Business bulletin: 11 November 2021

Katherine businesses impacted by the recent lockdown can access support via the Territory Business Lockdown Payment Program.

An immediate one-off payment of $1,000 is available to businesses who had to cease trading or have suffered a revenue loss of 50%.

Eligible small businesses are those who are actively trading with a turnover of $75,000 to $10 million and have less than 20 full-time equivalent staff.

The payment is designed to help cover ongoing costs.

For more information or to access the payments, go to businessrecovery.nt.gov.au.

Applications close at 5pm on Friday 19 November 2021.

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The Territory Government has established a Mineral Development Taskforce to drive the resource sector forward and unlock new investment.

The taskforce will investigate and identify strategies to activate and secure ongoing private capital in mineral projects, including value-add downstream manufacturing processes.

It will have a critical role to play in devising innovative approaches and options to accelerate private investment which historically has been, and continues to pose a significant challenge and barrier to realisation of the mineral opportunities.

The taskforce will identify new opportunities, recommend options to win more private sector investment and accelerate the process of turning prospective mines into operational mines.

The taskforce will include 10 members and comprises of government, industry and private sector experts and will chaired by the chief executive officer of the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade.

Members of the Territory Minerals Development Taskforce include:

• Mr Shaun Drabsch, Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade (chair)
• Mr Paul Trotman, Head of the Resources Division at the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, Western Australia
• Dr Phil Gorey, Deputy Director General, Resource and Environmental Regulation, Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety
• Ms Tania Constable PSM, Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Council of Australia
• Dr Sharna Glover, Co-Founder and CEO of Imvelo.ai
• Mr Tom Seymour, Chief Executive Officer of PricewaterhouseCoopers
• Mr Joe Martin-Jard, Chief Executive Officer, Northern Land Council
• Mr Bryan Quinn, former BHP President
• Mr John Braham, Independent Director, Castile Resources Ltd, and
• Mr David Carland, Company Director and Co-founder of BurnVoir Partners.

Currently, the mining sector employs more than 4,400 people directly and the total value of mineral production in the Northern Territory is $4.3 billion. Establishing new mines will create local jobs for Territorians and significantly boost the economy.

Chair of the Minerals Development Taskforce, Shaun Drabsch said “the establishment of a Mineral Development Taskforce provides clear signal to investors that the Territory Government is serious about unlocking doors and ensuring we remain competitive in our approach to attracting and supporting exploration and mining investment.

“The Territory Government recognises that we need to increase the competitiveness of our mining industry, including through public policy settings and we are focused on doing this in a responsible manner.”

Territory vocational student, Ella Adami, has taken home silver for beauty therapy at the WorldSkills national championship.

WorldSkills Australia is the largest vocational education and skills competition in Australia. The event is designed to build a skills culture within Australia while celebrating excellence in vocational education and training.

Winners from state and Territory competitions go on to compete at the national event which, due to travel restrictions, was held in various home state locations this year.

Last month, Ella proudly represented the Territory in the beauty therapy category demonstrating her skills across a range of beauty treatments and best practice in client care. Ella’s dedication to training and excellence in beauty therapy was awarded with an Australian WorldSkills silver medal.

Ella, who is also a 2021 NT Training Awards finalist, actively took up the opportunity to study a Certificate III in Beauty Services while still in high school. She has since gone on to complete a Diploma of Beauty and is working full-time at a beauty salon in Alice Springs.

Over 240 Australian trainees, apprentices and students compete across 55 different skill categories. Winners of selected categories will join Team Australia as the ‘Skillaroos’ and head to Shanghai, China in October 2022 to compete in the 46^th Worldskills International competition.

To find out more about vocation education and training in the territory, go to the Skilling Territorian website.

The directions paper has been developed to provide Territorians and key stakeholders with an opportunity to have their say on the development of the Northern Territory strategic water plan. The plan will set the agenda on water management through to 2050 and address water security in the Territory. The plan will be based on evidence, good regulatory practice, and community values and aspirations.

The paper sets out 10 proposed directions for water security in the Territory including water governance, safe drinking water, efficient and productive use and ensuring water-dependent environmental values are protected.

All Territorians are invited to have their say on the directions and pathways proposed in the paper.

The survey is open until Friday 4 February 2022.

For more information and to have your say, go to the Have Your Say website.