About us

About NT Build

The Construction Industry Long Service Leave and Benefits Act 2005 (the Act) commenced on 1 July 2005, enabling building and construction industry workers in the Northern Territory to benefit from a portable long service leave scheme known as NT Build.

The Scheme is part of a national framework, underpinned by a National Reciprocal Agreement, enabling eligible construction workers and eligible contractors to move between employers and projects in the building and construction industry, within the NT and Australia, while accruing service towards a portable long service leave entitlement.

The construction industry funds the Scheme by way of a Ministerially determined levy on eligible Northern Territory construction projects of at least $1 million in value.

How the scheme works

Workers and Labour Only Contractors must be registered under the Scheme to accrue long service leave. The Scheme only allows service of one year to be recognised prior to the registration date.

Employers who employ at least one registered worker must be registered under the Scheme. Employers have reporting obligations to NT Build in relation to registered workers and must keep records.

The Scheme is at no cost to workers or labour only contractors. As long as they are registered, undertaking construction work and their service is being recorded, they are entitled to make a claim when specific service milestones are reached.

In the NT, workers and labour only contractors registered under the Scheme are entitled to take:

When a claim is made by a worker or labour only contractor, NT Build pays the registered worker or labour only contractor a lump sum (after which the relevant tax amount is withheld in accordance with the ATO’s rules). The benefit rate is based on a defined weekly benefit determined by the NT Build Board each financial year.

Interstate Schemes

Each state and territory has similar schemes, and interstate service may be used to accrue an entitlement. This is because arrangements have been put in place with other states and territories to recognise service and entitlements earned elsewhere. This means that even if a worker moves between employers and between states and territories the service days recorded with each interstate scheme are added together to determine the total number of days.

Any interstate service used to reach an entitlement in the NT will be paid in full as part of the entitlement payout. The portion paid by the other state is calculated by them and they will tell us the amount to be paid.

Note: Workers cannot claim long service leave from both an employer and the NT Build Scheme.

The Board and Office

The NT Build Board is responsible for administering the Scheme and consists of the following seven Board members: Michael Martin OAM (Chairperson), Michael Milatos, David Hayes, Kelly Ralston, Andrea Moriarty, Theo Tsikouris and Angela Tomazos.

The Board issues an Annual Report which includes an overview of NT Build during the financial year and audited financial statements in relation to the Board’s operations.

NT Build’s administrative functions and support to the Board are undertaken by a Registrar and a small team of employees.