Darwin Major Business Group

The Darwin Major Business Group (DMBG) welcomes the Finocchiaro CLP Government’s strong public commitment to the reinstatement of private maternity services in Darwin, and its decision to hold crisis talks with PurposeCo (formerly Healthscope) on the future of Darwin Private Hospital . A DMBG spokesperson said the Government’s position, that private maternity reinstatement is a non-negotiable condition of any future hospital management arrangement, reflects exactly what the business community has been calling for. “DMBG is genuinely pleased to see the Government take this firm and public position. Minister Edgington and the Chief Minister have made clear that they understand what is at stake, not just for Territory families, but for Darwin’s ability to attract and retain the skilled workforce this economy depends on. That message is consistent with what DMBG put to the Minister for Health twelve months ago, and we are glad it has been heard.” — Spokesperson, Darwin Major Business Group Darwin Major Business Group wrote to the Minister for Health in May 2025 urging government action on private maternity services, flagging the growing impact of the service gap on population attraction and retention. The Group is encouraged that the Government has moved decisively now the status of ownership of the Private Hospital is clearer and is committed to ensuring the issue is resolved as part of the broader future of the Darwin Private Hospital. A critical moment - the business community stands ready Minister for Health Steve Edgington’s statement on 18 May made the Government’s position clear: “As part of any future arrangements for Darwin Private Hospital, restoring private maternity services must be a priority. This issue cannot be ignored in any future hospital management arrangements.” Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro reinforced this commitment in her interview with Mix 104.9 this week, confirming private maternity reinstatement is a condition of any deal with PurposeCo, and that the Government is simultaneously engaging alternative operators should PurposeCo be unwilling or unable to commit. The Chief Minister also indicated that NT Government budget capacity exists to progress infrastructure planning work, regardless of the timing of Commonwealth funding. DMBG stands ready to support the Government through this process and encourages any prospective operator to engage constructively. As Minister Edgington has said: “If you are prepared to back the Territory, we are prepared to back you.” The Darwin business community extends the same offer. Why this matters: population, workforce and economic growth The absence of private maternity services since June 2025 has had measurable consequences for Darwin’s ability to compete for the skilled workers and families the Territory needs. DMBG members report that the service gap is: A deterrent to Defence personnel and their families choosing Darwin as a posting destination, a significant concern at a time of major defence investment and force posture expansion in the Top End; Contributing to the departure of medical professionals and specialists, as demonstrated by the closure of Darwin’s last private obstetrics practice in early 2026, leaving the Territory with no private obstetricians at all; Reducing Darwin’s attractiveness to resources sector executives, contractors, and professional services workers who hold private health insurance and expect to be able to use it; and Adding avoidable pressure to Royal Darwin Hospital’s public maternity services, which absorbed an estimated 250 additional births following the Darwin Private Hospital closure. Darwin recorded 2,040 births in 2024, a five-year high, and 40% of NT residents hold private hospital cover. The market for private maternity services exists. What has been missing is the infrastructure and operator commitment to serve it. “Private maternity services are not a luxury; they are part of the basic infrastructure that makes Darwin a viable long-term home for families. Defence families, medical professionals, and private sector workers ask the same question when they consider a Darwin posting: Can I access quality healthcare here, including when I start or grow my family? Right now, the honest answer is no. The Government’s commitment to fix that is the right call, and the business community will do everything it can to support a successful outcome.” — Spokesperson, Darwin Major Business Group The Commonwealth must play its part DMBG notes that the Federal Government did not allocate the $10 million sought by the NT Government in the 2026 Budget to support the reinstatement of private maternity infrastructure, despite having provided equivalent funding to other states and territories facing private maternity closures. The Territory’s circumstances are unique: a single private hospital, no alternative private maternity facility within thousands of kilometres, and a small but genuine market that cannot be assessed against southern capital city benchmarks. DMBG urges the NT’s federal representatives, on both sides of the aisle, to advocate strongly for Territory-appropriate funding through the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) process. The Commonwealth’s engagement on this issue to date has not matched the scale of the problem. It was encouraging to hear the Federal Member for Solomon publicly state on Mix 104.9 that the $10 million is coming. DMBG calls on Mr Gosling to deliver on that commitment through the MYEFO process. DMBG’s position The Darwin Major Business Group calls on all parties to act with the urgency the situation demands: PurposeCo should come to its meeting with Minister Edgington prepared to make firm commitments on private maternity reinstatement as a condition of any future management arrangement, with a clear delivery timeline; The NT Government should proceed with infrastructure planning work without delay, consistent with the Chief Minister’s indication that budget capacity exists to do so; The Commonwealth Government should allocate MYEFO funding commensurate with support provided to other jurisdictions, recognising the Territory’s unique circumstances; and Private health insurers should work proactively with any new operator to ensure contracted rates reflect the genuine cost of delivering services in a small, remote market. DMBG looks forward to working constructively with the Government, any future operator, and the broader health sector to deliver an outcome that gives Territory families the choice and certainty they deserve.

Why does economic growth matter? Economic growth underpins the Territory’s ability to fund hospitals, schools, roads and essential services. It also drives jobs, wages and opportunities for young Territorians to build their future here. Check out our latest video on what the Territory needs to grow the economy, featuring DMBG members: Peter Savoff | Darwin Convention Centre Alex Underwood | Beetaloo Energy Australia Kamal Ali | Kolsen Shane Dignan | DCOH Steve Margetic | Margetic and Sitzler Download the DMBG's What the Territory Needs report.