The Northern Territory has stepped into October with its most ambitious business program in three decades. October Business Month (OBM) 2025 has been launched alongside sweeping procurement reforms, signalling a strong push to back local enterprises, create jobs, and accelerate growth across the Top End.
With more than 200 events scheduled, OBM is not just a calendar filler—it is a structured blueprint for transformation. The theme, Play to Our Strengths, reflects a deliberate shift toward embracing digitalisation, workforce attraction, resilience building, and AI-driven solutions. Organisers say this year is about giving Territory businesses not just ideas, but also actionable tools to expand their footprint and compete in national and global markets.
A Program Built for Territory Businesses
Over 70 event partners have been engaged to deliver practical sessions, workshops, and keynote speeches. Names such as Carolyn Creswell, Founder of Carmen’s Kitchen, and Simon Griffiths, the social entrepreneur behind Who Gives a Crap, are expected to attract strong attendance.
The “Business Support Series” will be central to the month, focusing on critical needs like financial literacy, procurement and tendering skills, and ICT adoption. These sessions are designed with Territory businesses in mind—small, medium, and large enterprises seeking to adapt to an economy in transition.
By focusing on digital readiness, OBM is setting out to answer one of the Territory’s biggest challenges: how to ensure businesses in Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine, and remote regions are not left behind as technology continues to disrupt industries.
Procurement Reforms to Cut Red Tape
Coinciding with OBM, the CLP Government has rolled out major procurement reforms that are expected to remove long-standing hurdles for local businesses. Effective 1 October 2025, procurement rules have been modernised to allow faster, fairer, and more transparent purchasing processes.
The headline changes are the new purchasing thresholds:
- Tier 1 cap lifted from $15,000 to $50,000
- Tier 2 cap raised from $100,000 to $200,000
These increases mean local businesses can secure direct contracts for more goods and services without being caught up in lengthy approval chains. For Territory enterprises, it could mean faster deals, improved cash flow, and a level playing field against larger interstate competitors.
The appointment of Tom Harris, CEO of the Civil Contractors Federation NT, as the first Territory Procurement Champion further underscores the seriousness of these reforms. Harris is tasked with independently resolving complaints, advocating for fairer processes, and ensuring more contracts flow directly to Territory businesses.
Business Voices at the Centre
The Procurement Reform Roadshow in September ensured that businesses across the NT were briefed and consulted on the changes. Free information sessions gave local operators an early opportunity to understand how the reforms will be implemented.
By streamlining processes, cutting red tape, and improving invoice payment timelines, the government hopes to create certainty and confidence for local traders. The aim is not only to ease day-to-day business but to encourage longer-term investment and expansion within the NT.
Fast-Tracking Growth
The reforms also align with the Approvals Fast Track Taskforce report, released in July. Of the 70 recommendations made, 60 were accepted in full and 10 in principle. Nearly 50 of these will be rolled out in the next 12 months, including:
- Faster payment of invoices to tradies.
- Longer licence renewal cycles for builders.
- Extended registration periods for food businesses.
This move comes as the NT recorded a 10.2 per cent economic growth rate—according to the latest CommSec report—placing it at the top of the nation’s rankings and nearly three times higher than the ACT’s 3.6 per cent growth.
Why OBM Matters Beyond Networking
For many businesses, October Business Month is not just about attending events. It’s about practical opportunities:
- Access to mentors and leaders. Direct engagement with national entrepreneurs like Creswell and Griffiths can inspire and inform local operators.
- Tailored learning. Whether it’s ICT clinics or tendering workshops, sessions are targeted to the needs of Territory businesses.
- Connections that stick. OBM offers a rare concentration of stakeholders—from small start-ups to established contractors—under one umbrella.
Events are being offered both in-person and online, ensuring regional operators and Indigenous businesses are not excluded.
The Bigger Picture: A Territory Built on Confidence
Minister for Trade, Business and Asian Relations Robyn Cahill stressed that these initiatives are about restoring confidence and setting the NT apart as the best place to live, work, visit, and invest.
She argued that for eight years, Labor left the Territory with “the nation’s worst economy, broken finances, and no solutions.” By contrast, the CLP government now positions itself as delivering tangible success, pointing to the economic rebound and procurement reforms as proof.
Implications for Investors and the Workforce
For investors, streamlined procurement and a government-led focus on resilience create a stronger foundation for risk management. Certainty in processes, coupled with the NT’s natural resource base, makes the Territory more attractive to capital inflows.
For workers, the emphasis on workforce attraction and retention could translate into more stable employment opportunities and an enhanced pipeline of jobs. With skills shortages continuing to challenge sectors from construction to ICT, OBM provides a platform to explore solutions, including training and digital upskilling.
Building a Resilient and Diversified Economy
The NT has long been reliant on mining and construction as its economic drivers. The OBM theme—Play to Our Strengths—recognises that while these sectors remain vital, the Territory must diversify to future-proof itself. AI adoption, digital integration, and local procurement are viewed as essential to broadening the economic base.
By equipping businesses with the right skills and support, OBM aims to push resilience beyond rhetoric and into daily operations.
Looking Forward
The combination of OBM and procurement reforms marks a decisive effort to reset the NT’s economic trajectory. Success will depend on whether businesses can translate workshops and roadshow insights into measurable growth.
Early signs are encouraging: increased procurement thresholds, faster approvals, and the highest growth rate in the country suggest the Territory is entering a new phase of opportunity. Yet challenges remain. Connectivity in remote communities, workforce shortages, and global economic volatility will test the durability of these reforms.
For now, October Business Month offers a moment of optimism—a chance for NT enterprises to step forward, innovate, and position themselves for long-term resilience.
Growth is back, opportunities are visible, and the Territory’s economic future looks stronger than it has in years.