Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now, the COLP yesterday announced tax cuts for small businesses
as part of a major election pitch ahead of Territorians
heading to the polls in August. So, if elected, the
COLP is going to raise the payroll tax free threshold
for the first time in thirteen years, from the current
rate of one point five million dollars to two point
(00:22):
five million dollars, and apprentice and trainee wages are also
going to be exempt from payroll tax as part of
the new two point five million dollar threshold. The COLP
say that the changes are going to save small businesses
thousands of dollars while encouraging them to invest in the
territory and invest in apprentices and trainees. Now, the colp's
(00:44):
Shadow Minister for Business, Jobs and Training, Maurray Claire Boothby,
joins me in the studio. Good morning to you, Murray Claire.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Good morning Katie and to your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Now, can you talk me through how this payroll tax
free threshold is going to work?
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Sure then, Katie, and it's a very starting announcement for
the territory. We know that our businesses in particular are
small businesses. You know, they want to grow and thrive,
but they have been suffering and struggling for a long time,
especially when you add crime and cost of living. In fact,
we've seen many businesses closed down. So, you know, the
fact that we've been able to bring forward this payroll
(01:19):
tax reform, which can be implemented immediately, will make a
huge difference to those small and medium businesses. So at
the moment that tax, that payroll tax free threshold is
one point five million dollars, meaning as soon as you
start to hit that, and many businesses are at that point,
whether they're fifteen to twenty sometimes twenty five stuff, depending
on their wages, and that it just sea's a tax slug.
(01:40):
It's a tax on jobs and growth for those businesses.
So we're going to increase that to two point five
million dollars, which gives them so much more breathing space.
It means that they can put on new staff, they
can use that saving to invest into equipment and plant.
You know, given more capacity, if they're tendering for jobs
things like that, they might want to pass on those
(02:01):
savings to customers. And importantly, like you said, having the
apprentices and traineeships carved out of being ever included into
that threshold, it means that businesses can employ local apprentices
and trainees and they can start to grow our skills
here in the territory, which we know we really struggle
with as well.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
And I'll talk more about the apprentices and trainees in
just a moment, But do we know how many small
businesses are registered in the Northern Territory that could potentially
benefit from this?
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Yeah, the ABS number is about fourteen thousand businesses, but
that includes everybody like Saber Soul Trader as well.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
But what our.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Policy focuses on is the small to medium businesses sort
of within that payroll amount, and that's thirteen hundred businesses
at a minimum that we know are in that range
that will immediately have that payroll tax relief if you like,
it's going to be gone forever for them. And like
I said, that means that they can invest back into
(03:01):
their business and that plan of action, like it goes
further than just being able to give those businesses that
leg up and being able to reinvest in people. It
also means that if our economy is doing well. When
our economy is doing well, so to small businesses. And
of course we need us milk more businesses to be
doing well to have a growing economy. And we know
that there are ninety five percent of business in the
(03:23):
territory which are those small and meeting and businesses. So
this is a huge weight of their shoulders when they're
doing their planning, when they're looking at their own budgets
and looking at those Excel spreadsheets and deciding how they're
going to pay the bills. Wages for most small to
medium businesses makes up about fifty percent of operational cost,
which is huge.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Well, and look, it seems as though it's a good
announcement on the face of it, we know that this
is only if the COLP gets elected come August. It's
an election pitch. But the big question, I think probably
as well that a lot of people are going to
want to know the answer to is how much is
this going to cost? Because we already know the Northern
Territory budget. Well, we're you know, we're well in debt.
(04:04):
So how much is this going to cost the territory taxpayer?
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Yeah, Katie, we've costed this out to be forty three
million dollars.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
It's a lot of money.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Look, it is a lot of money, but it's an
investment into the territory. If our small businesses are growing,
which we need them to, then that means that everybody
can be prosperous when our economy is growing as well.
So we will of course put forward all of those
budget commitments costings to Treasury, just like we always have
to do prior to an election, and Labor will have
(04:32):
to do the same thing with all their major announcements
that they've been announcing as well. And this is a
normal transparent process that we go through. But what we
do know is if we want to have a strong economy,
then we need to be investing in our businesses because
that is where the biggest bang for buck can come.
You know, when we're talking ninety five percent of business
being done the territory, who obviously employ many of our territorians,
(04:54):
you know, anyone from young kids in a side hustle
after school or our parents who are nearing retirement, like
we are talking so many territorians that this will benefit
because those small businesses will be able to have that
leeway to be able to grow and employ more people.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Tell me a little bit more about these changes for
trainees and apprentices. What is this going to mean for
a business if they decide to take on a trainee
or an apprentice.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
We really wanted to look at the skill shortages that
we have in the territory and I make it the
most attractive place for a business to be here as
a starting point in terms of the moving here from
somewhere else or starting out altogether. And Katy, I should
say this will make us the most attractive jurisdiction in
the nation. We will have the highest payroll tax three
(05:43):
tax free threshold in the nation, which is exactly where
we need to be because we need to grow our
economy and instead of being last like we have been
for several years. But what it means for businesses who
can put on those apprentices and traineeships is that instead
of having to worry about growing and having to be
lugged with extra taxes and it's already really tricky and
hard and challenging to run a business, they don't have
(06:05):
to worry about having to include them in that payment
and the calculation. They can literally have an open slother
to be able to be encouraged to put on apprentice apprentices,
put on trainees, and to use that to be able
to get our territorians out there working, learning skills, using
those skills to go off and do other places. I mean, Katie,
we were out at Dream Media yesterday with Chris O'Brien,
(06:29):
the owner there, and he shared with us that the
people that he employees who are locals out of the
schools here in the Northern Territory, they're the ones that
stay with him and he's had them stay for you know,
seven to ten years, loyal, incredible employees for him, really
adding value to his business. And then they have gone off,
some of them have gone off and done things like
(06:50):
right around the world in that space that he works in,
and I think that's just a wonderful success story for
business and the territory.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Well, look, we are going to catch up with the
we see Chamber of Commerce in a few minutes time
as well to get their take on the announcement that's
been made by the COLP yesterday part of an election
pitch as we head to August. I do just want
to ask you about as well. We know that the
federal government have just this morning released a medium and
long term strategy establishing the role that gas is going
(07:18):
to play in the transition to net zero by twenty fifty.
Now it means securing affordable gas for Australia as we
move to a more renewable grid. I think that we
all a lot of people of the understanding that we
do need to you know, we need to get to renewables.
But to get there, gas has got a part to play.
And Australia is committed they say, to supporting global emissions
(07:40):
reductions to reduce the impacts of climate change and we'll
reach that net zero emissions by twenty fifty. But in
the meantime the Federal government saying gas must remain affordable
for Australian users throughout the transition to net zero. Now
what that means for us here in the Northern Territory,
I think is that our gas is absolutely wide we
(08:01):
all can we all know the situation with the beatleoo
at the moment. I mean, what do you make of
this strategy and how important do you think the gas
industry is for the whole of Australia but particularly here
in the NT.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Yeah. I think the fact that the federal government is
now looking at this to ensure that we obviously want
to get to as a stage where it's it's environmentally friendly,
but also that we can keep the lights on, and
the territory does have, you know, the most incredible opportunity
in the Beaterloo to be able to deliver lower cost
(08:35):
energy for not only Territorians, but right across the nation.
And I think the colp is always, always, always been
pro gas and it's it's a huge strength of the
Northern Territory. It's a natural strength. And you know, we've
been fighting really hard for this. You know, we don't
listen to you know, activists from the Eastern seaboard about
our gas here in the territory because we know that
(08:57):
we need to be able to have that energy. So
we want to be able to deliver it to the
rest of the nation because it's a game changer for
the Northern Territory. Sadly, it has taken a very long time.
We had the moratorium, which obviously has put the territory
backwards by so much. When the opportunity cost is monumental,
you can't even put a measure on it.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
I mean, part of this proposal, part of the key
proposal is Well in the Future strategy being released today
urges the government to consider tough use it or lose
its powers that would compel energy giants to more swiftly
develop gas assets or risk losing their title holdings. I mean,
do you think that that's going to mean we're going
(09:36):
to see that movement in the Beadloo faster?
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Well, I think any kind of areas in which we
can move things faster is a good thing. I guess
the challenge for the territory is at the moment, we
have a government that is quite slow on moving on
most things, to be honest. So you know, we want
to be able to get that gas out of the ground.
We want to be able to you know, obviously get
it out to the eastern seaboards that we can benefit.
(10:01):
And so I think, yeah, this is going to be
a really interesting space to see what the federal government
actually do now that they've started to talk about this.
And you know, I'm really interested to see how it's
going to go for the territory because we absolutely need
gas here and we can absolutely be you know, leading
the nation.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
Well, Marie Claire boothbye, We always appreciate your time. Thank
you so very much for coming in and having a
chat with us this morning, and no doubt we'll talk
to you again very soon. Thank you, Thank you,
Now, the COLP yesterday announced tax cuts for small businesses
as part of a major election pitch ahead of Territorians
heading to the polls in August. So, if elected, the
COLP is going to raise the payroll tax free threshold
for the first time in thirteen years, from the current
rate of one point five million dollars to two point
(00:22):
five million dollars, and apprentice and trainee wages are also
going to be exempt from payroll tax as part of
the new two point five million dollar threshold. The COLP
say that the changes are going to save small businesses
thousands of dollars while encouraging them to invest in the
territory and invest in apprentices and trainees. Now, the colp's
(00:44):
Shadow Minister for Business, Jobs and Training, Maurray Claire Boothby,
joins me in the studio. Good morning to you, Murray Claire.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Good morning Katie and to your listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Now, can you talk me through how this payroll tax
free threshold is going to work?
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Sure then, Katie, and it's a very starting announcement for
the territory. We know that our businesses in particular are
small businesses. You know, they want to grow and thrive,
but they have been suffering and struggling for a long time,
especially when you add crime and cost of living. In fact,
we've seen many businesses closed down. So, you know, the
fact that we've been able to bring forward this payroll
(01:19):
tax reform, which can be implemented immediately, will make a
huge difference to those small and medium businesses. So at
the moment that tax, that payroll tax free threshold is
one point five million dollars, meaning as soon as you
start to hit that, and many businesses are at that point,
whether they're fifteen to twenty sometimes twenty five stuff, depending
on their wages, and that it just sea's a tax slug.
(01:40):
It's a tax on jobs and growth for those businesses.
So we're going to increase that to two point five
million dollars, which gives them so much more breathing space.
It means that they can put on new staff, they
can use that saving to invest into equipment and plant.
You know, given more capacity, if they're tendering for jobs
things like that, they might want to pass on those
(02:01):
savings to customers. And importantly, like you said, having the
apprentices and traineeships carved out of being ever included into
that threshold, it means that businesses can employ local apprentices
and trainees and they can start to grow our skills
here in the territory, which we know we really struggle
with as well.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
And I'll talk more about the apprentices and trainees in
just a moment, But do we know how many small
businesses are registered in the Northern Territory that could potentially
benefit from this?
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Yeah, the ABS number is about fourteen thousand businesses, but
that includes everybody like Saber Soul Trader as well.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
But what our.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Policy focuses on is the small to medium businesses sort
of within that payroll amount, and that's thirteen hundred businesses
at a minimum that we know are in that range
that will immediately have that payroll tax relief if you like,
it's going to be gone forever for them. And like
I said, that means that they can invest back into
(03:01):
their business and that plan of action, like it goes
further than just being able to give those businesses that
leg up and being able to reinvest in people. It
also means that if our economy is doing well. When
our economy is doing well, so to small businesses. And
of course we need us milk more businesses to be
doing well to have a growing economy. And we know
that there are ninety five percent of business in the
(03:23):
territory which are those small and meeting and businesses. So
this is a huge weight of their shoulders when they're
doing their planning, when they're looking at their own budgets
and looking at those Excel spreadsheets and deciding how they're
going to pay the bills. Wages for most small to
medium businesses makes up about fifty percent of operational cost,
which is huge.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Well, and look, it seems as though it's a good
announcement on the face of it, we know that this
is only if the COLP gets elected come August. It's
an election pitch. But the big question, I think probably
as well that a lot of people are going to
want to know the answer to is how much is
this going to cost? Because we already know the Northern
Territory budget. Well, we're you know, we're well in debt.
(04:04):
So how much is this going to cost the territory taxpayer?
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Yeah, Katie, we've costed this out to be forty three
million dollars.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
It's a lot of money.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Look, it is a lot of money, but it's an
investment into the territory. If our small businesses are growing,
which we need them to, then that means that everybody
can be prosperous when our economy is growing as well.
So we will of course put forward all of those
budget commitments costings to Treasury, just like we always have
to do prior to an election, and Labor will have
(04:32):
to do the same thing with all their major announcements
that they've been announcing as well. And this is a
normal transparent process that we go through. But what we
do know is if we want to have a strong economy,
then we need to be investing in our businesses because
that is where the biggest bang for buck can come.
You know, when we're talking ninety five percent of business
being done the territory, who obviously employ many of our territorians,
(04:54):
you know, anyone from young kids in a side hustle
after school or our parents who are nearing retirement, like
we are talking so many territorians that this will benefit
because those small businesses will be able to have that
leeway to be able to grow and employ more people.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Tell me a little bit more about these changes for
trainees and apprentices. What is this going to mean for
a business if they decide to take on a trainee
or an apprentice.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
We really wanted to look at the skill shortages that
we have in the territory and I make it the
most attractive place for a business to be here as
a starting point in terms of the moving here from
somewhere else or starting out altogether. And Katy, I should
say this will make us the most attractive jurisdiction in
the nation. We will have the highest payroll tax three
(05:43):
tax free threshold in the nation, which is exactly where
we need to be because we need to grow our
economy and instead of being last like we have been
for several years. But what it means for businesses who
can put on those apprentices and traineeships is that instead
of having to worry about growing and having to be
lugged with extra taxes and it's already really tricky and
hard and challenging to run a business, they don't have
(06:05):
to worry about having to include them in that payment
and the calculation. They can literally have an open slother
to be able to be encouraged to put on apprentice apprentices,
put on trainees, and to use that to be able
to get our territorians out there working, learning skills, using
those skills to go off and do other places. I mean, Katie,
we were out at Dream Media yesterday with Chris O'Brien,
(06:29):
the owner there, and he shared with us that the
people that he employees who are locals out of the
schools here in the Northern Territory, they're the ones that
stay with him and he's had them stay for you know,
seven to ten years, loyal, incredible employees for him, really
adding value to his business. And then they have gone off,
some of them have gone off and done things like
(06:50):
right around the world in that space that he works in,
and I think that's just a wonderful success story for
business and the territory.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Well, look, we are going to catch up with the
we see Chamber of Commerce in a few minutes time
as well to get their take on the announcement that's
been made by the COLP yesterday part of an election
pitch as we head to August. I do just want
to ask you about as well. We know that the
federal government have just this morning released a medium and
long term strategy establishing the role that gas is going
(07:18):
to play in the transition to net zero by twenty fifty.
Now it means securing affordable gas for Australia as we
move to a more renewable grid. I think that we
all a lot of people of the understanding that we
do need to you know, we need to get to renewables.
But to get there, gas has got a part to play.
And Australia is committed they say, to supporting global emissions
(07:40):
reductions to reduce the impacts of climate change and we'll
reach that net zero emissions by twenty fifty. But in
the meantime the Federal government saying gas must remain affordable
for Australian users throughout the transition to net zero. Now
what that means for us here in the Northern Territory,
I think is that our gas is absolutely wide we
(08:01):
all can we all know the situation with the beatleoo
at the moment. I mean, what do you make of
this strategy and how important do you think the gas
industry is for the whole of Australia but particularly here
in the NT.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Yeah. I think the fact that the federal government is
now looking at this to ensure that we obviously want
to get to as a stage where it's it's environmentally friendly,
but also that we can keep the lights on, and
the territory does have, you know, the most incredible opportunity
in the Beaterloo to be able to deliver lower cost
(08:35):
energy for not only Territorians, but right across the nation.
And I think the colp is always, always, always been
pro gas and it's it's a huge strength of the
Northern Territory. It's a natural strength. And you know, we've
been fighting really hard for this. You know, we don't
listen to you know, activists from the Eastern seaboard about
our gas here in the territory because we know that
(08:57):
we need to be able to have that energy. So
we want to be able to deliver it to the
rest of the nation because it's a game changer for
the Northern Territory. Sadly, it has taken a very long time.
We had the moratorium, which obviously has put the territory
backwards by so much. When the opportunity cost is monumental,
you can't even put a measure on it.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
I mean, part of this proposal, part of the key
proposal is Well in the Future strategy being released today
urges the government to consider tough use it or lose
its powers that would compel energy giants to more swiftly
develop gas assets or risk losing their title holdings. I mean,
do you think that that's going to mean we're going
(09:36):
to see that movement in the Beadloo faster?
Speaker 2 (09:39):
Well, I think any kind of areas in which we
can move things faster is a good thing. I guess
the challenge for the territory is at the moment, we
have a government that is quite slow on moving on
most things, to be honest. So you know, we want
to be able to get that gas out of the ground.
We want to be able to you know, obviously get
it out to the eastern seaboards that we can benefit.
(10:01):
And so I think, yeah, this is going to be
a really interesting space to see what the federal government
actually do now that they've started to talk about this.
And you know, I'm really interested to see how it's
going to go for the territory because we absolutely need
gas here and we can absolutely be you know, leading
the nation.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
Well, Marie Claire boothbye, We always appreciate your time. Thank
you so very much for coming in and having a
chat with us this morning, and no doubt we'll talk
to you again very soon. Thank you, Thank you,
Popular Podcasts
True Crime Tonight
If you eat, sleep, and breathe true crime, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT is serving up your nightly fix. Five nights a week, KT STUDIOS & iHEART RADIO invite listeners to pull up a seat for an unfiltered look at the biggest cases making headlines, celebrity scandals, and the trials everyone is watching. With a mix of expert analysis, hot takes, and listener call-ins, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT goes beyond the headlines to uncover the twists, turns, and unanswered questions that keep us all obsessed—because, at TRUE CRIME TONIGHT, there’s a seat for everyone. Whether breaking down crime scene forensics, scrutinizing serial killers, or debating the most binge-worthy true crime docs, True Crime Tonight is the fresh, fast-paced, and slightly addictive home for true crime lovers.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.