1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: And we know that territory businesses are being provided with 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:06,160 Speaker 1: a number of opportunities to help build their businesses by 3 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:09,320 Speaker 1: attracting more workers. It is part of the Northern Territory 4 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 1: government's twelve point eight million dollar workforce boost package. It 5 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 1: is hope that a global workforce campaign and grants for 6 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:21,080 Speaker 1: business solutions will help to attract skilled workers. Now joining 7 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 1: me on the line for a very quick chat this 8 00:00:23,239 --> 00:00:26,159 Speaker 1: morning is Paul Kirby, who is indeed the Minister for 9 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 1: Business and various other portfolios. Good morning to Paul Kirby. 10 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:31,840 Speaker 2: How are you going, Katie? 11 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 1: Very well? Now, how are efforts going in attracting workers 12 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: to the territory. 13 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:40,559 Speaker 2: Yeah, we know the territory is running pretty high at 14 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:42,320 Speaker 2: the moment. You only have to look around town and 15 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 2: up and down attract There's a lot of people around 16 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 2: and you know, businesses have said for quite some time 17 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 2: that attracting workers is going to be one of their 18 00:00:49,840 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 2: main issues. So we put together that twelve point eight 19 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 2: million dollar package quite some while time ago. Even work 20 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:58,880 Speaker 2: stay playing things like that that we ran last year 21 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 2: that attracted eight hundred workers to the territory to help out. 22 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:07,119 Speaker 2: But this is a broader package and an attraction campaign 23 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 2: that will run in the state and globally to make 24 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:12,120 Speaker 2: sure that people are aware of what's going on in 25 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 2: the territory, what opportunities there are in the territorial. Obviously, 26 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 2: always train as many territories as we can and get 27 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 2: them into those roles. But to reach in the state 28 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 2: and overseas and assist people with that advertising, and to 29 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 2: do that online and however they need to do it, 30 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:31,120 Speaker 2: we're more than happy to help with all of that. Yeah, 31 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 2: the territories going game buses. We want to get as 32 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 2: many works as here as we can. 33 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: Oh absolutely, And I think that is the thing at 34 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 1: the moment that we're saying, aren't we That there does 35 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: seem to be a shortage of staff across a lot 36 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:43,479 Speaker 1: of different sectors. But as you said, they're around eight 37 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 1: hundred have been employed under other Northern Territory government initiatives. 38 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: Is that correct? 39 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 2: Yes, certainly that was the workstay play we kicked off 40 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 2: last year and their initiatives that people don't hear in 41 00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 2: the general public too much. We're working really closely with 42 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 2: their industry industry bodies and with our peak bodies. But 43 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 2: because most of this advertising goes on in the state. 44 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 2: I think it's just important that the general public understand. 45 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,919 Speaker 2: They'll hear about these worker shortages. They know that it's 46 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 2: a problem here, it's also a problem in the state 47 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:16,960 Speaker 2: and overseas, but that we are doing things about it 48 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 2: and networking on workforce funds and things like that, and 49 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 2: attraction opportunities is something that we're putting a lot of 50 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 2: time and effort and finding into. 51 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 1: And so with this campaign that we're talking about today, 52 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:33,639 Speaker 1: is there any sort of additional funding or additional grants 53 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 1: that can be obtained in an effort to try and 54 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 1: get people here. Is it more about just trying to 55 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:41,799 Speaker 1: sell ourselves through the marketing. 56 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 2: Combination of all that, Katie, so doubling down in areas 57 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:50,640 Speaker 2: where we do have good tourism markets in the state 58 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:54,320 Speaker 2: and overseas to make sure that people that are already 59 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 2: aware of the territory know what the opportunities are here. 60 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 2: But also we've put together a three million dollar package 61 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 2: of grants up to two hundred thousand dollars either for 62 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:07,519 Speaker 2: a peak body like the Chamber of Commerce or somebody 63 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:12,240 Speaker 2: else that puts together an attraction opportunity for people and 64 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:15,640 Speaker 2: if it involves more training or visa applications or whatever 65 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 2: it might be to help step through those necessities and 66 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:21,679 Speaker 2: get as many people here as we can. Or it 67 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:24,679 Speaker 2: might be an individual business that's got an idea. I 68 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:26,959 Speaker 2: guess what I would say to your listeners is you've 69 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:29,360 Speaker 2: got any ideas about things that you want to do, 70 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:32,080 Speaker 2: just come forward, reach out to a small business champion, 71 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 2: or to our office or to the department, and will 72 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 2: certainly get in touch and help you out. 73 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 1: Minister, I know that you're very pressed for time. Just 74 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:43,320 Speaker 1: a very quick one. Where are they all going to live? 75 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 2: Where are they all going to live? Yeah, certainly we 76 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 2: know that housing is an issue, and it's something that 77 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:52,840 Speaker 2: we will continue to work closely with the industry players 78 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 2: that build those houses. We're obviously doing a range of 79 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:58,119 Speaker 2: work in a public checktor spaces and getting as many 80 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:01,160 Speaker 2: of those houses cleaned up and back on the market 81 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 2: as we possibly can. But yeah, certainly something that will 82 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 2: continue to work pretty hard on. And it was interesting 83 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 2: that on the national hookups that I have and when 84 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 2: we're talking about skills and training, we've been the no 85 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 2: kind of the federal Minister and I am going down 86 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 2: to the job Summit in a few weeks time. But 87 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:20,800 Speaker 2: the Queensland people said, yep, we're in the same position 88 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 2: that we've got all attract workers and we haven't got 89 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 2: enough space for them to live. So it's a problem 90 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:25,919 Speaker 2: right around in the nation at the moment. 91 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 1: What about Howard Springs Can we utilize it? 92 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't know. It's something that has been kicked 93 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 2: around before. We know that it was off the table 94 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 2: for a long time with COVID. Now that we know 95 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 2: that it's going to be back on the table, whether 96 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:41,920 Speaker 2: that's an opportunity or something that we might be able 97 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:43,840 Speaker 2: to take up for short term accommodation, there are all 98 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 2: sorts of ideas that will continue to talk about and 99 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:48,599 Speaker 2: see what we can put in the mix with industry 100 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:50,840 Speaker 2: to get as many people here as we can. We'll 101 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 2: do some over these trips in the team or in 102 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:55,440 Speaker 2: Indonesia and make sure that always workers from there know 103 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 2: what opportunities are available here as well. 104 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 1: Well. Paul Kirby, we know that you are very pressed 105 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 1: for time this morning. We appreciate you having a very 106 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 1: quick chat with us. Thanks so much. 107 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:07,280 Speaker 2: I appreciate your time. Thanks, thank you.