The NT Government has announced a new incentive to encourage teachers to move to Katherine. 

New and existing teachers in the regional NT town will receive a yearly $3,500 “retention payment” to subsidise their rent, according to Education Minister Eva Lawler. 

“We value our teachers and we have heard their concerns,” Ms Lawler said this week. 

“This support will make a considerable difference to those experiencing difficulties securing affordable housing and will help us to attract and retain high-quality teachers.

“From the government's point of view, hopefully there [are] savings for us because when you have teacher turnover, it's costly because you're having to recruit teachers [and] relocate teachers.”

The announcement comes three years after the government cut an existing rental subsidy as part of “budget repair measures”, saving just $500,000 per year. That move has been considered as damaging to teacher retention.

It is unclear how many teachers will be able to take up the offer to move, as Katherine is in the grips of a housing crisis, with a rental vacancy rate now below 1 per cent.

NT Education Union president Michelle Ayres has welcomed the additional financial support, calling it “a step in the right direction, but not the overall answer”.

“It's not by any measure similar to the rental subsidy … it's definitely less money,” she said.