Opinion Pieces & Commentary | Strong employment reinforces the case for policy certainty and investment confidence
Drawn from analysis by local economist Dave Malone
The latest employment data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) confirms that labour market conditions remain strong nationally and in the Northern Territory.
Across Australia:
- Unemployment sits at 4.1%
- Total employment rose to 14.68 million, up 0.4% on November and 1.1% over the year
- Hours worked increased to 2.001 billion, up 8 million hours month-on-month and 1% year-on-year.
This level of labour market strength reinforces a key message for policymakers: the economy continues to operate with underlying momentum. With inflation still outside the Reserve Bank of Australia target range, and employment demand remaining firm, the scope for stimulatory policy settings is narrowing.
From an industry and business perspective, this underscores the importance of policy certainty, disciplined fiscal settings and a clear pipeline of investable projects, particularly those that unlock private capital rather than crowd it out.
Northern Territory implications
In the NT, employment rose to 147,100, a 1.4% increase in a single month. Only Western Australia recorded stronger monthly growth.
Unemployment fell to 3.9%, reinforcing that labour demand remains robust despite broader cost pressures.
While the DMBG cautions against drawing firm conclusions from a single month of Territory data, given its volatility, this result is a positive signal following a relatively subdued employment year in 2025.
For the Territory, sustained employment growth will depend on:
- Continued investment certainty
- Timely delivery of enabling infrastructure
- Workforce settings that support business growth rather than constrain it
- Strong labour market outcomes are not accidental.
They are the product of confidence, capital deployment and policy settings that encourage businesses to invest, employ and expand.