🏛️ Inside the NT Department of the Legislative Assembly — Your Next Public-Sector Career? ✨
“We read Public-Sector Annual Reports so you don’t have to.”
If you’re searching Government jobs Australia, Australian Public Service careers or simply a fresh start in the Top End, this rapid guide will save you a stack of time — and maybe land you a desk (or a seat in the Chamber!) at Parliament House in Darwin.
AT-A-GLANCE
• Name of Department / Council: Department of the Legislative Assembly (DLA)
• Location: Parliament House, Darwin NT
• CEO: Russell Keith (Acting Clerk & Chief Executive)
• Total Revenue: $30.36 million operating income, 2023-24
• Total Number of Employees: 101.62 FTE (≈ 200 staff when electorate offices are included)
DID YOU KNOW? 🤔
Parliament House security screened 136,721 visitors last financial year — that’s almost the entire population of Darwin walking through the scanners!
THE QUALIFICATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS, TRADES, PROFESSIONS, WORK EXPERIENCES & SKILLS MOST SUITED TO DLA
Top 5 academic qualifications most suited
Bachelor of Political Science / Public Policy – fuels committee research & legislative advice.
Bachelor of Communications / Journalism – perfect for Hansard transcription and broadcasting.
Diploma of Government – demonstrates APS-ready understanding of public-sector ethics.
Certificate IV in Business Administration – indispensable across electorate and corporate support desks.
Master of Information Management – aligns with the agency’s information-governance reforms.
Top 5 certifications most suited
PRINCE2® / AgilePM® – guides ICT and capital-works upgrades.
Certified Practising Accountant (CPA) – underpins budget oversight and audit liaison.
Security Operations Cert II/III – essential for Parliament House security roles.
Work Health & Safety Cert IV – backs the revised WHS Management Plan.
Adobe Creative Cloud Certifications – lifts digital engagement & education resources.
Top 5 trades / professions most suited
Audio-Visual Technician – keeps the modernised broadcast system humming.
Electrician / HVAC Technician – maintains heritage-listed building services.
Carpenter / Joiner – supports Parliament House refurbishments.
Records Manager – drives the TRM & information-governance roll-out.
Policy Analyst / Researcher – supplies impartial advice to scrutiny committees.
Top 5 skills most suited
Soft skills: stakeholder diplomacy, political neutrality, crisp writing, cultural awareness, deadline discipline.
Technical skills: Hansard software, JIRA Service Management, audiovisual switching, procurement, data governance.
General skills: budget literacy, event coordination, project scheduling, customer service, risk management.
Top 5 work experiences most suited
Committee secretariat work – mirrors DLA scrutiny functions.
Building-facilities coordination – matches property-management portfolio.
ICT service-desk or portal administration – aligns with the new customer portal.
Education & outreach – parallels Parliamentary Education Services.
Legislative drafting / law-clerk roles – supports chamber procedure.
THE KEY FACTS
• Name of Department: Department of the Legislative Assembly
• Name of CEO: Russell Keith (Acting)
• Location: Northern Territory-wide, headquartered in Darwin
• Year Founded: 1974 (first NT Assembly; independent agency after 1978 Self-Government).
• Main mission and purpose: Provide impartial support to Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), maintain Parliament House and connect Territorians with their democratic institution. Real-world impact: Education officers travelled to Nhulunbuy, Elliott, Wugularr and more to deliver hands-on civics lessons.
• Main duties: Chamber support, committee research, electorate-staff management and heritage-building upkeep. Example: DLA facilitated 29 committee meetings and received 429 submissions that shaped NT legislation last year.
• Key projects, strategic priorities & future plans:
– Strategic Plan 2024-28 (five pillars from parliamentary integrity to “Invest in our people”).
– Customer-service portal powered by JIRA.
– Major audiovisual and lift-modernisation works inside Parliament House.
THE EMPLOYEES & REVENUE
• Total Number of Employees: 101.62 FTE; agency headcount about 200 including electorate offices.
• Total Number of Employees at each pay level: Executive Contracts 2; ECO5 1; ECO3 1; SAO2 6; SAO1 5; AO7 2; AO6 4; AO5 2; AO4 11; AO3 2; AO2 1; Professional P2 1; Hansard Casuals 21.
• Salary Bands (indicative NT Public Sector ranges 2024): AO2 $62k → $67k | AO4 $79k → $90k | AO6 $100k → $113k | AO7 $114k → $121k | Executive contracts ≈ $170k +.
• Average salary in the department / council: ≈ $198k (total employee expenses $20.10 m ÷ 101.62 FTE, includes MLA remuneration).
• Total Revenue: $30.36 million operating income.
• Average Revenue per Employee: ≈ $299k.
GETTING A JOB AT DLA
Which Academic Subjects are likely to be most sought after?
Certificate / Diploma Level: Business Administration, Library & Information Services, Security Operations — each feeds directly into frontline support roles.
Bachelor / Master Level: Law, Political Science, Accounting, IT, Communications — underpin committee advice, finance, ICT and media.
PhDs: Constitutional Law, Indigenous Governance, Public Policy — invaluable for high-level research briefs and committee references.
Which Trades & Professions?
Electricians, AV Technicians, Carpenters, HVAC Mechanics (building services) • HR advisers & payroll officers • Security supervisors (liaising with NT Police & contractors).
Which Work Experiences?
Local-government meeting admin • Broadcast production • Public-sector audit • Event/venue management • Remote-community engagement.
Which Skills?
Soft skills: political neutrality, stakeholder liaison, plain-English writing, conflict de-escalation, time-management.
Technical skills: Hansard transcription, TRM records, SharePoint, JIRA workflows, procurement rules.
General skills: budget tracking, customer service, project reporting, WHS, basic media relations.
Which Hobbies & Interests align with DLA?
Parliamentary trivia, debating, podcasting, community volunteering, heritage photography.
Want more information on this organisation?
Department of the Legislative Assembly
Address: PO Box 3721, Darwin NT 0800, Australia
Phone: (08) 8946 1422
Website: parliament.nt.gov.au — see About Us → Employment
NT Government Jobs Portal: jobs.nt.gov.au — search “Legislative Assembly”
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