25 June 2021

 

Dear Sir/Madam,

 

Submission – Proposal to expand City of Palmerston Council Boundary

 

The Property Council of Australia is the peak body representing the property industry in the Northern Territory.

The Northern Territory Division collectively represents billions of dollars of commercial investment in the Northern Territory.   The value of the property industry to the NT economy is second only to the resources sector.

The Property Council’s membership draws together key players from property investment and development including owners of commercial office buildings and shopping centres, financial institutions, and construction companies.   Our membership also extends to those engaged in professions, businesses and provision of services directly associated with the property industry (architects, engineers, financiers, legal and other consultants, suppliers etc.).

As an industry, we not only have a keen interest, but also a financial stake in the future development of the Northern Territory.  We appreciate and take seriously the opportunity to provide comment on your proposal to expand City of Palmerston boundary.

 

General Observations and Comments:

 

 

1. 1. Logical and Equitable Boundary Expansion  

       

      We hold concerns that the proposed expansion does not present a logical nor equitable plan for future expansion opportunities for both Palmerston LGA and Darwin LGA.

       

      Darwin’s potential future LGA expansion cannot occur in either a Southern, Western nor Northern direction.  This leaves the East as the only possible direction for future expansion of its LGA boundary.  However, Palmerston’s potential future LGA expansion can occur either in a Northern, Eastern, or Southern direction.   The substantial part of the Northern Territory Government’s proposed boundary expansions is illogically toward the West, i.e. towards Darwin’s LGA.

       

      The Property Council NT does not support the currently proposed boundary inclusion of areas that fall within a western direction from Palmerston.  Equality of future growth opportunities between all LGAs is not an unreasonable position.

       

       

       

 

1. 1. Elrundie, Tivendale and Wishart  

       

      The areas of Elrundie, Tivendale and Wishart substantially consists of General Industry (GI) and Light Industry (LI) zoned land.   With the development of new manufacturing industries being a key economic recovery policy under the current Northern Territory Government, we support these areas remaining either under the Northern Territory Rate Act area or Unincorporated.  This provides better strategic oversight of these areas for achieving those desired outcomes.

       

      Furthermore, we do not understand the proposals purported attraction for property owners that own GI or LI land to be incorporated within Palmerston’s LGA.  Property owners are not entitled to vote in council elections, residents are.

       

       

       

 

1. 1. Berrimah

 

 

The Berrimah locality sits roughly distanced between both Darwin and Palmerston.  Most older residents of Darwin and Palmerston would historically have considered Berrimah to be part of Darwin.  The developers of North Crest have also marketed their subdivision as one of Darwin’s newest residential addresses.  As this area falls with a Western direction (see above) we do not believe it should be incorporated within Palmerston’s LGA, but more logically within Darwin’s LGA.   As this area’s residential population is growing, its inclusion into an LGA is both logical, reasonable and necessary.

 

 

 

As it stands, excluding Berrimah, the Northern Territory Government’s proposal appears to be more about awarding a potential rate grab than a strategic, practical and well considered approach to the future of the Top End.

 

Please contact me either by email ([email protected]) or on my mobile (04 428 314) if you require further clarification or information.

 

 

 

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

Ruth Palmer

NT Executive Director