The 2019 Federal Budget has delivered the Territory another blow with a further $75 million reduction of GST.
This is on top of the $500 million cut which is having a major impact on the NT budget.
The Territory Labor Government has fought to see immediate Federal investment in the Territory and job-creating projects. This budget doesnt deliver that.
There is no investment into developing Kakadu National Park over the next 4 years and funding into the Darwin Cities Deal is but a trickle.
We lobbied the Federal Government extensively to get more money for Territory roads - such as the Tanami, Port Keats Road and Tiwi Islands - but we need work on these roads to start now, not in 10-years time.
We also need these roads to be excluded from our GST or they are giving with one hand and taking with the other.
As stated by Treasurer Nicole Manison:
The Morrison Government have shown in tonights budget that they dont understand how much of an impact their GST cuts have on the Territory.
This latest drop in the GST is another devastating blow to the budget and will put more pressure on important frontline services because the NT is heavily reliant on the GST compared with other states.
It is disappointing to see no funding in the forward estimates for Kakadu and money trickling slowly out for the Darwin Cities Deal this is a missed opportunity and the funding is needed now.
The roads commitments are also needed now and the budget papers have the majority of these new announcements not starting until after 2023-24 and with no certainty around the timing of their delivery.
The Territory Government will announce our plan to fix the NT budget later this month and the latest Federal Government GST cut has made that task much harder.
