NT refocusing on economy over scandals

The Northern Territory's chief minister is working hard to draw the focus back to economic development, amid reports yet another minister may walk out on his government.

A series of scandals that have resulted in the government losing four MPs over the past 18 months, finding itself now in a minority position, and now Environment Minister Gary Higgins has flagged he will reconsider his future by Christmas.

But Chief Minister Adam Giles says the Country Liberals have been "making some remarkable achievements" despite the problems.

"The upheavals have all revolved around the inner workings of politics and micro-analysis on politicians rather than policy," Mr Giles told an NT Chamber of Commerce lunch on Monday.

"Indeed some of this has been of our own making... I accept we could have put more thought into things at times and we have strayed a little when we should have been showing humility and demonstrating less self-interest."

Speaking on a range of upcoming projects for the NT, Mr Giles said his government supports onshore gas developments, and "there will be no moratorium" on an industry that powers Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Yulara.

He also announced that all petroleum royalties from future developments from onshore oil and gas will go towards increased access to vocational education and training and higher education.

The government is leapfrogging into a scoping study rather than a feasibility study for a railway line from Tennant Creek to Mt Isa in Queensland.

"We are not going to be slowed by a two-year exercise into why it might be a good idea to connect western Queensland with an upgraded port," Mr Giles said.

"It's quicker and cheaper to export from western Queensland through Darwin because it saves days in shipping time."

The NT is also working with the federal government to increase the supply of skilled migrant workers under the country's first Designated Area Migration Agreement, which is being expanded from 16 approved occupations to over 80.

The three-year agreement will allow 500 overseas skilled people to work in the NT in its first year.