Select Committee on the effectiveness of the Australian Government’s Northern Australia agenda

April 2021

© Commonwealth of Australia 2021
ISBN: 978-1-76093-219-0

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Members

Terms of Reference

Abbreviations and acronyms

List of Recommendations

Chapter 1—Introduction

  Conduct of the inquiry
  Report structure
  Acknowledgment
  Interim report
  Statutory Review of the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility
  The Statutory Review of the NAIF Report
  Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment Bill 2021
  Access to financing
  Infrastructure audits

Chapter 2—Overall effectiveness of the Northern Australia Agenda

  The
  Evidence received on effectiveness of the Northern Australia agenda
  Impact of COVID-19
  Ongoing challenges

Chapter 3—Transport infrastructure

  White Paper
  Road infrastructure
  Rail
  Aviation infrastructure
  Maritime freight

Chapter 4—Water infrastructure

  White Paper
  Government investment
  Evidence received by the committee
  First Nations water rights and economic engagement

Chapter 5—Social infrastructure

  Housing
  Health
  Potable water
  Accessibility
  Telecommunications and connectivity

Chapter 6—Investment, opportunities and engagement with First Nations people

  White Paper
  Government policies and investment
  Leveraging economic opportunities from land
  First Nations poverty in Northern Australia
  First Nations enterprise
  On-country work
  The issue of 'black cladding'

Chapter 7—Employment and education

  Rates of unemployment
  White Paper
  Government investment and policies
  Sources of labour
  Fly-in-fly-out workers
  Access to employment opportunities
  Education

Chapter 8—A broader northern economy

  White Paper
  Evidence received by the committee

Chapter 9—Insurance

  ACCC: Northern Australia insurance inquiries
  Evidence received

Chapter 10—Environment

  The White Paper
  Existing government programs
  World Heritage Areas
  Climate change
  Biosecurity
  River systems

Chapter 11—Committee view and recommendations

  Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility
  Transport infrastructure
  Water infrastructure
  Social infrastructure: housing
  Social infrastructure: health care
  Social infrastructure: telecommunications
  Investment opportunities and engagement with First Nations peoples
  Employment and education
  A broader northern economy
  Insurance
  Environment

Coalition Senators' additional comments

  Broad themes within recommendations that cannot be supported
  Additional comments on other issues

Australian Greens' additional comments

Senator Malcolm Roberts' dissenting report

  Electricity
  Water
  Land tenure
  Aboriginal opportunities
  Tax
  Economic environment including infrastructure
  Investment bank—people's bank
  Addressing the high cost of living, unemployment, low availability of housing and similar
  The natural environment
  Governance
  Some solutions
  Positions on the Chair's specific recommendations

Appendix 1—Submissions and additional information

Appendix 2—Public hearings

Committee Secretariat contact:

Senior Clerk's Office
Department of the Senate
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Phone: (02) 6277 3555
seniorclerk.committees.sen@aph.gov.au