August 17, 2026 • 8 mins
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Returning to the government's Major Corrections announcement with the plans
to build a twelve hundred bid men's remand and intake
center and a women's two hundred bad prison at Halts. So,
one industry likely to benefit from such a massive undertaking
is the construction sector. And joining us now is the
chief executive of Master Builders here in the Northern Territory,
(00:22):
Salienne in US. Good morning to you, Salienne.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Good morning, Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Good to have you on the show. Now, what was
your reaction to learning of this proposal from the government, Well,
from your sector.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Thanks Katie. Yeah, Well, we welcomed the announcement. This is
an opportunity for great investment into the construction industry here
in the Northern Territory through our workforce and the border economy.
So we said it is a good thing. There's going
to be a couple of things that we really talk
about over the coming months and years regarding it. That's
(00:54):
a lot to do with local procurement and making sure
that is in the territory, it's not brought in.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Yes, So how do you make sure, I mean, when
you're looking at such a massive facility like this, how
do you make sure that Territorians are benefiting from you know,
from any of those construction needs and that they're winning
that work.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Absolutely, that's the benefits of organizations like Master Builders.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
We will always advocate, We.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Will talk and talk and talk about it and make
sure that our members and our industry here in the
Northern Territory are front and center. But it's also utilizing
things like the ICN, the Industry Capability Network. Those guys
are front and center. They're in the prime position to
be able to work with the proponents in government to
show them what our capability here is in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
We don't know the full costing, Shet. I mean there's
speculation that it could cost in excess of a billion dollars.
What does a project like this mean in terms of
that work and when you look at such a huge
amount of money.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Yeah, well, right through our supply chain, Katie, it means something,
and it means something to the Northern Territory.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
So it's our workforce.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
It's you know, building our workforce and keeping our workforce
here in the Northern Territory so they're not leaving.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
It's also building our community.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
It goes, it ripples right through the Northern Territory economy,
and that's people building houses here.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
It's people coming here to build houses, it's people.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Joining in the community and joining our sporting clubs and
that sort of thing. But the most important thing to
us is that it is our local contractors and our
local workforce that are front and center.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Yeah, and so I mean when the government eventually gets
to that process of the tender process, who's going to
put in which private organization it might be to put
into to build and run these new facilities. Can they
make that part of, you know, of the process that
you've got to utilize the local workforce.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Well, that will be absolutely what we are going to
advocate for. So while the proponent might be an out
of territory proponent, so a massive and there's been a
lot of organizations floated, the major contractor must be territory
in and we will be saying that and we will
be advocating for that over time because where it stays
in the territory, the benefits stay in the territory.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Yeah. I guess the downside is that it's going to
take quite a while before the work does get underway.
Is there much in the pipeline to sustain the secret
at the moment.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Yeah, if I can just put say one thing there, Katie, like,
it is a fair way away and that's probably the
only frustrating part about it. But that's now the time
to get those settings right. So we have the procurement
settings right, we've got the workforce, we can build that
capability because with that pipeline and that visibility of a pipeline,
businesses can invest with confidence. So you know, we really
(03:36):
need to start looking there. As far as things going, Look,
there's the residential housing sector really doing well. I mean
in the last twelve months there's been and these are
based on Fidelity Fund certificates, so these are just residential
houses being built here in the Northern Territory. So we're
up to about four hundred and forty and that's one
hundred up on the previous year and one hundred up
(03:57):
on the previous year. We're into the new financial year
and we've fifty already, so you know, based on that,
if that's maintained, we're talking at about six hundred in
the next financial year.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
So what spark that, dear reckon is it some of
the first time owner sort of grants.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
And things like that reloletely. Yeah, so and again I'll
go back to get it.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
The setting's right and people invest, so very very important
part of the homegrown grants and the five percent federal
grants as well, yep, or the deposit guarantees, so all
those have helped. And you can see when industry is
confident and when people are confident to invest, then these
kind of things happen.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
I mean, it does feel like there's more going on
around the place at the moment. Whether that's you know,
whether I'm I'm right or not, it feels like there's
a bit more going on.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
I did say this on the weekend in my speech
at our Excellence in Building Construction Awards, Katie. We feel
like we're on the edge of something like the opportunity.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
He's there. We just need to convert that.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
So, you know, a lot of some commercial projects, more
of those around the place would be really good to
keep those skills here. I speaking to a senior member
of a a big construction company on Saturday night, and
he moved his family here for a contract, and that
contract is nearing end, and he's like, we don't want
to leave.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
My kids are in school, my wife's got a job.
You know what's coming next. And that's the big thing.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
That's what we've really got to have is some of
these commercial projects, that private investment that we talk about.
We need it, and like I said, we're on the
cusp of something and the opportunities here, we just.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Need to turn it into something tangible.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
In terms of you know, I guess are these sort
of benefits or downsides even of a public private partnership
when you are delivering projects like what we're going to
see with the correctional facilities.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Look, it's not an unusual way of doing things.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
It's done in other parts of the country, so I
don't think it's unusual. I think, you know, Kathleen spoke
about it this morning, like if we do the same
thing over and over again, we're going to get the
same results.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
So, you know, I think that's a.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Really good opportunity to have a look at doing it differently.
I know there's been various other projects in the Northern Territory,
but I think it's a really it's a sound model
and you know, we should definitely get behind. Matthew Farley
gave people a lot of comfort this morning.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Yeah, Matthew Matthew, Yeah, the commission are Yeah, yeah, well
a lot of comfort this morning especially. Yeah, that's exactly right.
I thought sort of speaking more about the way in
which it's going to be delivered, talking about, you know,
the way it's going to be managed, it does give
you a bit more insight and gives you a bit
of an understanding of the kind of pressure I think
that our current correctional facilities are in like it sounds
(06:27):
like we need this romand center.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Yeah, I mean absolutely, I don't want to get into
that yes or no, whether we need it. We need
the construction work, so absolutely we are backing at one
hundred and ten percent. We want it for our workforce,
we want it for our families here to stay, and
we need it for our economy.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
So absolutely we'll have it.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
The only thing is we've got to get those settings
right around local procurement, local businesses, and our local supply chain.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
And look, probably a bit of a guessing game not
knowing the scope of the work, but I mean you
would suspect that a billion or dollar job is going
to bring a significant amount of jobs to the territory
or work for locals.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Yeah, absolutely, and that's why we need to make sure
that we've got the capacity and the capability ready to go,
and that's the government making sure that we've got that
line of sight over that those works. So you know,
any of those projects.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
In between now and then are really welcome.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Because that's how we're going to keep that workforce, because
we all know there's a lot going on in southeast
Queensland and once we lose people to down there, it's
really hard to get them back.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
It truly is.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Sally Ane, How did your awards go on Saturday night?
Another fantastic evening.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Yep, it was fantastic, actually it was.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
It felt very territory and the branding and the atmosphere
and we had a really great turn up. We had
just under six hundred people, which was great. So it
was a very.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Long night and everyone seems to enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
So lots of wonderful local businesses recognized.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Well. We're really hopeful this year most of the winners
will go through to the National Awards.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Awesome the National Awards.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
Last year we won Apprentice of the Year, so that
speaks volumes about the territory industry. Nathan Grant from j
Tex was the Apprentice of the Year Australia wide and
we won an education facility with Danala at CDU, so
we're looking forward to a few more this year as well.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
A good stuff, hopefully well Sally Anninas, the chief executive
of Master Builders here in the Northern Territory. Really good
to catch up with you. Thank you so much for
your time. Thank you
Returning to the government's Major Corrections announcement with the plans
to build a twelve hundred bid men's remand and intake
center and a women's two hundred bad prison at Halts. So,
one industry likely to benefit from such a massive undertaking
is the construction sector. And joining us now is the
chief executive of Master Builders here in the Northern Territory,
(00:22):
Salienne in US. Good morning to you, Salienne.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Good morning, Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Good to have you on the show. Now, what was
your reaction to learning of this proposal from the government, Well,
from your sector.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Thanks Katie. Yeah, Well, we welcomed the announcement. This is
an opportunity for great investment into the construction industry here
in the Northern Territory through our workforce and the border economy.
So we said it is a good thing. There's going
to be a couple of things that we really talk
about over the coming months and years regarding it. That's
(00:54):
a lot to do with local procurement and making sure
that is in the territory, it's not brought in.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Yes, So how do you make sure, I mean, when
you're looking at such a massive facility like this, how
do you make sure that Territorians are benefiting from you know,
from any of those construction needs and that they're winning
that work.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Absolutely, that's the benefits of organizations like Master Builders.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
We will always advocate, We.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Will talk and talk and talk about it and make
sure that our members and our industry here in the
Northern Territory are front and center. But it's also utilizing
things like the ICN, the Industry Capability Network. Those guys
are front and center. They're in the prime position to
be able to work with the proponents in government to
show them what our capability here is in the Northern Territory.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
We don't know the full costing, Shet. I mean there's
speculation that it could cost in excess of a billion dollars.
What does a project like this mean in terms of
that work and when you look at such a huge
amount of money.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Yeah, well, right through our supply chain, Katie, it means something,
and it means something to the Northern Territory.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
So it's our workforce.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
It's you know, building our workforce and keeping our workforce
here in the Northern Territory so they're not leaving.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
It's also building our community.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
It goes, it ripples right through the Northern Territory economy,
and that's people building houses here.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
It's people coming here to build houses, it's people.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Joining in the community and joining our sporting clubs and
that sort of thing. But the most important thing to
us is that it is our local contractors and our
local workforce that are front and center.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Yeah, and so I mean when the government eventually gets
to that process of the tender process, who's going to
put in which private organization it might be to put
into to build and run these new facilities. Can they
make that part of, you know, of the process that
you've got to utilize the local workforce.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Well, that will be absolutely what we are going to
advocate for. So while the proponent might be an out
of territory proponent, so a massive and there's been a
lot of organizations floated, the major contractor must be territory
in and we will be saying that and we will
be advocating for that over time because where it stays
in the territory, the benefits stay in the territory.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Yeah. I guess the downside is that it's going to
take quite a while before the work does get underway.
Is there much in the pipeline to sustain the secret
at the moment.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Yeah, if I can just put say one thing there, Katie, like,
it is a fair way away and that's probably the
only frustrating part about it. But that's now the time
to get those settings right. So we have the procurement
settings right, we've got the workforce, we can build that
capability because with that pipeline and that visibility of a pipeline,
businesses can invest with confidence. So you know, we really
(03:36):
need to start looking there. As far as things going, Look,
there's the residential housing sector really doing well. I mean
in the last twelve months there's been and these are
based on Fidelity Fund certificates, so these are just residential
houses being built here in the Northern Territory. So we're
up to about four hundred and forty and that's one
hundred up on the previous year and one hundred up
(03:57):
on the previous year. We're into the new financial year
and we've fifty already, so you know, based on that,
if that's maintained, we're talking at about six hundred in
the next financial year.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
So what spark that, dear reckon is it some of
the first time owner sort of grants.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
And things like that reloletely. Yeah, so and again I'll
go back to get it.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
The setting's right and people invest, so very very important
part of the homegrown grants and the five percent federal
grants as well, yep, or the deposit guarantees, so all
those have helped. And you can see when industry is
confident and when people are confident to invest, then these
kind of things happen.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
I mean, it does feel like there's more going on
around the place at the moment. Whether that's you know,
whether I'm I'm right or not, it feels like there's
a bit more going on.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
I did say this on the weekend in my speech
at our Excellence in Building Construction Awards, Katie. We feel
like we're on the edge of something like the opportunity.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
He's there. We just need to convert that.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
So, you know, a lot of some commercial projects, more
of those around the place would be really good to
keep those skills here. I speaking to a senior member
of a a big construction company on Saturday night, and
he moved his family here for a contract, and that
contract is nearing end, and he's like, we don't want
to leave.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
My kids are in school, my wife's got a job.
You know what's coming next. And that's the big thing.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
That's what we've really got to have is some of
these commercial projects, that private investment that we talk about.
We need it, and like I said, we're on the
cusp of something and the opportunities here, we just.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Need to turn it into something tangible.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
In terms of you know, I guess are these sort
of benefits or downsides even of a public private partnership
when you are delivering projects like what we're going to
see with the correctional facilities.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Look, it's not an unusual way of doing things.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
It's done in other parts of the country, so I
don't think it's unusual. I think, you know, Kathleen spoke
about it this morning, like if we do the same
thing over and over again, we're going to get the
same results.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
So, you know, I think that's a.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Really good opportunity to have a look at doing it differently.
I know there's been various other projects in the Northern Territory,
but I think it's a really it's a sound model
and you know, we should definitely get behind. Matthew Farley
gave people a lot of comfort this morning.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Yeah, Matthew Matthew, Yeah, the commission are Yeah, yeah, well
a lot of comfort this morning especially. Yeah, that's exactly right.
I thought sort of speaking more about the way in
which it's going to be delivered, talking about, you know,
the way it's going to be managed, it does give
you a bit more insight and gives you a bit
of an understanding of the kind of pressure I think
that our current correctional facilities are in like it sounds
(06:27):
like we need this romand center.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Yeah, I mean absolutely, I don't want to get into
that yes or no, whether we need it. We need
the construction work, so absolutely we are backing at one
hundred and ten percent. We want it for our workforce,
we want it for our families here to stay, and
we need it for our economy.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
So absolutely we'll have it.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
The only thing is we've got to get those settings
right around local procurement, local businesses, and our local supply chain.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
And look, probably a bit of a guessing game not
knowing the scope of the work, but I mean you
would suspect that a billion or dollar job is going
to bring a significant amount of jobs to the territory
or work for locals.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Yeah, absolutely, and that's why we need to make sure
that we've got the capacity and the capability ready to go,
and that's the government making sure that we've got that
line of sight over that those works. So you know,
any of those projects.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
In between now and then are really welcome.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
Because that's how we're going to keep that workforce, because
we all know there's a lot going on in southeast
Queensland and once we lose people to down there, it's
really hard to get them back.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
It truly is.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Sally Ane, How did your awards go on Saturday night?
Another fantastic evening.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Yep, it was fantastic, actually it was.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
It felt very territory and the branding and the atmosphere
and we had a really great turn up. We had
just under six hundred people, which was great. So it
was a very.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Long night and everyone seems to enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
So lots of wonderful local businesses recognized.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Well. We're really hopeful this year most of the winners
will go through to the National Awards.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Awesome the National Awards.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
Last year we won Apprentice of the Year, so that
speaks volumes about the territory industry. Nathan Grant from j
Tex was the Apprentice of the Year Australia wide and
we won an education facility with Danala at CDU, so
we're looking forward to a few more this year as well.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
A good stuff, hopefully well Sally Anninas, the chief executive
of Master Builders here in the Northern Territory. Really good
to catch up with you. Thank you so much for
your time. Thank you
Popular Podcasts
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.
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
The Bobby Bones Show
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.