The Northern Territory 2026-26 Budget was handed down on 13 May 2025. Here are some highlights:
Cost of living support
For businesses:
- Up to $68,750 through the increased payroll tax-free threshold, as well as a payroll tax exemption for wages paid or payable to apprentices and trainees.
- Up to $12,000 grant to buy and install batteries and inverters under the Home and Business Battery Scheme.
- Around $2,900 for small and $27,000 for large businesses in 2025-26 in electricity subsidies through community service obligation funding to electricity retailers to maintain prices below cost of supply.
- Up to $2,500 to buy and install an electric vehicle charger.
- Up to $15,000 for security improvements under the Biz Secure program.
For individuals:
- Electricity subsidies through community service obligation funding to electricity retailers to maintain prices below cost of supply:
- $1,900 for families.
- $1,400 for senior Territorians and apprentices/trainees.
- $1,800 for a couple building their first home
- Up to $12,000 grant to buy and install batteries and inverters under the Home and Business Battery Scheme for families.
- Up to $1,000 to buy and install an electric vehicle (EV) charger, and up to $1,500 in EV stamp duty concessions on the registration of new and second hand battery EVs and plugin hybrid EVs for senior Territorians.
- Up to $50,000 to build a new home under the HomeGrown Territory grant.
- The FreshStart new home grant, which provides $30,000 to buy or build a new home. In an Australian first, this includes anyone who has previously owned or currently owns a home.
Growing the tourism industry
- The Territory Government is investing in the tourism sector with funding of $88.4 million in 2025-26 to accelerate tourism growth in the Territory to drive greater interstate and international visitation, economic activity and investment.
- The 2025 Budget includes new funding of $8 million per annum from 2025-26 to provide an ongoing sustainable budget for tourism.
- The 2025 Budget also includes a $3 million boost to military tourism with an updated Military Heritage Tourism Action Plan. The first stage is the new $1 million Military History Tourism Grant program to help tourism operators develop new military heritage tourism products, expand existing offerings, and enhance visitor experiences.
- In addition, government extended the Territory tourism discount scheme and continued the Visitor Experience Enhancement Program.
Building a bigger, better workforce
- The 2025 Budget includes $120 million for training and higher education to ensure the skill requirements of the Territory economy are met through responsive training and higher education sectors that are aligned to the needs of Territorians and Territory employers.
- Further, the 2025 Budget includes additional funding of $2 million per annum in 2025-26 and 2026-27 to attract workers and students to grow the Territory’s population and address workforce shortages.
Budget papers can be found here.