HIA recommends the next Northern Territory Government:

• Fund the development of a small business compliance, cash flow management and risk mitigation program.
• Implement an industry upskilling grant program to enable industry practitioners to enhance professional skills related to their work.
• Support targeted industry education on changes to the NCC, Australian Standards, Commercial Builders Registration and Commercial Energy Efficiency.

The regulatory environment that applies to the residential building industry has never been more complex. Business owners and those working in the building industry are feeling overwhelmed with the scale and complexity of changes.

This includes both the rules to building a compliant home and the rules for running and operating a business well as employing workers and taking on apprentices.

With multiple agencies involved in setting regulations that have an impact on small businesses, it is considered appropriate that those agencies support the development and delivery of education and information on those rules and requirements.

• It is important that the NT Government takes a proactive role in supporting businesses, particularly small businesses, to understand the plethora of regulations and administrative processes involved in day-to-day business compliance.
• There should be dedicated funding to support education in business compliance by the relevant agencies. Industry bodies are well placed to deliver tailored training to their respective industries.
• Programs should also be supported on small business compliance, cash flow management and risk mitigation program.
• It is worth funding an industry upskilling program to enable industry practitioners to undertake short courses related to WHS, office skills, mentoring of young workers, sustainability and new ‘green skills’ fields, or other professional skills related to their work.