the Northern Territory's lifestyle magazine. - Australian Hotels ...

fresh lifestyles Australia’s Northern Territory liviNG iN The TerriTory
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balanced lifestyles
The TerriTory conTinues To work on
becoming a sTaTe in The fuTure. The
parliamenT of The norThern TerriTory is The
legislaTive assembly wiTh 25 members anD a
minisTerial cabineT leaD by a chief minisTer.
The Northern Territory has a
Westminster style of government with no
upper house. The Head of State is the
Administrator, rather than the Governor
as in other Australian jurisdictions.
Local Government is the second tier,
with city councils and shire councils
administering by-laws and spending on
services and infrastructure according to
the needs of their jurisdictions.
Northern Territory laws are similar to
those in other parts of Australia, but with
some notable exceptions to account for
unique situations.
Examples are the Australian
Government’s Aboriginal Land Rights
(Northern Territory) Act and the Northern
Territory Liquor Act. The first governs
ownership of, and access to, some
50 per cent of Territory land under
Aboriginal ownership. The second
restricts or prohibits possession, supply
or use of alcohol in certain areas,
including ‘dry’ communities.
www.aec.gov.au
www.nt.gov.au/lant
Banking and business
The TerriTory supporTs an efficienT
environmenT for businesses, by offering
ausTralia’s lowesT Tax environmenT for
small To meDium businesses.
• no land taxes
• one of the highest payroll tax
thresholds in the country
• fast-tracked business operation
approvals
• Australia’s lowest developer
contributions fees
• defined planning and
environmental processes
• no fire service levy.
Visit the Northern Territory Treasury website
for more information on the taxes and duties
you can expect to pay here.
www.ato.gov.au
www.nt.gov.au/ntt
All the major Australian banks, including
the Commonwealth, ANZ, National
Australia (NAB) and Westpac, have
branches in Darwin and Alice Springs.
In the larger regional towns there is at
least one major bank and several other
banking options are also available.
Most major Australian insurance
companies also operate in the Territory,
along with the home-grown Territory
Insurance Office (TIO), and provide
cover for all usual needs, and special
cover for unique local needs such as
cyclone damage.
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Australian taxation laws apply in the
Northern Territory so residents are
subject to requirements relating to
income tax, Goods and Services Tax
(GST) and other general taxes.
All workers in Australia require a Tax
File Number. The Australian Taxation
Office oversees all tax matters. The NT
Government applies some other specific
taxes to cover local situations.
“ There Are MANy PArTs oF
AusTrAliA ThAT Are so reMoTe,
so disTANT FroM The lArGe
Well-serviced MeTroPolises
oF our cAPiTAl ciTies, ThAT
they are allowed Particular
TAX breAks.”