Delivered by Treasurer Eva Lawler on 9 May, the Northern Territory 2023-24 budget includes infrastructure payments estimated at $2.11 billion, a record infrastructure budget within a $4.1 billion Infrastructure Program.

Housing

The budget allocates $842.6 million to new builds and refurbishments. The Infrastructure Program includes $601 million of Territory and Commonwealth funding to develop remote housing including the $296 million Remote Housing Investment Package through HomeBuild NT and Room to Breathe.

Flexible accommodation infrastructure will be funded with $19.7 million directed to Tennant Creek and Darwin, and the Shiers Street complex will be upgraded with $14 million. Development of new and upgraded teacher and urban public housing has been allocated $16 million.

Investment in residential land releases is included across the Territory with funding for Kilgariff Estate of $20.6 million, consisting of 87 residential lots. Additionally, the budget includes $5million for headworks on Chittock Crescent Stage 3, providing land for residential subdivision to support population growth in Tennant Creek.

Bringing Land to Market: An Independent Review of the Land Development Processes, Land Under Development and Titled Land report

Improving land development processes, the government will be implementing recommendations from the report, which is predicted to inform private sector residential dwelling construction and commercial development.

Sources: Budget Speech, Budget Infrastructure Program, Budget and Regional Overview, Budget Industry Outlook, Grant Thornton: NT Budget delivers record infrastructure spend

Defence & Maritime

Across the Territory ongoing works in the defence sector will total approximately $1 billion. Projects at the RAAF Base Tindal include runway extensions, development of fuel storage, training areas, redevelopment of Larrakeyah Barracks, and HMAS Coonawarra facility upgrade.

Funding of $515 million, complementing Commonwealth investment, will be directed to the Darwin Ship Lift facility at East Arm, a maritime industry hub and common use facility. Continued major works indicate a strong pipeline of defence sector projects.

Sources: Budget Industry Outlook, Ship Lift, Budget and Regional Overview

Health

The Infrastructure program commits $228.9 million of the budget to upgrading hospitals and delivering new health facilities. Extensive works at Royal Darwin Hospital include a $46 million upgrade of the mental health unit, a new $25 million multipurpose modular facility, $23 million upgrades to the forensic mortuary, pathology and bereavement facility and $7 million towards clinical space. Other major projects include $37.3 million to upgrade central sterilisation services across Territory hospitals, a new ambulatory care unit and hybrid operating theatre funded with $30 million at Alice Springs Hospital.

Sources: Budget Infrastructure Program, Budget and Regional Overview

Community

The Northern Territory Art Gallery construction is allocated $88.3 million in the budget. Construction of the National Aboriginal Art Gallery received $64.5 million investment and $14.5 million is directed to extensions across Arnhem Land, Katherine and Tennant Creek to develop an Arts Trail. Recreational fishing infrastructure will be improved with $22 million, and additional refurbishment of remote service delivery hubs will utilise $11.3 million from the budget.

Sources: Budget Infrastructure Program

Mixed Use

The Civic and State Square redevelopment project in Darwin, encapsulating Liberty Square received $44.1 million while the Alice Springs continued revitalisation is allocated $7.4 million and the Grove Port Tourism Precinct $8 million.

Infrastructure upgrades in Kakadu and Jabiru have been allocated $67.9 million to aid transition from a mining to a tourism and regional services hub. Additional projects include headworks and subdivision to establish Katherine Logistics and Agribusiness with $31.5 million from the budget, laboratory upgrades at Berrimah Farm with $17.8 million allocated, and detailed design and preliminary progressing Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct with $13 million. Ongoing and new headworks and subdivisions in Alice Springs, Berrimah North, Kalkarindji and Tennant Creek will receive $48.8 million indicating future development.

Sources: Budget Infrastructure Program, ABC: Northern Territory budget 2023 Winners and Losers

Justice

The budget has allocated $61 million to construction and redevelopment of youth justice centres in Darwin and Alice Springs, $19 million to a multipurpose police complex in Peppimenarti and $15 million to modular accommodation at Alice Springs Correctional Centre.

Sources: Budget Infrastructure Program, ABC: Northern Territory budget 2023 Winners and Losers

Education

The infrastructure program allocates $45 million to upgrade schools and facilities. Other education projects include a new STEAM centre at Katherine High school with $9.7 million from the budget and new preschool facilities at Parap Primary School. Investment of $7 million will relocate the Northern Territory Library to the new Charles Darwin University campus.

Sources: Budget Infrastructure Program, Budget and Regional Overview