The department supports businesses in the minerals, oil and gas, horticultural, aquaculture, fishing, forestry, agricultural and pastoral sectors to grow and generate economic activity in a sustainable way. While doing this we support Aboriginal business development and employment, recognising their cultural custodianship of the land and seas.

Our industries are major economic drivers in regional and remote areas and have significant potential to create and increase wealth and employment opportunities for regional Territorians.

The department promotes and facilitates development of Territory primary industries and resources through investment attraction activities, investor support, market access maintenance and development, and research development and extension initiatives. We aspire to co-innovate with stakeholders where we can to leverage our research and development capability. The Territory’s stable investment climate supports promotion of the Territory’s unique primary industry and resource opportunities.

Outcomes and strategic actions to progress work against this goal are captured in the table below.

Developing strong and productive relationships with stakeholders, industry and the community supports  us to achieve department outcomes.

The foundation of collaboration, trust and respect  allows us to create partnerships for common goals.  This includes partnerships  with industry and Aboriginal groups to develop  opportunities in regional areas and working across government, with other jurisdictions, the Australian Government and other national  organisations. A commitment to stakeholder engagement is key to our future success.

The department can facilitate improved stakeholder capability by enhancing the impact of our research and development. Effective extension services enable the uptake of new ideas,  processes and technology to support a dynamic and competitive industry.

Also, working with the community and industry is important for developing a shared understanding of resource  management responsibilities and developing trust.

Outcomes and strategic actions to progress work against  this goal are captured in the table below.

Providing industry frameworks to  ensure sustainable development and  safeguard the community, stakeholders and industry from threats  is a core role of the department. This is done through various  applications due to the diversity of industries and administration roles we have across  the department. Well-regulated industries show maturity and a level of certainty that can boost  attraction and investment. Robust, fair and transparent legislation, regulations and policies  build trust and give our stakeholders clear  boundaries to work within.

Risk must be logically evaluated and  mitigation plans prepared for incidents and  emergencies, supported through short-term response  preparedness. When threats  materialise or incidents occur, it is important that industries and communities are prepared  through engagement and education to maximise early  intervention and rapid,  cost-effective responses.

Regulation is key to gaining and maintaining market access.  To take advantage of our markets to the north,  we must be able  to compete on the international stage, and our  competiveness will  be underpinned by the  quality of our  products and the quality  assurance that underpins them.  The demand for clean, natural and safe products  will increase and our reputation will be maintained by a sensible approach  to biosecurity.

Outcomes and strategic actions to progress work against  this goal are captured in the table below.

Our people  are our greatest  strength. We must value,  respect and support  staff and their  development to ensure we achieve our vision. This begins by a commitment to safety and a safe working environment by investing in systems that manage risk and promote  an enhanced health  and safety culture.  We are committed to improved  systems to prevent  work-related injuries, illnesses  and unsafe work practices.

Diversity is a core Northern Territory  Public Sector value. We strive for  diversity and the positive benefits it brings, including  wider perspectives, informed  decision-making and innovation. Embracing workplace  diversity supports an inclusive  and positive workplace culture  and enhances our capability. While our organisation’s culture  is multi-faceted and difficult to measure, fostering positive, can-do  attitudes and celebrating contributions and achievements supports a strong  workplace culture.

The effects of an ageing  workforce highlight the  need for preparedness to ensure the  retention of corporate knowledge when experienced people retire. This includes mentoring and  succession planning, as well as robust recruitment initiatives to attract and retain highly  skilled people.

We work in highly technical fields and technology is  rapidly developing worldwide. We need to rapidly adapt with innovation and ensure our people are trained, skilled and  engaged to be responsive.

Enhanced communication also supports a transparent and shared pathway. A strong understanding of roles to ensure clarity and accountability, clearly defining processes to mitigate risk  and ensuring mechanisms for two-way  dialogue, are critical to building a productive and safe working  environment.

To achieve our goals requires  strong leadership, and we must continue to invest  in leadership development.

Outcomes and strategic actions  to progress work against this goal are captured in the table below.

The maturity and effectiveness  of our structures and systems has a direct impact on workplace performance. Technology has advanced the way business is done, and  our processes and  systems can be changed to radically  improve our operations, including  governance, financial  and business performance management systems.

We also require an organisational architecture aligned to  our strategy, and one that improves the flow of communication between work units to leverage  the expertise in our  department, and across government to  achieve our goals. Rationalising and reforming  our departmental structures to align with the strategic directions will deliver  a streamlined, effective and efficient operation.

Streamlining our corporate and technology systems  will improve our capacity  to deliver reliable, effective and efficient  support to stakeholders. Providing digital  solutions that are lean, contemporary, scalable  and intuitive will ensure we are equipped to meet stakeholder requirements, now and in the future.

Our internal financial, business and project planning  systems need to be contemporary and responsive with transparent and effective reporting and assessment tools to underpin  our focus on continual improvement.

We need to modernise data and spatial  information management systems  and processes, leveraging data as one of our most important assets. Our data and spatial  information management need continuity in design, maintenance, quality assurance and review  processes.

As the digitisation of systems, processes and services increase, we must rapidly respond  and leverage new opportunities when appropriate, such as drones, secure  data access, molecular science and social  media, to deliver services  in ways the community and stakeholders expect.

Outcomes and strategic actions to progress work against  this goal are captured in the table below.