$2m for remote NT health clinic repairs

The NT government has announced a $2 million repairs package for remote health clinics as part of $22 million in economic infrastructure stimulus.

The Northern Territory government has unveiled a $2 million repairs package for remote health clinics as part of a $22 million infrastructure stimulus initiative to prop up the struggling construction sector.

Treasurer Nicole Manison says it will boost local jobs and deliver important upgrades to facilities for patients and practitioners in indigenous communities.

It comes after the government on Tuesday announced the steel industry would get a $5 million injection for projects including bus and shade shelters.

This week Labor also pledged $5 million for upgrades to aged urban public housing stock.

And the final $10 million will go towards community and not-for-profit groups grants of up to $100,000 for maintenance.

The packages are designed to support local tradies until bigger fast-tracked infrastructure projects ramp up in the second half of 2017.

Ms Manison says the economy only grew by 2.7 per cent last financial year while private investment declined by 32.6 per cent.

"It is clear we have begun to experience a transition from a period of high growth driven by recent record levels of private investment associated with the mining investment boom," she said.

"We have challenging times ahead, but we are on track to surplus by 2019-20."

The Territory's mid-year economic report puts the forecast deficit for this financial year at $875 million, more than $80 million higher than the figure predicted in the former Country Liberals government's May budget.

Labor's election commitments will cost nearly $24 million this financial year and will rise to more than $77 million in 2019/20.


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Source: AAP



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