- Katherine – 9 March
- Darwin – 13 March
Following the mini summits, two major summits will be held on 24 March in Alice Springs and 29 March in Darwin.
At the major summits, a draft Economic Development Framework will be presented to Territorians.
“We encourage Territorians to participate because this process needs buy-in from everyone,” Mr Bowen said.
The framework will not only contain strategies, recommendations and actions for the Northern Territory Government to commit to, but will also contain strategies, recommendations and actions that the private sector has committed to.
A website has been established and a number of papers, inviting public comment and feedback, have been published on the site: economicsummit.nt.gov.au
Image: General Manager, Northern Australia Development and Trade, Luke Bowen at a summit.