By ERWIN CHLANDA

In the opening sequence we’re told by the central character, played by Anna Torv: “Everything up here is trying to kill you.”

Not long after we see an already injured man getting mauled to death by a pack of feral dogs.

Subsequently, there is a funeral for him at which, incredibly, business haggling is going on with the dead man’s family, an uninvited competitor turns up, drunk, and a brawl breaks out.

That’s the start of the Netflix series Territory into which the NT Government has sunk $1.3m of taxpayers’ money and on the back of which our tourism promoters want to boost the industry, currently running at half its normal speed.

“The opening scene of Territory, depicting the wildness and unforgiving beauty of the NT outback, is likely to intrigue rather than deter potential visitors,” explains the government in a statement yesterday, after a request for comment from the Alice Springs News.

“It reinforces the NT as a place of raw adventure and natural wonder. This is exactly what draws adventure tourists who want a unique destination filled with dramatic landscapes and untamed nature.”

The elite of the Territory’s cattle raising community is being portrayed as semi-articulate, swearing, brawling, drinking rednecks, hating each other. Does the industry propose to put visitors in touch with people like that?

“The show’s portrayal of the NT pastoral community is an independent, creative choice made by the filmmakers,” says the statement.

“The NT Government had no input or influence on the script or character depictions, as all film content is entirely the filmmakers’ responsibility. What audiences see is fictionalised for dramatic impact.”

Neither the government nor Tourism Central Australia will say whether they consulted with the NT Cattlemen’s Association before putting public money into the production.

The News has invited the association to comment.

“Territory joins a proud legacy of NT filmed productions like Jedda, Crocodile Dundee, Top End Wedding, and The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, to name a few,” says the statement.

“These films have long inspired global audiences to visit the NT, and now with Netflix’s reach, Territory provides an extraordinary platform to showcase our landscapes and culture worldwide, inviting more people than ever to explore the NT.”

The production resulted “in a direct, audited spend of $6,885,521 into the NT economy over the 10 week filming period,” says the statement.

“This supported local jobs, services, and businesses, demonstrating how such projects can deliver economic benefits while highlighting NT’s unique landscapes.”

The government is not commenting on the fact that the locations are entirely in the Top End – none are in The Centre.

Travel Weekly comments: “For those captivated by the visuals, the show also serves as an inadvertent tourism ad.

“Locations like Bullo River Station, Bamurru Plains and Finniss River Lodge, which feature heavily in the series, offer luxury outback experiences that may tempt many viewers to visit.

“Territory is more than a TV show. It’s an invitation to experience the Northern Territory’s raw beauty firsthand.”

The series is available worldwide on Netflix to over 238 million paid members in over 190 countries. It will be interesting to examine whether it attracts visitors, or keeps them away.

PHOTO at top is not part of the showreel.