A telephone survey of Territory residents over the next weeks will help researchers at Charles Darwin University’s School for Social and Policy Research build a better picture of the Territory’s population.
The Territory has by far the highest turnover rate in Australia, a fact frequently attributed to mobility within the defence forces and short-term public service contracts. However, limited hard evidence exists as to why the Territory situation is so different from other states.
The telephone survey is part of a major study on population turnover and mobility in the Northern Territory funded by a three-year Australian Research Council grant with support from the NT Government and Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The NT Mobility Project aims to get a better understanding of who comes to the Territory, who lives here, and why people stay or leave.
CDU demographer Dr Tom Wilson says the survey will provide invaluable information for policy-makers and employers in their attempts to attract and retain skilled people in the Territory.
“We want to learn more about lifestyle and work-related migration in and out of the Territory,” he says. “We also want to know what people like or dislike about the Territory and what could entice them to stay longer.”
The survey will ask a range of questions of about 1000 people telephoned randomly from across the Territory, and is entirely voluntary.
For further information see the survey webpage www.cdu.edu.au/sspr/mobility.htm or contact Dr Tom Wilson on (08) 8946 7202 or 0415 539 115