Business bulletin: 27 January 2022

It’s a familiar check before you leave home - wallet, keys and phone, mask and proof of vaccination, to ensure a safe experience at some Territory venues.

Licensed venues, cinemas and restaurants say most of their customers have been pretty good about the new Vaccine Pass changes.

Bellamack Fresh Point Co Café and Dessert Bar owner Jazz Walia says businesses and their customers are all in this together.

“Our regular customers are very kind and they are also helping our business through this process of new rules. A lot of people are not aware about rules and we are trying to help them with the process too.”

The manager of the Gove Boat Club, Sarah Randall has been helping guide customers through the new system.

“I just explain ‘before I can serve you I need to see it … or you can’t remain on the premises’,” she said.

“We check at the bar and at the restaurant and most people are already getting used to it, they have the app up ready to show it when ordering. Regulars over the weekend aren’t complaining, they just have their phone up with the app open and ready to check.”

The Katherine Club’s manager Alison Vincent said they’ve been grateful for patron’s patience.

“The staff at reception that are just trying to do their job as best as they can and get everyone checked in, signed in and Vaccine Pass checked,” she said.

“The majority of our patrons, keep doing what you have been doing.”

It’s the same just around the corner at the Katherine Cinema. The staff are encouraging theatregoers to remain understanding, and Ethan Grahek said most people have been accepting of the changes.

“We have adopted the mandate and all staff our up-to-date with the vaccination rules.”

Hospitality NT’s CEO Alex Bruce said it’s important for the public to support local businesses following the Northern Territory Government safety measures.

“Please don’t take your frustrations out on staff who ask for your vaccination status - they don’t make the rules but must follow the law.”

The rules include ensuring customers check in and wear a mask upon entering and leaving each venue (it can be removed once seated if eating or drinking or 1.5m away from others outdoors) and having your COVID-19 vaccination certificate handy when asked by staff.

Construction on the Territory’s largest fuel storage facility in Darwin has commenced.

The facility, located at East Arm Land Development Corporation Bulk Liquids Area, will hold up to 3,000 million litres of fuel.

The $270 million project will play a pivotal role in servicing United States’ (US) defense operations in the region, with the infrastructure used for the transfer, management and storage of military specification jet fuels.

In September, the US Government awarded the tender to provide fuel storage and management services in support of the US military to Crowley, a US based company with global energy and logistics services.

In December, the Land Development Corporation and Crowley Australia Pty Ltd reached an agreement on the land and signed a long term lease.

Crowley Australia Pty Ltd, the Australian-based Crowley subsidiary, will manage the development and subsequent ongoing operations.

Crowley Solutions’ Vice President, Sean Thomas said, “we are excited to see work on the fuel storage facility in Darwin begin. We appreciate the dedication of our team and collaboration from all stakeholders including the NT Government.”

“These collective efforts will allow Crowley to provide important fuel storage and management services to the US military, as well as strengthen our growing presence within Australia and the Northern Territory.”

Saunders International has been awarded $140 million contract by Crowley for the design and construction of the 11 jet fuel tanks for the facility.

Initial works being carried out include early clearing of the site and developing vehicle access ahead of construction beginning. This follows approval from the NT Environmental Protection Authority and a development permit for construction.

The project will create around 400 jobs during construction and support an additional 20 employees once the facility is operational late next year.

The Major Community Benefit Fund (CBF) grant round is now open to assist Territory not-for-profits kick start new community projects in 2022.

The CBF grants are a great way for not-for-profit groups to increase their capacity and service delivery, undertake upgrades to their facilities and deliver community events.

In 2020-2021, the Northern Territory (NT) Government awarded $6.7 million in Major Community Grants to 59 community organisations.

Recipients include the Alice Springs Netball Association who received a $250,000 grant to upgrade their netball courts.

The Rotary Club of Nhulunbuy received a $30,000 grant to replace the community hall roof.

While Reeling Veterans Incorporated received a $75,000 grant to deliver their Hooked on Recovery program.

The current round of CBF grants include:

• Major Community Grants: funding of up to $250,000 is available to provide services, leisure activities and opportunities to Territorians.
• Community Event Grants: funding of up to $250,000 is available to conduct major community events for the benefits of Territorians.
• Vehicle Gifts: ex-government vehicles gifted to organisations to assist with their service delivery.

The CBF receives money from levies imposed on the operation of electronic gaming machines in licensed hotels and casinos throughout the NT.

Applications close on 28 February 2021.

Apply today, go to the Northern Territory Government website or phone the Community Benefit Fund on 1300 650 153.

Registrations for the Territory’s premier exploration event, the Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar (AGES) are now open.

Resource company executives, geologists and businesses with an interest in mineral and energy exploration and development in the Territory are urged to sign up AGES, which is being held in Alice Springs.

AGES provides a unique opportunity to access the latest in fresh exploration ideas and geoscientific data from the Territory, and to network with colleagues.

AGES attendees can expect to learn more from the Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS) team, their research partners and the exploration industry on topics including:

• technical updates on successful exploration programs and new discoveries from across the Territory for gold, base metals, battery commodities, industrial sand and shale gas
• gold exploration updates from the Pine Creek area
• recent results of shale gas and liquids exploration in the Beetaloo Sub-basin
• updates on exploration for sediment-hosted copper in the Territory
• new data releases and exploration concepts from major Geoscience Australia - NTGS collaborative geoscience programs.

The event is also part of a broader plan to attract and support investment in the region, in keeping with the Territory Economic Reconstruction Commission’s recommendations, which identified mineral exploration as a priority industry.

AGES is held in conjunction with the Mining Services Expo, which showcases Territory businesses and their capabilities to support exploration and mining ventures.

Attendees at the AGES and the Mining Services Expo can discover what exploration and investment opportunities exist in the resources sector in the Northern Territory.

For more information and to register, go to the Resourcing the Territory website.

Aboriginal tourism businesses can now access grant funding to implement booking systems to make it easier for tourist to plan their Territory holiday.

The Book Now for Aboriginal Tourism Business Grant Program 2022 forms part of the Northern Territory Aboriginal tourism strategy 2020-2030 vision of positioning the Territory’s Aboriginal tourism sector as the best in the nation.

Eligible businesses must be Aboriginal owned and can use funding to complete projects including:

• implement a recognised booking system such as Room Manager, Rezdy, Newbook or RMS
• implement a turnkey website featuring a booking system up to an 12 months of turnkey website fees
• contribution toward initial setup costs and booking systems fees
• contribution towards training of new booking systems
• contribution towards data entry of existing booking systems.

Tourism NT will facilitate training workshops and connect operators with online travel agents and trade partners to boost this initiative.

The Book Now for Aboriginal Tourism Grants Program 2022 closes at 4pm on Wednesday 18 May 2022.

For more information, go to the Tourism NT website.

You still have time to have your say on the development of the Northern Territory (NT) strategic water plan.

We can’t always rely on rain from a good wet season, so we need to make sure we manage our water wisely.

Let us know how you think water can be best managed by having your say on the NT strategic water plan - directions paper.

The survey closes on Friday 4 February 2022.

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