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Dear Palmerston Business Representative,
October is a month of opportunity, collaboration and forward thinking for Palmerston businesses. As we prepare for the 2026 Palmerston Business Futures Forum, we invite you to join the conversation about the opportunities, priorities, and investment that will shape the future of business in Palmerston. Together, we can ensure our city remains a place where businesses can grow, innovate, and thrive.
We’re also excited to launch an Expression of Interest for the Meet Your Local campaign, creating new opportunities for Palmerston businesses to share their stories, raise their profile, and inspire the community to support local.
In this edition we celebrate the outstanding achievements of Palmerston businesses recognised at the 2026 NT Local Business Awards, including local success story Diamond Barbers. You'll find information on October Business Month events, supplier opportunities with Council, important business updates, and ways to recognise those making a positive contribution to our community.
Whether you're looking to connect with fellow business owners, access new opportunities, or contribute to conversations about Palmerston's future, we encourage you to get involved and make the most of what's on offer this month. We look forward to seeing you at the Palmerston Business Futures Forum and continue building a strong, connected, and prosperous business community together.
2026 Palmerston Business Futures Forum
City of Palmerston invites local businesses and industry leaders to join us for the 2026 Palmerston Business Futures Forum. Event details below.
When: Thursday, 22 October 2026
Time: 7:30am-9:30am, with optional networking until 10:00am
Where: Palm Ballroom, Rydges Palmerston
🥯 Breakfast provided
🆓 Registration is free to attend
The Forum will provide an opportunity to:
- Connect with businesses and industry leaders from your sector.
- Share your experience, ideas, and priorities.
- Explore emerging trends and opportunities shaping the future of business.
- Consider how major projects and investment could create opportunities for your business.
- Contribute to conversations about the opportunities Palmerston should prioritise to support sustainable business and industry growth.
We look forward to seeing you there and being part of the conversation!
Expression of Interest Open - Meet Your Local Business Campaign
City of Palmerston are inviting local businesses to submit an EOI to be featured in the Meet Your Local business campaign. Selected businesses will have the opportunity to share their story, highlight their contribution to the local economy, and increase awareness of their products and services to encourage residents to support local.
Limited places are available and eligible businesses are not guaranteed selection. However, selected businesses will be chosen to the alignment of the program and the Palmerston Local Economic Plan.
2026 NT Local Business Awards Winners
A huge congratulations to four outstanding Palmerston businesses recognised at the recent 2026 NT Local Business Awards!
🏆 Certified Academy of Dance – Arts and Entertainment Award Winner
🏆 Creative Spot NT Yeti Engraving Specialists – Youth Award Winner
🏆 Diamond Barbers – Barber Shop Award Winner
🏆 Ebony-Rose Hair Design – Hairdresser Award Winner
These well-deserved wins are a testament to the passion, hard work and dedication our local business owners invest in their businesses every single day. We encourage you to show your support and congratulate these businesses when you're next in their neck of the woods.
We also extend our congratulations to all finalists. Being recognised among the Territory's best is an outstanding achievement and reflects the commitment, resilience, and excellence that continue to strengthen Palmerston's business community.
October Business Month 2026
OBM is here and this month there are events happening right here in Palmerston.
- 5 October: AI Tools for Business Productivity, held at Durack Community Arts Centre.
- 14 October: From Stressed to Steady, held at Durack Community Arts Centre
- 14 October: Leading Well: Evidence-Based Self-Care for Today's Leaders, held at Durack Community Arts Centre.
You can register for these events and view the full OBM calendar here: https://obm.nt.gov.au/calendar
Good Business News Story!
From Palmerston to Darwin and even Far North Queensland, Diamond Barbers has built a loyal following by focusing on more than just great cuts. For owner Nico Diamantis, it's all about creating a welcoming experience for every customer.
That commitment continues to earn recognition, with Diamond Barbers being named the Territory's 2026 NT Barber Shop of the Year for the second year running, while also taking out Outstanding Barber Shop at the 2026 Cairns & Regions Local Business Awards.
With eight locations across Darwin, Diamond Barbers proudly flies the flag for the Territory.
"When people ask where we're based, we say Darwin. We're proud to be a Territory business," Nico said.
Next time you're due for a fresh cut, drop into their Yarrawonga barber shop. Congratulations to Nico and the team on their well-deserved success.
Card Surcharging Changes Are Here
From 1 October 2026, businesses will no longer be able to apply a surcharge when customers pay by eftpos, Mastercard, Visa or American Express.
If your business currently applies card surcharges, you may need to update your payment systems, pricing, and customer information before the change begins.
The Australian Small Business Family Enterprise Ombudsman provides practical guidance and resources to help your business prepare. Go to their website here: https://www.asbfeo.gov.au/resources-tools-centre/card-surcharging-ban
Local Buy Supplier Information Session
City of Palmerston is hosting a Local Buy Supplier Information Session on Monday, 12 October 2026 at 4pm. This session will support local businesses and event suppliers interested in working with Council.
Local Buy provides pre-qualified supplier arrangements to Northern Territory councils and other approved entities, helping to streamline procurement processes and create opportunities for local suppliers to work with Council.
The session will provide information on the following supplier arrangements:
- Event Equipment Hire, Venue Hire & Services LB294
- Event Management Services LB292
- Traffic Management Services LB325
- Security Services, Equipment & Maintenance LB289
To find out more or confirm your attendance, email events@palmerston.nt.gov.au
Nominate a Local Legend for the Palmerston Australia Day Awards 2027
Nominations are now open for the Palmerston Australia Day Awards 2027, giving the community an opportunity to recognise the individuals, groups, and events making a positive difference across Palmerston.
The awards celebrate those who go above and beyond through volunteering, leadership, cultural initiatives, sport, community service or other activities that help make Palmerston ‘A Place for People’.
There are three (3) award categories:
- Citizen of the Year
- Young Citizen of the Year
- Community Event or Group of the Year
Your nomination, their recognition. View the 2027 Australia Day Award criteria and guidelines here. Nominations close Friday, 30 October 2026.
Pre-Cyclone Clean Up
Pre-cyclone clean up is underway with Zone 3 and Zone 4 coming up for collection. Click here to find out what will/won't be collected, safety tips, and frequently asked questions. Below are the clean-up zones and dates.
Tenderlink Portal
Do you have a great story or exciting update about a Palmerston business, or your own? We’d love to hear from you!
Council's Economic Development team is here to support you. We want to share and celebrate the positive stories within our business community, so please reach out and let us help showcase success in future editions of this newsletter.
📩 Email us at ecodev@palmerston.nt.gov.au or call 08 8935 9922. Don't forget to check out the refreshed Invest Palmerston website on the link below.
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