2025: A year of action, certainty, and security

10 February 2025

The Finocchiaro CLP Government has announced 2025 will be a Year of Action, delivering certainty and security for Territorians.

In a keynote speech at the Darwin Convention Centre today, Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro outlined what the next 12 months will look like for the new CLP Government, highlighting the need for economic growth.

“This year will be defined by three key attributes: action, certainty, and security,” said Mrs Finocchiaro.

“In 2025, we will deliver a critical response to our government’s plan to reduce crime, rebuild the economy and restore our lifestyle.

“Labor’s debt legacy, on track to hit $15 billion by 2028-29, should serve as a wake-up call to all Territorians that we must do everything we can to grow our economy to lift ourselves out of this mess.”

In her speech, Mrs Finocchiaro announced the government will introduce several new measures in the first Parliament Sittings of the year, beginning tomorrow, including the introduction of the Territory Coordinator Bill, the removal of third-party merit reviews from the Petroleum, Planning and Water Acts, and payroll tax cuts.

“The time for publicly funded lawfare, and activist delay games is over,” she said.

“At a time when Territorians are cancelling their home and health insurance because they can’t pay the bills, we cannot afford to have these economically damaging setbacks.

“We cannot afford uncertainty and confusion for potential investors at a time when private sector spending in the Territory is lagging.

“Our government will take action this year to get our economy moving forward.

“Territorians will also see further action on the economy this week through the passing of our payroll tax cuts, which will back our small businesses and deliver thousands of dollars in savings, which they can re-invest in growing our economy.”

Mrs Finocchiaro also outlined her government’s focus areas to further reduce crime in 2025, building on the CLP’s new Reducing Crime laws passed last year, including:

• Police Retention bonus to keep experienced cops on the beat.
• Remote Police Infrastructure Plan to meet critical needs.
• Better police powers.
• Expanded police drone operations.
• Further progress on the Corrections Master Plan.
• Design work on new women’s prison, boot camps and work camps.
• Reform to youth justice to help address the root causes of crime and create real pathways for young people to turn their lives around.
• $36 million this year in funding for domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV).
• Expansion of the Circuit Breaker program to protect children and intervene at the first signs of trouble to keep them safe.
• Expansion of the School Attendance Officers program.
• Action on alcohol addiction including treatment programs for problem drunks.

“Our government is also committed to securing our lifestyle for years to come and Territorians can expect action in 2025 to deliver even more of what they love such as camping, fishing and hunting,” said Mrs Finocchiaro.

“We’ll also be rolling out our cost-of-living measures this year, as we promised, because we know Territorians are struggling with the rise in cost of living and every dollar counts.”

These programs include:

• Free driver’s licenses.
• Free swimming lessons for all primary school students from Years 1-6.
• Free meningococcal B vaccinations for babies under 2 and adolescents 14-19 years.
• HomeGrown Territory grants of up to $50,000 to build a new home
• Doubling the rooftop solar battery bonus.

Mrs Finocchiaro said the government’s cost of living measures, most of which only began on 1 January, had already had a huge take up.

“Thousands of Territorians have already taken advantage of our cost-of-living schemes, just six weeks in, showing just how much these savings mean to Territorians,” she said.

“This is just some of the change Territorians voted for less than six months ago, and we are delivering.”

Media Contact - Elle Arnold - 0408 663 361