The Northern Territory's health department faced scrutiny as its annual budget surpassed projections by more than $200 million, reaching a total of nearly $2.2 billion for 2023-24. Chief Minister Eva Lawler expressed worry about the significant budget overrun, especially amid the territory's mounting debt exceeding $11 billion, emphasizing the need for the health department to address the financial challenges and make necessary adjustments before the end of the fiscal year.
The complexities within the health sector in the Northern Territory were highlighted, with Chief Minister Lawler acknowledging the difficulties of managing a budget in an area with a high volume of chronically ill patients and aging infrastructure, particularly at the Royal Darwin Hospital. Additionally, issues stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic compounded the struggles in recruiting and retaining frontline healthcare staff, leading to a costly reliance on agency workers and locums instead of permanent personnel within the department.
According to a spokesperson for NT Health, the increase in spending was attributed to various factors such as a surge in demand for services, difficulties in recruiting skilled healthcare professionals, and rising costs across the supply chain for service delivery. Efforts to review and reform the health service were underway to ensure the maintenance of a high-quality healthcare system within the approved budget limits. Despite the challenges, Chief Minister Lawler advocated for greater funding from the Commonwealth for health in light of the unique healthcare needs and geographical constraints faced by the Northern Territory.
The comments by Ms. Lawler regarding the health budget and the challenges faced by the health department drew criticism from professional healthcare associations such as ASMOF NT, AMA NT, and ANMF NT. The organizations expressed support for NT Health CEO Marco Briceno and highlighted the complexities of managing spending in a department constantly dealing with crises and high levels of activity. Concerns were also raised about the work and pay conditions influencing healthcare professionals' decisions to opt for nursing agencies over full-time positions within the health department, reflecting a broader issue impacting healthcare delivery in the Northern Territory. Additionally, the territory's budget allocation drew criticism from social services advocates, who pointed out funding shortfalls in critical areas like domestic violence services and emphasized the need for more comprehensive support systems beyond traditional crime and policing investments to address community safety effectively.