The Finocchiaro Government has increased rent on government employee houses by 25 per cent, but a spokesman said departments and agencies would principally pay the additional cost.

A notice in the NT Government Gazette last Friday by Housing Minister Steve Edgington raised the rent on government employee housing to $105 per bedroom from yesterday.

The former Labor Urban Housing Minister Ngaree Ah Kit raised rent to $84 per bedroom on February 1.

Prior to that increase, rents had not been raised since July 27, 2022.

The NT News reported rent increases would apply to 1397 government homes for employees such as police, teachers, nurses and rangers.

The paper reported that an unnamed government spokesperson said the rent rise would not affect government workers in isolated areas, and that in most cases the extra cost would be paid by the departments or agencies because housing is provided free to staff in some locations.

But the paper said 96 Parks and Wildlife employees might have to pay extra because they receive only a partial rent subsidy based on their proximity to towns.

“Government staff working in remote communities provide essential services and support, and we know how critical it is to attract and retain the right people, including police, nurses, teachers, child protection workers, and community sports officers,” the spokesperson was reported to have said.

Opposition leader Selena Uibo was quoted by the NT News as saying the government’s move to increase the rent would make recruiting new workers into the Territory more difficult.

“It is extremely concerning that Lia Finocchiaro and the CLP are hiking up the rent of our police, healthcare workers and teachers by 25 per cent,” Ms Uibo said.

“In a time when cost of living is at its worst we should be doing more to incentivise professionals to work across the Territory, not less.

“With these cuts to the public service the CLP are making it tougher to recruit and retain nurses, teachers, police and other essential services.”