NT opposition delivers 2024 budget reply, promising first homebuyer grants and payroll tax changes

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The Northern Territory's Opposition Leader, Lia Finocchiaro, has outlined her vision for the upcoming Territory election in August, focusing on making home ownership more accessible and strengthening economic ties with Asia. In her budget reply speech to parliament, Finocchiaro also promised enhanced tax incentives to encourage business investment in the Territory. Her proposals come amid mixed reactions to the recent territory budget and growing concerns regarding the future of the NT's health system.

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00:00She calls it her road map to rebuilding the territory, but Lea Finocchiaro will be hoping

00:06the CLP's budget plans are also her path to power.

00:10A CLP government will have your back, not hold you back.

00:14Because the territory we know and love is worth fighting for.

00:19The opposition leader giving her budget reply, taking up the fight on housing.

00:24Announced this morning, a CLP government would allocate $20 million to a home-grown territory

00:29program promising grants of $50,000 for first home buyers building a new home, or $10,000

00:37if they purchase an existing property.

00:39And in what Ms. Finocchiaro says is an Australian first, interstate arrivals who build a new

00:44home in the territory will receive $30,000.

00:48We have to do everything we can to keep people here, to help get our economy moving forwards

00:54again.

00:55The CLP also wants to increase the number of businesses exempt from payroll tax, do

01:00more to entice international skilled migration, and reintroduce an Asian relations and trade

01:06minister to foster more economic ties to our north.

01:10A lack of ongoing focus on the region by Labor governments has meant a loss of these important

01:15ties.

01:16It comes as stakeholders react to Eva Lawler's second budget as Treasurer, and her last before

01:22the election.

01:23It's disappointing to not see any additional measures for housing and homelessness in the

01:27Northern Territory Budget.

01:28There is a mountain that needs to be done.

01:32The debt continues to increase and it's getting pushed further out into the forecast period,

01:38so it's a substantial cost to the territory over time.

01:41There is much better ways to spend our money than investing in more police and prisons.

01:46We know that 74% of people released from prisons end up re-offending.

01:50They do not make our communities safer, investing in our social services does.

01:55There's also support for NT Health Management, after the Chief Minister's stern words over

01:59a budget blowout.

02:00I don't think any CEO at the moment would be able to rein in spending in a department

02:05that's constantly beset by crises, by code yellows, by incredibly high activity levels.

02:11A difficult juggling act for whichever party wins the election.

02:20For more UN videos visit www.un.org

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