The Northern Territory Government’s 2025–26 Budget has placed a strong focus on sectors where the Territory holds clear long-term advantages, including energy, defence, agriculture, mining, and tourism.
A record $4.34 billion infrastructure program is at the centre of the growth strategy, including over $2 billion for roads, aerodromes, and jetties.
Major projects include:
- $289 million for Tanami Road upgrades
- $205.4 million for Central Arnhem Road
- $223.1 million for national highway upgrades
- $181.3 million for gas industry road support
- $66.2 million for Kakadu National Park roads, boosting tourism access
The Territory’s domestic economy is growing solidly in 2024-25, driven by strong public investment spending and construction of the Barossa project, with state final demand expected to grow by 4%.
Core industries continue to perform strongly, with mining and manufacturing contributing 27% of Gross State Product, and agriculture rising 9.9% to $1.4 billion, helped by live cattle exports and a new cotton gin near Katherine.
Defence also remains a major contributor, injecting $3.1 billion into the economy last year.
By aligning infrastructure delivery with targeted sector support, the NT Government aims to fuel sustainable, economic resilience and prosperity.