Diversifying Cores but Stagnant Peripheries: Mining and Other Industry Employment Contributions to Development in Local Government Areas of the Northern Territory

The economic structure of local government areas ( LGA s) of the Northern Territory ( NT ) are mapped and analysed using economic base theory. Using a three‐stage geospatial visualisation we find that: (i) Mining and agriculture are predominantly providing job concentration in a handful of remote LGA s. (ii) Employment growth is derived from public services, with private sector industries contributing almost equally in most LGA s. (iii) NT LGA s exhibit core‐periphery characteristics including vulnerable peripheries, often alongside mature mining operations. (iv) However, mature mining is also found alongside diversified sub‐cores, providing a model for more vulnerable LGA s.