DMBG backs policy certainty as critical to unlocking the NT's economic future

The Northern Territory cannot afford to send mixed signals to investors.

The Beetaloo Basin is a once-in-a-generation opportunity; one that has the potential to reshape the Territory’s economy, strengthen national energy security, and unlock billions in private investment.

That opportunity depends on one thing above all else: confidence.

That is why the Darwin Major Business Group supports the Hon Lia Finocchiaro MLA, Chief Minister of the NT's position on opposing a new gas export tax.

For a developing basin like Beetaloo, still competing globally for capital, policy instability is not a marginal issue, it is a determining factor.

Investment decisions are made over decades and capital flows to jurisdictions that are stable, predictable, and aligned in their policy intent. The NT must be that jurisdiction.

At the end of the day this is not about politics, it is about getting the fundamentals right:

• Backing private sector investment
• Enabling large-scale project development
• Creating long-term jobs and workforce pathways
• Delivering the infrastructure that underpins growth

DMBG has been clear - we need to get the Territory ready, and as we progress our national engagement program later this year, including targeted discussions in Canberra, these are the settings we will continue to advocate for:

• Policy certainty for emerging energy provinces
• Recognition of the NT’s unique economic context
• A coordinated national approach to unlocking northern Australia

The Territory has the opportunity and now we must ensure the settings match the ambition.