Media Release from Leader of the Opposition Lia Finocchiaro:
The Chief Minister, Eva Lawler, in Estimates today, continued to show how out of touch she is on the state of the Territory economy.
Under questioning in Estimates, Eva Lawler, also the Treasurer, said, “I absolutely take 100% responsibility for the economy and the economy in the Northern Territory is in a good position.” (Estimates 11 June 2024)
This is in stark contrast to the lived experience of Territorians.
COMMSEC has marked the Territory as the worst performing economy in the nation for the past 5 1/2 years.
The Australian Bureau of Statics (ABS) State Final Demand data is down by 7.9% in the March 2024 quarter, compared to the previous quarter. ABS figures also show retail sales have flat lined at the start of the peak tourism season.
And the Master Builders says we are on track to have the worst year for home building since records began.
Business owners are telling us that trade is down in recent months on top of the impact of crime, but Eva Lawler refused on multiple occasions to answer what the cost of crime was having on the Territory.
Crime is spiralling out of control and the government has failed to act. Territorians know they cannot trust Labor to manage the Territory economy.
The CLP team will take the tough decisions to again make the Territory safe and a great place to live and work. The CLP has a plan to rebuild the Territory. We will spend your money wisely, ease the cost of living, make it easier to buy a house and cut the cost of doing business.
The Territory cannot keep doing the same thing and expect a different outcome.
Only the CLP has a plan to grow our economy and make Territorians safe.
By rebuilding the Territory's reputation as a safe place to live, work and invest, we will create jobs and opportunities.
