Darwin Major Business Group

An independent voice on economic development in the Northern Territory.

Darwin Major Business Group (DMBG) brings together senior business leaders to contribute informed, constructive and long-term perspectives on the Territory’s economic future.

About DMGB

Darwin Major Business Group Ltd (DMBG) is an independent, member-based organisation established to provide a considered business perspective on the Northern Territory’s economic direction.


DMBG operates as a platform for collaboration, analysis and advocacy, with a focus on long-term economic outcomes for the Northern Territory.

Key Initiatives & Partnerships

AEC Economic Report

 Independent economic analysis of the Northern Territory

Facing North

National engagement on Northern Territory opportunity

Investment Summit 2025

Delivered in partnership with the Northern Territory Government

What We Do

Economic Analysis & Insight

DMBG supports evidence-based discussion through commissioned research and economic reporting on the Northern Territory.

Advocacy & Policy Engagement

We engage constructively with governments and decision-makers to inform policy settings that support sustainable economic growth.

Convening & Dialogue

DMBG fosters informed discussion on investment, workforce and development priorities involving business, government and the community.

Latest from DMBG

Building local business capability to support Beetaloo Development

October 10, 2026
The Beetaloo’s next chapter needs Territory businesses ready to participate. For DMBG, that puts the focus on what comes next, and how development can build lasting capability here in the Territory. Businesses need clear information about procurement opportunities, realistic timelines and supplier requirements. Training providers need visibility of emerging skills demand. Governments and industry need to plan housing, services and infrastructure alongside potential workforce growth. Early engagement with Traditional Owners and Aboriginal businesses is essential to shaping meaningful participation and shared benefits. DMBG members Beetaloo Energy Australia and Tamboran Resources have negotiated agreements with the relevant Traditional Owners and native title holders, with support from the Northern Land Council . These examples demonstrate the importance of recognising Traditional Owner rights and supporting their direct involvement in decisions about Country. Preparation also requires commercial discipline. Businesses need evidence of demand before committing to additional equipment, premises or employees. DMBG will continue advocating for the information, coordination and investment certainty that help Territory businesses make informed decisions at a time that is right for them. DMBG will launch the Beetaloo Development Outlook on 12 November. We commissioned Vantage North Group to assess the potential development outlook and help inform how the Territory can prepare and build lasting local benefits. Our measure of success is the lasting value created here: stronger local businesses, skilled employment and a more diverse Territory economy.

Sandover Highway upgrade to strengthen regional connectivity

October 10, 2026
Better roads help Territory businesses move goods, reach markets and keep communities supplied. Darwin Major Business Group welcomes the release of a tender to upgrade and seal another 12 kilometres of the Sandover Highway , a vital transport corridor for Central Australia and the Barkly. For pastoralists, freight operators and regional businesses, progressive sealing can improve safety and reliability and reduce the disruption that makes operating in remote areas more difficult and expensive. For communities, it supports access to healthcare, education and essential supplies. The proposed upgrade builds on separate flood restoration works, with a $12.95 million contract awarded in July to Tennant Creek business Remote Industries Australia . Repairing damaged roads and improving their long-term capability are both essential. DMBG supports sustained investment in the Territory’s strategic road network, alongside opportunities for local and Aboriginal businesses and workers to participate in delivery. Each upgrade contributes to a stronger network, supporting the industries operating today and the investment our regions need for tomorrow.

Preparing for Beetaloo means planning for people, jobs and infrastructure

October 7, 2026
Getting the Territory ready for Beetaloo means planning for people as well as production. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Rural’s report on a proposed village near Dunmarra for up to 3,000 workers highlights the scale of preparation that Beetaloo development could require. The proposal is at an early stage, with no planning or environmental applications lodged, according to ABC. Its merits will need to be assessed through the relevant processes, with meaningful engagement with existing communities. For Darwin Major Business Group , the broader question is how we plan housing, services, training and local procurement alongside industry development. Workforce accommodation is one part of that task. We also need pathways for Territorians into skilled jobs, opportunities for local businesses to supply major projects, and infrastructure that delivers lasting benefits for surrounding communities. Remote projects will draw on FIFO workers. Planning should also create opportunities for people to live, train and build careers in the Territory, while considering the pressures development could place on existing housing and services. These are central questions behind DMBG’s Beetaloo Development Outlook: what could development over the next ten years mean, and what must the Territory do to prepare? The time to coordinate that preparation is now.