Budget fails to help Top End: NT govt

The Northern Territory feels like the biggest loser in the federal budget, with politicians and industry groups accusing Canberra of turning its back on the Top End.

The coalition on Tuesday night revealed no significant new spending or projects for the NT, and Chief Minister Michael Gunner says his Labor government will have to do the heavy lifting to get its economy back on track.

Mr Gunner said federal Treasurer Scott Morrison's second budget failed the test of Canberra's commitment to develop the north and improve the lives of indigenous people.

He said there was little in the budget except a small national increase in health and education funding.

Mr Gunner invited Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and the treasurer to the Territory to see firsthand the level of disadvantage, the limitations to growing government revenue and the challenges of delivering services to remote areas.

"It does cost more to run a health clinic in Yuendumu than in Geelong," he said.

"It was a budget for the marginal seats and not for the margins."

The Labor member for the federal seat of Solomon, which includes Darwin, was disappointed by the lack of funding for job-creating defence infrastructure following "cruel" cuts to the NT's share of GST.

Luke Gosling joined fellow federal Labor MP Warren Snowdon and Senator Malarndirri McCarthy to slam a $16 million decrease in National Partnership for Remote Housing funding to the NT.

"There are no real funding commitments in this budget to glose the gap of indigenous disadvantage. This is a disgrace," they said.

The NT will receive some of the $55.7 million the commonwealth has committed over five years to help improve the job prospects for indigenous Australians across the country.

Likewise, the commonwealth is providing $3.6 billion over four years from 2017/18 to the Indigenous Australians' Health Program to improve effective healthcare services in areas of need.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion says Canberra has pledged $4.2 billion for the Territory next financial year and demanded the NT government encourage private investment by lifting a ban on fracking.

Chamber of Commerce NT chief executive officer Greg Bicknell says the Territory could lose workers due to the new migration levy and large scale infrastructure projects starting in the southern states.

NT Cattlemen's Association chief executive officer Tracey Hayes welcomed the 12-month extension of the instant asset write-off of $20,000 for small business.

NT Council of Government School Organisations says despite rhetoric around the Turnbull government's Gonski 2.0 funding reform, indigenous school funding will lose $21 million over the next four years.

"We will be the only state or territory to have to 'transition down' in funding," council president Tabby Fudge said.