Northern Australia

Key points

The Coalition’s strong economy is delivering a nation-building future for Northern Australia, with more jobs, new economic opportunities, safer communities and better essential services.

Our plan for the North is at the heart of our national plan to create 1.3 million jobs over the next five years, including 450,000 in regional Australia.

With 53 per cent of Australia’s landmass – but only 5.3 per cent of Australia’s population – we’re unlocking the great economic potential of the North to attract and retain people, create and build businesses and drive Indigenous economic development.

We are also capitalising on the North’s competitive advantages to grow traditional and emerging industries in agriculture, resources, critical minerals, hydrogen, defence, manufacturing and tourism. These industries will drive the nation’s future economy.

Our economic plan has already helped Northern Australia overcome the biggest economic shock since the Great Depression, with unemployment falling across Western Australia, the Northern Territory and North and Central Queensland.

We have a long record of delivering for Northern Australia. Our strong economic management has meant lower taxes for workers and small businesses, funded almost $3.5 billion of projects through the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility, invested in major road infrastructure upgrades to the Outback Way, Central Arnhem Road, Bruce Highway, Beef Roads and the Great Northern Highway and established the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia, headquartered in Townsville.

We have also invested in better rural and remote health services, created an Indigenous Procurement Policy through which $5.3 billion has flowed to over 2,100 Indigenous businesses, and upgraded defence facilities across the North.

There is still more to do – and we have bold plans for the future of Australia’s North.

A re-elected Coalition Government will continue to build a stronger future for the North by:

• Investing an additional $2 billion through the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility to invest in jobs growth and economic prosperity.
• Delivering more than $1.7 billion in additional roads funding, including over $1 billion for priority infrastructure projects on the Outback Way and expanding the successful Northern Australia Roads Program, and $715 million for upgrades to other priority roads.
• Investing $5.8 billion to turbocharge the economies of three key regional hubs – the Pilbara in Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and Central and North Queensland – opening up major new export opportunities in agriculture, manufacturing and hydrogen.
• Investing in water infrastructure to transform economic potential and support regional growth in the North, including:
  • A further $5.4 billion to build the Hells Gates Dam, subject to the final business case.
  • $300.6 million for the Darwin Region Water Supply Infrastructure Program, Stage 1.
  • $7.1 million for the Adelaide River Catchment Water Allocation Plan.
• Continuing to back the growth of the North’s resources and gas sectors, and positioning Northern Australia as a world leader in the exploration, extraction, production and processing of critical minerals.
• Helping more Australians buy their first home by allowing them to use up to 40 per cent of their superannuation to get into the property market, and removing barriers for Australians downsizing to residences that better suit their needs and lifestyle, and helping to free up larger homes for younger families.
• Improving economic, social and health outcomes for Indigenous Australians across the North, including expanding the highly-successful Indigenous Rangers program.
• Growing the North’s agriculture sector, including investing more than $61 million to enhance biosecurity capabilities and rolling out the Australian Agriculture Visa to meet workforce demand.
• Safeguarding the Great Barrier Reef with an extra $1 billion to strengthen Australia’s world-leading reef management activities and protect the 64,000 jobs that depend on the Reef.
• Delivering $157 million to expand mobile coverage and improve connectivity in Northern Australia and $30 million to boost connectivity in Indigenous communities.
• Investing in modern manufacturing across Northern Australia through the $2.5 billion Modern Manufacturing Strategy and boosting the North’s defence industries.
• Delivering lower taxes for individuals and small businesses and cost of living relief.
• Delivering reduced insurance premiums through our reinsurance pool for cyclone and flood-related damage, backed by a $10 billion Commonwealth guarantee.
• Expanding apprenticeship wage subsidies to create a skilled workforce and help young people across Northern Australia into well-paid, secure jobs.
• Investing to bring back international and domestic tourists to the North to support thetourism recovery.
• Keeping the North safe with record funding for defence, maintaining strong border policies and investments in local community safety and crime prevention.

Labor has no economic plan for Northern Australia.

Under an Albanese Labor government, Northern Australia would be forgotten.

Labor’s 2021 and 2022 budget-in-reply speeches did not mention Northern Australia.

When Labor were last in government, they closed down the northern live cattle export industry.

A Labor-Greens alliance would put a moratorium on all new coal, oil and gas projects, killing off over $500 billion in investment and 80,000 jobs.

Our Plan

1. Transformational investments for Northern Australia

Only the Coalition has a vision and a plan to turbocharge the nation’s economic growth byunlocking the great potential and opportunities of Northern Australia.

Our plan for a stronger Northern Australia builds on the 2015 White Paper on Developing Northern Australia, with major investments including:

• the $7 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF).
• the Our North, Our Future initiative including $111.9 million for the Northern Australia Development Program to support business grants and advisory services and help businesses scale up and diversify, and $9.3 million to pilot Regions of Growth (ROG) to support business and industry, and maximise growth opportunities.
• the Government’s Energy Security and Regional Development Plan: investing $7.1 billion over 11 years for nation-building infrastructure projects to unlock the potential of key next generation energy hubs in Northern Australia and delivering $2.6 billion to develop the Northern Territory, $1.7 billion to strengthen north and central Queensland, and $1.5 billion to diversify the Pilbara’s economy.

The Coalition’s vision for the North builds on the region’s natural competitive advantages:innovative and entrepreneurial people, agriculture, resources, environment, geography, proximity to markets and traditional cultural heritage.

We’re constructing the roads, rail, ports and telecommunications infrastructure needed for development, and providing the right environment to incentivise investment across Northern Australia.

The Coalition Government has agreed in-principle to the extension of the Inland Rail from Toowoomba to the Port of Gladstone, subject to the business case demonstrating the project’s economic benefits.

At the same time, we are backing the North’s traditional strengths in tourism, mining, agriculture and defence.

The Coalition is investing $189.6 million to kick start development of Northern Australia as part of Our North, Our Future. Under this initiative, we’re focusing on priority Regions of Growth, connecting people and businesses with better telecommunications, and growing businesses and industry.

Economic development opportunities will be accelerated through development of regional master plans for:

• Mount Isa to Townsville.
• Beetaloo Basin to Katherine to Darwin.
• Broome to Kununurra to Darwin.

A further region of growth from Cairns to Gladstone in northern Queensland has also been identified.

A re-elected Coalition Government will fully realise these plans. We will work collaboratively with state and territory governments to prioritise projects that make a real difference.

A re-elected Coalition Government will continue to develop Northern Australia by:

• Delivering $2.6 billion to develop the Northern Territory into an industrial and low-emissons energy powerhouse. Our investments in major upgrades at Middle Arm, the Tanami Road, the Outback Way and beyond will lead to even more jobs, economic opportunities, and a better and safer place to live, work and raise a family.
• Growing the food bowl with a $1.7 billion investment in central and north Queensland infrastructure to expand irrigated agriculture. This builds on our $5.4 billion commitment to build the Hells Gates Dam (subject to final business case) and the North Bowen and Galilee Strategic Basin Plan to bring on exploration and development of the region’s gas resources.
• Investing $1.5 billion to diversify the Pilbara as a major hub for low emissions industries and open Western Australia’s north-west to development. The region has significant potential to diversify and grow, building on its skilled workforce, existing industrial base, bulk export infrastructure, energy resources, secure water, reliable power and a natural deep anchorage harbour at Port Hedland.
• Committing an additional $678 million to seal a further 1,000 km of the Outback Way. This is a significant nation-building investment in the 2,720 km road linking Winton in Queensland with Laverton in Western Australia, via Alice Springs.
• Developing master plans for Northern Australia’s identified regions of growth, to drive further economic development.
• Continuing to deliver on the Government’s more than $100 million investment in the 10-year Darwin City Deal to position Darwin as a vibrant and liveable tropical city with a diversified economy.

2. Attracting private investment to Northern Australia

Only the Coalition Government understands that it is businesses and private investment that grow our economy and create jobs.

That’s why we established the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) to attract private investment to the North.

The NAIF has already supported more than 32 investments worth almost $3.5 billion, which are expected to generate $25 billion in economic benefit and over 13,000 jobs.

The Government announced an additional $2 billion commitment to the NAIF in January 2022 as we responded to demand for NAIF investment to drive jobs and development.

The NAIF is currently undertaking due diligence on another $4.5 billion worth of potential investments, across 29 projects. This includes projects across priority sectors like energy, mining and minerals, agriculture, transport and social infrastructure.

A re-elected Coalition Government will continue to create the right environment to attract private investment into Northern Australia by:

• Delivering $80 million job creating projects under the Northern Australia Development Program, including:
  • $11 million to Walguru Steel for a purpose-built facility to consolidate operations in Townsville.
  • $4.91 million to Gough Industries, Townsville, to develop a new and expanded plastics production facility.
  • $3.3 million to Skytek, to build a new hanger and maintenance facility at the Cairns Airport Aviation Precinct.
• Developing 20-year Master Plans with state and territory governments to deliver a prospectus of investment opportunities in the North to accelerate Regions of Growth and expand the Northern Australia economy.
• Rolling out a further $2 billion in NAIF financing to increase private sector investment and work to achieve financial close for:
  • $255 million investment to support the Perdaman Urea Project in Karratha, Western Australia, to convert Australian gas into 2 million tonnes of fertiliser each year, creating 2,490 jobs.
  • $160 million loan to support the development of the Thunderbird Mineral Sands Project in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
  • $13.5 million loan to Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation to build a state-of-the-art cold storage facility and upgrade the warehouse.
  • $50 million for on-lending to small capital growth projects across the NT – Northern Territory Local Jobs Fund.
  • $490 million for the Mardie Salt and Potash Project – BCI Minerals, WA.
  • $32 million for the Kimberley Cotton Gin and Agricultural Development Project–Kimberley Cotton Company.
  • $140 million for the Yangibana Rare Earths Project – Hastings Technology Metals.
  • $95 million for the Burrup Seawater Pipeline Expansion Project – Water Corporation.
  • $84 million loan assistance for the Beyondie Sulphate of Potash Project – Kalium Lakes Infrastructure Pty Ltd, south east of Newman, Western Australia.
  • $160 million expansion for Port Dampier – Pilbara Ports Authority.
  • $140 million for the Lake Wells Sulphate of Potash Project - Australian Potash Limited.
  • $30 million to build a maintenance hub at Rockhampton Airport to service Alliance Airlines’ fleet.

3. Better and safer roads and rail across the North

The Coalition Government is investing strongly in transport infrastructure projects that create jobs, drive economic growth, and keep commuters and freight safe and moving.

We’ve committed more than $1.7 billion in the 2022-23 Budget to fund priority road projects in Northern Australia, including over $1 billion to fund priority infrastructure projects on the Outback Way and expand the successful Northern Australia Roads Program, and $715 million for upgrades to other priority roads across the vast North.

These investments form part of our record $120 billion, 10-year infrastructure pipeline that’s driving our plan for a strong economy and a stronger future.

A re-elected Coalition Government will invest:

• An additional $678 million for the Outback Way in the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia, building on the $330 million the Government has already delivered.
• An additional $385.4 million for the Northern Australia Roads Program.
• $180.1 million to establish the Regional Australia Level Crossing Safety Program, delivering safety upgrades to level crossings in regional and rural areas.

Northern Territory

A re-elected Coalition Government will continue to make record investments in the Northern Territory’s infrastructure pipeline, building on the $3.7 billion invested since 2013 including:

• $132 million for Central Australian Tourism Roads.
• $110 million to upgrade and further seal the Tanami Road, better connecting mining, tourism and agribusiness between the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
• $55 million for the Tiger Brennan Drive and Berrimah Road intersection upgrade.
• $50 million for the Alice Springs to Halls Creek corridor upgrade.
• $14.5 million for local road and community infrastructure projects.

Northern and Central Queensland

The Coalition Government’s 2022-23 Budget committed a further $3.3 billion to Queensland’s infrastructure pipeline, including projects across northern Queensland such as:

• A further $400 million for the Inland Freight Route from Mungindi to Charters Towers, taking the Government’s total commitment to $800 million to 2030-31.
• $190 million for the Mount Isa to Rockhampton corridor upgrade.
• $114.4 million for the Tennant Creek to Townsville Corridor Upgrade.
• $68.5 million for the Cooktown to Weipa Corridor Upgrade, taking the Coalition’s total funding for the corridor to $258.5 million.
• $31.6 million for the Cairns to Northern Territory Border Corridor Upgrade.
• $19.1 million for the Townsville to Roma corridor upgrade.
• $14.4 million for the Phillips Creek Bridge replacement project between Dysart and Moranbah, north-west of Rockhampton.
• $10 million for a business case to investigate the viability of extending the Inland Rail from Toowoomba to the Port of Gladstone.
• $10 million to upgrade Rockhampton Airport.

Western Australia’s north

A re-elected Coalition Government will continue record investments in Western Australia’s infrastructure pipeline, with a further $1.7 billion committed to projects in the 2022-23 Budget, including:

• $400 million to completely seal the Tanami Road to the Western Australia border.
• $40 million for Newman to Katherine Corridor Upgrade – Great Northern Highway Upgrade – Newman to Port Hedland Overtaking Lanes.
• $22.4 million for the Mid-West Secondary Freight Network.
• A share in $140 million for Western Australian Regional Road Safety Upgrades.

4. Securing water for the North

The Coalition Government is building the dams and water infrastructure to drive economic growth and opportunity across regional Australia.

Our investment in the National Water Grid Fund is $8.9 billion.

New and expanded water infrastructure will open up new agricultural export opportunities across Northern Australia and safeguard the region’s long-term water security for families and small business.

A re-elected Coalition Government will deliver major water infrastructure projects in Northern Australia including:

• $5.4 billion to build the Hells Gates Dam, Queensland, subject to completion of the final stage of the business case.This will turbocharge economic growth across the region, open new agricultural export opportunities and safeguard the region’s long term water security.
• $600 million for the restoration of Paradise Dam, Queensland.
• $483 million to build the Urannah Dam, pending demonstration of value for money and sufficient public benefit for investment.
• $300.6 million for the Darwin Region Water Supply Infrastructure Program (Stage 1), Northern Territory.
• $180 million for the Hughenden Irrigation Scheme.
• $30 million for Big Rocks Weir to deliver water security to Charters Towers and boostagricultural output.
• $11.6 million to modernise the Mareeba-Dimbulah Water Supply Scheme.
• $7.1 million for the Adelaide River Catchment Water Allocation Plan, Northern Territory.

A re-elected Coalition Government will:

• Invest $80 million to construct the 100 km Bowen underground pipeline linking the Burdekin River to Bowen, enabling irrigation of up to 40,000 hectares of agricultural land.

A re-elected Coalition Government will drive strategic water infrastructure planning by:

• Investing $6.9 billion through the National Water Grid Fund to expand nationally significant, transformational water infrastructure projects and help develop regional communities.
• Delivering $11.6 million to support the North Queensland Water Infrastructure Authority fulfil its mandate and expand its remit to support the development and delivery of water infrastructure in North Queensland.

5. Improving outcomes for Indigenous Australians

The Coalition has a plan to empower Indigenous Australians, unlock the economic potential of Indigenous land, create jobs, build skills and deliver practical action on reconciliation.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 15 per cent of Northern Australia’s population. We’re supporting them to increase business opportunities in the North as part of our efforts to close the gap.

We are working with a renewed Indigenous Reference Group on northern development to maximise the benefits for Indigenous Australians.

A re-elected Coalition Government will continue to drive Indigenous economic opportunity with:

• $636.4 million for the Indigenous Rangers Program to fund about 2,000 additional ranger jobs in regional and remote Australia, providing long-term economic opportunities and environmental outcomes.
• A two-year extension of Indigenous Business Australia’s Indigenous Home Ownership Program, supporting 1,000 regional jobs and around 1,600 Indigenous families to access home loans and either enter the housing market or build their own home.
• Our $1 billion investment in the Closing the Gap Implementation Plan.
• $31.8 million to start implementation of Local and Regional Voices through the Indigenous Voice Co-design Process.
• $98 million for the Community Development Program, which provides employment services to Indigenous and non-Indigenous remote job seekers.
• $37.5 million to build the capacity of Prescribed Bodies Corporate, which manage the interests of native title holders and continue to support the Coalition-established Aboriginal-controlled entity, the Northern Territory Aboriginal Investment Corporation (NTAIC), to generate NT economic activity and prosperity.
• $21.9 million to support the next generation of Indigenous leaders including mentoring, governance and training materials for Indigenous organisations and scholarships to undertake company directors’ courses.
• Continued delivery of the $40 million Indigenous Tourism Fund, with $6 million to be invested through Round 2.
• Capability building of our Indigenous biosecurity liaison officers.
• Maintenance of an Indigenous Reference Group to provide advice on measures that will contribute improving outcomes for the northern Indigenous business sector including:
  • Aquaculture and agriculture. This includes native foods and botanicals and carbon farming.
  • Land management and biodiversity stewardship.
  • Water availability and sustainable development.
  • Tourism.

6. Growing Northern Australia’s resources

Australia’s resources sector has helped power Australia’s economy, including through the COVID-19 pandemic.

The sector accounts for around 10 per cent of Australia’s GDP and more than 60 per cent of Australia’s exports. It directly employs nearly 280,000 people and indirectly supports the jobs of around 1.1 million Australians, as well as many communities and businesses across Northern Australia.

The Coalition Government has the right settings for the resources sector to invest and expand jobs: stable taxes, reduced red tape and targeted support for skills and apprenticeships, research and development, critical minerals and resource processing and manufacturing.

A re-elected Coalition Government is backing the growth of Northern Australia’s resources sector:

• Ongoing support for exploration to build the pipeline of future resources projects, including continuing to deliver $100 million for the Junior Minerals Exploration Incentive, which has helped 85 mining exploration companies raise $342 million.
• Continuing to streamline environmental and planning approvals processes to reduce green tape while maintaining high environmental standards, including ongoing investment in improving environmental assessment processing times.
• Positioning Northern Australia as a world leader in the exploration, extraction, production and processing of critical minerals and rare earths through our $2 billion Critical Minerals Facility, an expanded $400 million Critical Minerals Accelerator Initiative and $50 million in research and development support. Investments to date include:
  • $15.5 million for Alpha HPA Ltd’s product expansion project to add new capabilities to the ultra-pure aluminium chemical plant being developed near Gladstone, Queensland.
  • $6 million for EQ Resources Ltd for tungsten production through recovering mine waste and reactivating open-pit mining in Mount Carbine, Queensland.
• Continuing to unlock key gas basins across the North, including implementing our Strategic Basin plans for the Beetaloo Basin in the Northern Territory and the North Bowen and Galilee Basin in Queensland.
• Supporting development of clean hydrogen hubs to accelerate the growth of clean hydrogen and create thousands of jobs supporting this emerging market. Our Government’s commitment to establishing a hydrogen industry now exceeds $1.5 billion, with projects in the North including:
  • Establishment of hydrogen hubs in the Pilbara, Central Queensland, Townsville and Darwin, with funding of $70 million each.
  • Hydrogen design and development funding of $3 million each towards the Santos hydrogen project in Carnarvon and the Engie hydrogen project in the Pilbara.
• Making Australia a more attractive destination for resource investment and creating more high-wage jobs by introducing legislation to increase the maximum duration of greenfields agreements from four to six years.
• Maintaining a business environment that supports mining investment and jobs in new resources and energy projects through stable tax settings – including guaranteeing no mining tax, no carbon tax and no adverse change in fuel tax credit arrangements.
• Funding resources and critical minerals projects under the Modern Manufacturing Initiative, including:
  • Pilbara Minerals awarded a $20 million grant for the construction of the world’s first fully electric calcination kiln capable of operating on renewable energy.

• Clean Energy Finance Corporation investment of US$36.7 million for Pilbara Minerals lithium-tantalum Pilgangoora project

7. More manufacturing in the North

Our Modern Manufacturing Strategy is a key part of the Coalition’s plan for a strong economy and stronger future for Northern Australia. In the 2022-23 Budget, we increased funding by $1 billion, focusing strongly on supporting innovative manufacturing in regional Australia.

Creating sovereign manufacturing capability and securing our supply chains will not only strengthen Northern Australia’s economy and create more jobs. We’re boosting national resilience to global supply chain disruptions and security threats.

Under the Modern Manufacturing Strategy, the Coalition Government is partnering with 19 innovative manufacturers in Northern Australia by providing over $160 million in grants toprojects valued at $900 million. These projects are expected to deliver thousands of new jobs, including at Australian Vanadium’s high-grade vanadium project in Western Australia, the Middle Arm Lithium Manufacturing Project in the Northern Territory and ALPHA HPA’s novel high purity alumina production project in Gladstone.

A re-elected Coalition Government will continue to back Northern Australia’s manufacturing, science and technology industries through:

• New opportunities for Northern Australian manufacturers, with more than $1 billion in additional funding committed to our Modern Manufacturing Strategy in the 2022-23 Budget.
• $49 million under the Modern Manufacturing Initiative for Australian Vanadium’s major battery manufacturing project to process high-grade vanadium from its Meekatharra mine and transport it to its Tenindewa plant to be transformed into energy-storing batteries.
• $4.7 million under the Modern Manufacturing Initiative for a manufacturing facility in the Pilbara for maintenance and fabrication services of large critical mining equipment.
• $5 million for the North West Queensland Biomass Project to establish a facility at Richmond, Queensland, to process the prickly acacia pest weed into a biomass energy source.
• $3.3 million to expand the Ayr Industrial Estate in the Burdekin Shire Council, Queensland.
• $1 million under the Securing Raw Resources Program to Change Foods Pty Ltd to establish an advanced manufacturing and fermentation facility at Mackay – transforming sugarcane residual fibre into highly valuable feedstock, and a research lab on the Gold Coast.
• Investing in our $362 million Trailblazer Universities Program which includes:
  • $50 million to establish the Resources Technology for Critical Minerals Trailblazer at Curtin University to secure supply chains and build new STEM and mining careers in the Pilbara and Goldfields-Esperance regions of WA.
  • $50 million for the Food and Beverage Trailblazer to be led by the University of Queensland, which will create major new facilities in regional centres like Mackay.

8. Backing small and family businesses

Small and family businesses are the backbone of the Northern Australian economy.

The Coalition will grow small businesses and help them create more jobs in Northern Australia by keeping taxes at record lows, providing incentives for investment in skills and digital, slashing red tape, and with export support and energy savings. This will help us create 400,000 new small and family businesses nationwide over the next five years.

Northern Australian small businesses are already benefiting from our existing tax relief, including a permanent reduction in the company tax rate from 30 per cent in 2013-14 under Labor, to 25 per cent from 2021-22.

Our record includes unprecedented help to small businesses during the pandemic (JobKeeper and cash flow boosts), simplifying Business Activity Statements, implementing Single Touch Payroll,apprenticeship wage subsidies and holding big business to account for improving payment times to small business.

A re-elected Coalition Government will continue to deliver lower taxes for Northern Australian small businesses through:

• Technology Investment Boost. Small businesses in Northern Australia will be encouraged to go digital with access to a new bonus 20 per cent deduction on expenses and depreciating assets such as computers, online sales platforms, accounting software, cyber security and cloud computing. The boost applies from Budget night until 30 June 2023, for expenses up to $100,000 per year.
• Skills and Training Boost. To help with the costs of training and upskilling their employees, small businesses in Northern Australia will have access to a new 20 per cent bonus deduction for eligible external training courses. The boost applies from Budget night until 30 June 2024, and is uncapped.
• Continuation of the instant asset write off. We will continue the instant asset write off until 30 June 2023, supporting Northern Australian businesses to write off the full value of any eligible asset they purchase.
• Extension of loss carry back. Small companies in Northern Australia are able to offset losses against previously taxed profits to generate a refund for a further year in 2022-23, supporting cash flow and confidence, more investment in the local economy and jobs.
• Lower Tax Guarantee. There will be no new taxes on Northern Australian small businesses under a re-elected Coalition Government.
• Energy efficiency. We will support small businesses to save money by investing in energy efficiency and reducing their energy bills. A new $60 million Powering Business program will offer grants of up to $25,000 to small businesses, and up to $50,000 matched funding for medium businesses, to support energy efficient equipment upgrades. An investment of $17.9 million in the Business Energy Advice Program will help businesses navigate the electricity retail market and adopt more efficient technologies.

9. Connecting Northern Australia

The Coalition Government believes all Australians deserve access to fast and reliable telecommunications services, no matter where they live.

The global pandemic, a growing digital economy and natural disasters have underscored the importance of high-quality telecommunications services in regional and remote Australia.

The Coalition Government has invested $380 million (GST excl.) under the Mobile Black Spot Program to improve mobile coverage and competition across regional Australia, with more than 1,200 new mobile base stations funded and over 1,000 already active.

By contrast, Labor did not deliver a single mobile blackspot tower when last in government.

A re-elected Coalition Government will:

• Commit $157 million to improve mobile and broadband connectivity across Northern Australia through the Connecting Regional Australia initiative, including improving mobile coverage along regional roads and adjacent households, businesses and tourist hotspots and boosting the resilience of telecommunications infrastructure to natural disasters.
• Invest $480 million to upgrade NBN Co’s Fixed Wireless network, increasing fixed wireless coverage and speed, while also enabling additional data for satellite users. This will deliver faster and more reliable internet services for up to a million regional and remote households and businesses across Australia, particularly benefiting the North.
• Commit $30 million to improve connectivity in Indigenous communities across Australia through the Connecting Regional Australia initiative, including improved mobile coverage, Wi-Fi or broadband connectivity, helping to achieve Closing the Gap Target 17 that, by 2026, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have equal levels of digital inclusion.
• Deliver over $72 million in targeted projects to improve phone coverage and digital connectivity in regional and remote communities across Northern Australia, including:
  • New mobile base stations across the NT at Acacia Hills, Alyangula, Angurugu, Douglas Daly, Edith River, Gemtree, Middle Point and Milyakburra Island.
  • New or upgraded mobile base stations across central, north and far north Queensland, at Pasha, Woorabinda, Doomadgee, Ravenswood, Forrest Beach, Lockhart River, Seisia, New Mapoon and Cooktown.
  • New or upgraded mobile base stations in the north of WA at Coconut Wells, Newman, Jigalong, Kununurra and the Frank Wise Institute of Tropical Agriculture.
  • Upgrading several towns from NBN Sky Muster satellite to fibre-to-the-premises, including Onslow and Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia and Julia Creek and Boulia in Queensland.
  • $7.5 million to install a new mobile phone tower at Christmas Island airport and upgrade two existing towers on the island to 4GX.
  • $7.4 million for the Burketown to Normanton project linking the communities with 226 km of fibre optic cable and boosting network resiliency across 15 local government areas of north-west Queensland.
  • $6.7 million for the Western Desert Aboriginal Lands Communication Network, a broadband communications system to service remote WA Aboriginal communities.
  • Deploying fixed wireless broadband networks in Mackay regional areas, the Livingstone agricultural precinct, Mareeba, White Gums in Alice Springs and far north western Queensland.
  • $2.9 million to deliver reliable, high speed broadband services and public Wi-Fi to four remote Aboriginal communities in the Shire of Halls Creek, WA.

10. Backing primary industry in the North

Primary industries have always played an important role in Northern Australia’s economy.

While Rockhampton is Australia’s beef capital, the cattle industry plays a major role across the North, with exports from Broome, Townsville and Darwin. The Northern Territory also supports a strong trade in buffalo. Other important agricultural products in the North include sugar, dairy, vegetables, citrus, tropical fruit, fisheries and forestry.

The Coalition has backed the industry’s goal to grow Australia’s agriculture sector to $100 billion by 2030. We’re boosting agricultural trade opportunities by negotiating new free trade agreements and investing in our biosecurity. The Coalition is also securing the future with record investments in water infrastructure.

Labor shut down live cattle exports when they were last in government.

A re-elected Coalition Government will continue to back Northern Australia’s primary industries through:

• Supporting Australia’s $1.6 billion live export industry that employs 10,000 Australians. We’ll ensure it is not shut down.
• Investing almost $600,000 to help sugar exporters diversify into new, high-growth markets by reducing trade barriers and lowering price-distorting subsidies.
• Boosting agricultural trade opportunities via our new free trade agreements with the UK and India, and reducing the cost and time of exporting for the food and fibre industries with a further $187.1 million to establish a world-class cross-border trade system.
• Investing $61 million over four years to enhance biosecurity capability in Northern Australia, protecting the North from increasing biosecurity risks, including those with the potential to impact humans.
• Securing agricultural supply chains with a $255 million investment through the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility to support the Perdaman Urea Project, providing farmer access to locally manufactured fertiliser.
• Supporting the growth of the forestry sector by establishing an Australia-wide National Institute for Forest Products Innovation, a $112.9 million Wood Processing Innovation Program and a new $86.2 million Plantation Establishment Program.
• Making record investments in water infrastructure across the North.

11. Supporting the biosecurity frontline

The Coalition Government is strengthening our biosecurity system to safeguard Australia from exotic pests and diseases and maintain Australia’s clean and green reputation for food production.

Investing in biosecurity is an important element of the Coalition Government’s plan for a strong economy and stronger future.

A robust biosecurity system is vital to protecting our agricultural industries, our environment, health, regional communities and jobs. It is critical to securing market access and lowering costs for our producers.

Over the last year alone, the Coalition Government has invested a record $590 million on stopping exotic pests and diseases.

Northern Australia is on the biosecurity frontline due to its near neighbours, where significant animal and plant diseases are present.

Protecting Australia from these biosecurity risks remains a priority, defending against threats including foot and mouth disease, lumpy skin disease, African swine fever, citrus canker and Asian green mussel.

A re-elected Coalition Government will deliver more than $61 million to boost our northern biosecurity frontline, including:

• $17 million to deliver critical biosecurity infrastructure and build regional resilience to manage biosecurity risks in the North, in partnership with industry, community and northern states and the Territory governments.
• $15 million to prevent the threat of lumpy skin disease.
• Four dedicated detector dogs in the North to enhance biosecurity preparedness.
• Building the capability of our Indigenous biosecurity liaison officers.

A re-elected Coalition Government will establish an $11 million Tackling Gamba Grass Fund to stop the spread of this weed, building on the millions of dollars already committed to gamba grass management in the Northern Territory and North Queensland.

12. Keeping the North safe and building our defences

The first duty of any government is to keep Australians safe and secure.

Only the Coalition can continue to deliver a stronger economy to invest in stronger defence, stronger security and stronger borders.

Today’s world, including in our region, is increasingly volatile. The global pandemic and its disruption to international supply chains also pressed home the need to ramp up a sophisticated onshore defence industry.

We’re making record investments in law enforcement agencies and helping to reduce local crime, domestic violence and online abuse.

We’re investing a record $270 billion in the defence of our nation: ensuring our personnel are equipped with the state-of-the-art Australian made ships, vehicles, aircraft and submarines needed to keep us safe.

We’re committing more than $100 billion over the next two decades to develop sovereign Australian weapons manufacturing. We’re backing Australian businesses to locally manufacture cutting-edge guided missiles and weapons, so that we won’t have to rely on overseas missile suppliers.

A re-elected Coalition Government will expand our successful Defence Industry Pathways Program for school leavers to develop a nationwide pipeline of work-ready trainees for the defence industry. We will work closely with defence industry and training organisations, including in Darwin and Townsville, to offer defence industry jobs and growth.

Our Government’s record on keeping Australians safe is strong.

Labor’s record is cutting Defence spending and funding for our security and law enforcement agencies.

A re-elected Coalition Government will continue to keep the North safe by:

• Making record investments in Defence, with funding restored to over 2 per cent of GDP. We’re boosting the Defence workforce by 18,500 personnel by 2040.
• Maintaining our strong border policies that have stopped the boats, stopped the deaths at sea, removed children from detention and disrupted the people-smuggling trade. Labor wants to dismantle a core feature of our border policy – Temporary Protection Visas.
• Continuing to invest in local crime prevention and early intervention activities across the North through the Safer Communities Fund and delivering a tailored $14 million plan to reduce youth crime and anti-social behaviour in Alice Springs.
• Investing a further $1.3 billion to end violence against women and children, including in prevention, early intervention, response (including increased emergency accommodation) and recovery.
• Making record investments in our law enforcement and security agencies, including an extra $1.3 billion for the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, and boosting the Australian Federal Police’s annual budget to more than $1.7 billion.
• Continuing our world-leading efforts to keep Australians safe online, including new measures to ensure tech companies provide stronger parental controls on smartphones and tablet devices; $23 million to enhance eSafety in schools so they know how to help kids dealing with cyberbullies; and legislating tough new anti-trolling laws.

A re-elected Coalition Government will support Northern Australia’s defence industries by:

• Investing $8 billion in defence capital infrastructure works over the next decade in the Northern Territory, with a focus on using local businesses and tradies under our Defence Policy for Industry Participation’s Local Industry Capability Plans.
• Investing $24 million in Stage Two of the Upgrade of the Cairns Marine Maintenance Precinct, taking our investment in the upgrades to $48 million following completion of Stage One Works.
  • This brings our total investment in the Cairns maritime precinct and industry to over $300 million, including our $155 million investment in facilities at HMAS Cairns, $70 million for NORSTA Maritime to deliver the Navy’s Regional Maintenance Centre, and $36 million for TAFE Queensland in Cairns to deliver maritime training as part of the Pacific Maritime Security Program.
• Expanding our successful Defence Industry Pathways Program for school leavers, to develop a nationwide pipeline of work-ready trainees, with a $108.5 million investment over the next four years.

• Delivering $151.6 million for defence industry support programs nationally, which will assist in skilling Northern Australian businesses to participate in the defence industry, including:
  • An additional $84.7 million for the Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority Grant Program.
  • $20.3 million to extend the Skilling Australia’s Defence Industry Grants Program.
  • Extending the Defence Industry Internship Program with a $14.4 million commitment, placing third and fourth year engineering students in small and medium defence industry businesses.

13. Stronger regional education, skills and apprenticeships

With unemployment at record lows, we have an unparalleled opportunity to help more people off welfare and into work, and to deliver the skilled workers businesses need to grow the economy and create a stronger future.

The Coalition Government is committing even more funding to equip the workforce with the skills and training it needs, from new young workers to mid-career employees seeking out new opportunities. We are investing record funding in schools and improving school standards and teacher quality.

We are also investing in educational infrastructure across regional Australia to ensure students have access to the facilities and opportunities they need to achieve their ambitions. The Coalition believes Northern Australians should have access to a quality tertiary education regardless of where they live.

A re-elected Coalition Government will back Northern Australians to get the education and skills they need for the workforce of today and tomorrow by:

• Investing through the Education Infrastructure in Regional Australia Program to enable regional universities to deliver the skills needed to support students and regional economies, by equipping them with state-of-the-art facilities, including:
  • $50 million to build a new Cairns campus of Central Queensland University.
  • $9 million to construct a new Mackay Electric Vehicle and Energy Training Centre at Central Queensland University.
  • $6 million to build a Research and AgTech Innovation Hub at Belmont Station, Ettna Creek, Queensland.

• Establishing new Regional University Centres at Broome, WA, Cooktown and Mount Isa, Queensland, and extending funding to the Pilbara Universities Centres in Karratha and Port Hedland, and the Wuyagiba Study Hub. We’re enabling regional and remote students to undertake tertiary education from their home communities.

• Providing more than $700,000 to encourage regional and remote Australians to participate in higher education, including:
  • $123,150 for the Pilbara Universities Centre to deliver the Project Y13 outreach program for remote students in ‘Year 13’ to access university.
  • $101,876 for James Cook University, in partnership with seven Queensland universities, to design a suite of outreach initiatives to support school students and mature-age people to aspire to and prepare for higher education.
  • $82,062 to support the Northern Territory Youth Engagement in Allied Health (YEAH)! delivered in Katherine and Alice Springs. This is a partnership between Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education and Flinders University to support students interested in studying allied health on a path to university.

• Continuing to provide record funding for schools.
• Continuing to strongly support innovative and proven pathways into teaching, such as the Teach For Australia program, as well as emphasising prior real work experience when supporting mid-career professionals into teaching. This year’s Budget included $70 million for a practical plan to improve initial teacher education and upskill existing teachers.
• Introducing new wage subsidies for apprenticeships to support the North’s future tradies, plumbers, tilers and chefs. We will provide an additional $2.8 billion nationwide to extend the successful Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements and Completing Apprenticeship Commencements wage subsidies, along with introducing a new streamlined Australian Apprentices Incentives System.
• Helping disadvantaged youth into jobs by establishing ReBoot, a program aimed at building life and employment skills in disadvantaged young Australians. ReBoot will support young Australians aged 15-24 at high risk of becoming long-term unemployed, helping them get back on a pathway to employment by providing tailored early interventions, which may range from hands-on learning and mentoring to work experience and engagement with industry.
• Investing $17.3 million to extend the Indigenous Boarding Grants Program to better support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from remote communities and improve their educational outcomes.

14. Protecting the Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the great natural wonders of the world and the largest coral reef system on Earth. The Reef is part of Australia’s global identity and central to the tropical north’s local economy.

The Great Barrier Reef is already the best managed reef in the world and the Coalition is investing an additional $1 billion to ensure it stays that way – protecting the environment while also supporting the jobs of the 64,000 Queenslanders who rely on the $6.4 billion Reef economy.

As well, we’re investing $63.6 million over five years to support the Australian Institute of Marine Science to deliver the vital science and research that helps protect the Reef.

The Coalition Government’s total commitment under the Reef 2050 Plan is now more than $3 billion. In 2021, the World Heritage Committee commended Australia’s “unprecedented” investment in the Great Barrier Reef.

A re-elected Coalition Government will continue to ensure the world’s best environmental management of the Great Barrier Reef. We’re investing an additional $1-billion to protect the Reef, while supporting the 64,000 jobs which drive the Reef economy:

• $579.9 million for water quality – working with land managers to remediate erosion, improve land condition and reduce nutrient and pesticide runoff.
• $252.9 million for reef management and conservation – to reduce threats from crown-of-thorns starfish, implement advanced health monitoring systems and prevent illegal fishing.
• $95.6 million to research and deploy world leading reef resilience science and adaptation strategies.
• $74.4 million for Traditional Owner and community-led projects including species protection, habitat restoration, citizen science programs and reducing marine debris.

15. Strong support for Northern tourism

The Coalition is backing our tourism sector to recover strongly from the pandemic, delivering economic growth and more jobs to our regions.

We’re investing $60 million to help return international visitors to the regions hardest hit by border closures – including those across the North.

Under our THRIVE 2030 tourism strategy, a re-elected Coalition Government plans to grow domestic and international visitor spending by a combined $230 billion by 2030.

We are backing in Tropical North Queensland to return to $4 billion in tourism spending by 2025. This includes supporting the Reef economy, which is worth $6.4 billion and supports 64,000 jobs.

A re-elected Coalition Government will continue to support the recovery of Northern Australian tourism and implement our THRIVE 2030 Strategy. Support to the tourism sector nationally includes:

• $75 million for Round 3 of the $258 million Consumer Travel Support Program to support travel agents and tour service providers.
• $60 million to accelerate international tourist and backpacker arrivals through targeted marketing initiatives – including:
  • $15 million for Tourism Tropical North Queensland to attract tourists back to North Queensland and to promote the Great Barrier Reef.
  • $45 million for Tourism Australia to target the return of international tourists to regional destinations, with:
    • $15 million for advertising in overseas markets to support regions most reliant on international tourists.
    • $25 million for Tourism Australia to work with partners including trade wholesalers, the airlines and the media to drive international demand for key regions.
    • $5 million to extend Business Events Australia’s highly successful bid fund – which has already helped win 57 events for Australia.

• $6.8 million for increased data capture and analysis to improve planning and to establish an online employment and skills platform to promote career opportunities in tourism.
• Record investments in our ports, airports, highways and roads to get our visitors to destinations sooner and more safely, including:
  • $132 million for the Northern Territory’s Central Australian Tourism Roads.

• $6 million to grow Indigenous tourism through Round 2 of the Tourism Grants for Indigenous Business Program.

A re-elected Coalition Government will continue to support Reef businesses, including:

• $12.4 million to extend fee relief to local tourism businesses in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park until June 2023. Our fee relief is making tickets $7 cheaper per person per day, while tourism numbers recover. About 650 operators are relieved from collecting these charges. As well, we’re allowing 1,500 permit-holders to renew their Reef permits for free.
• $15 million to expand the Tourism Industry Activation and Reef Protection Initiative

16. Cost of living relief for families and retirees

The pandemic, the conflict in Ukraine and extreme weather events are putting upward pressure on the cost of living in Australia. This is having a direct impact on family budgets.

The Coalition Government is committed to additional tax and cost of living relief that will help Northern Australian families and retirees pay their bills, buy their groceries and fill up their car.

These measures build on our substantial cost of living action to date. Our Personal Income Tax Plan means workers earning around $60,000 per year are more than $2,500 better off – or around $50 a week – in 2021-22, compared to Labor in 2013-14. Our child care reforms have also reduced average hourly out-of-pocket costs by 12.5 per cent since 2018.

A re-elected Coalition Government will deliver cost of living relief for Northern Australian families through:

• Tax relief for low and middle income earners. Northern Australian taxpayers earning less than $126,000 a year will benefit from tax relief of up to $1,500 this year, with the $1,080 low and middle income tax offset plus a new one-off $420 cost-of-living tax offset.
• Cost of living payments. The Coalition Government is delivering a one-off, cost-of-living payment of $250 for Australians most in need, including pensioners, eligible self-funded retirees, carers, disability support recipients and jobseekers.
• Lower insurance premiums. The Coalition Government is implementing a reinsurance pool backed by a $10 billion government guarantee for cyclone and cyclone-related flood damage from 1 July 2022 which will support premium savings of up to 46 per cent for homeowners in cyclone-prone areas of Northern Australia. More than 880,000 residential, strata and small business property insurance policies in Northern Australia are expected to be eligible.
• Cheaper fuel. Motorists will save 22 cents a litre every time they fill up their car for the next six months, with the Coalition Government temporarily halving the fuel excise rate. This could mean a saving of $30 a week for a family with two cars, or $700 over six months.
• Lower tax guarantee. $100 billion in tax relief to workers over the next four years and no new taxes on Australian workers, retirees, superannuation, small businesses, housing or electricity.
• Seniors Health Card. To help ease cost of living pressures on senior Australians, we are expanding eligibility for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card. From 1 July 2022, the income test threshold for singles will be increased to $90,000 (up from $57,761) and for couples to $144,000 (up from $92,416). All card holders are eligible for cheaper Commonwealth medications and health care. They may also be eligible for further state and territory concessions.
• Freezing deeming rates. Our plan to freeze deeming rates for two years will benefit Northern Australians, particularly age pensioners, providing income support payment certainty to ensure Australians with cash assets who rely on social security can maintain lifestyle and minimise cost of living pressures.

17. Supporting more people in the North into home ownership

The great Australian dream has always been to own your own home. The Coalition Government is committed to this goal with a range of support to make it easier to purchase a home of your own.

Over the last three years, the Morrison Government’s housing policies have supported more than 300,000 Australians into home ownership.

A re-elected Coalition Government will give first home buyers the ability to harness their superannuation to get into the property market. By 1 July 2023, the Super Home Buyer Scheme will allow first home buyers to invest up to $50,000 or up to 40 per cent of their superannuation (whichever is less) to help with the purchase of their first home.

It will mean Australians can buy their first home sooner by slashing the time taken to save a deposit.

Allowing your super to work for you to purchase your first home and then being returned to your super at a later date achieves the best of both worlds - home ownership and retirement security.

A re-elected Coalition Government will also provide up to 1.3 million more empty nesters the ability to access incentives to downsize their house. We will give Australians over the age of 55 the ability to invest up to $300,000, per person, in their superannuation fund outside of the existing contribution caps, from the proceeds of downsizing from their primary residence.

Pensioners who downsize their home will also be given greater flexibility by exempting the proceeds of the sale of the property from the assets test for longer.

By removing barriers for Australians downsizing to residences that better suit their needs and lifestyle, we are helping to free up larger homes for younger families.

A re-elected Coalition Government will:

• Establish the Super Home Buyer Scheme to allow first home buyers to invest up to 40 per cent of their superannuation, up to a maximum of $50,000 to help with the purchase of their first home.
• Expand support for first home buyers by more than tripling the number of low-deposit guarantees to buy a home (with as little as 5 per cent deposit) to 35,000 guarantees each financial year.
• Expand home ownership opportunities for single parent families by increasing the number of low-deposit guarantees for single parent families to buy a home (with a deposit of as little as 2 per cent) to 5,000 each financial year.
• Support greater investment into affordable housing with an additional $2 billion in low-cost financing for social and affordable dwellings. This brings total low-cost financing to $5.5 billion, supporting around 27,500 dwellings.
• Give Australians over the age of 55 the ability to invest up to $300,000, per person, in their superannuation fund outside of the existing contribution caps, from the proceeds of selling their primary residence.
• Double the Assets Test Exemption (from 1 January 2023) to two years when pensioners downsize from their family home, giving them more time to plan for their future.

18. A healthier future for Northern Australia

The Coalition Government believes nothing is more important than the health of all Australians.

That’s why we have invested at record levels to make Australia one of the top three health systems in the world.

A re-elected Coalition Government will invest more than $1 billion to boost rural health, including an additional $146 million for more doctors and allied health professionals in regional and rural communities.

A re-elected Coalition Government will:

• Deliver $1 billion to boost rural health, including a new $146 million Rural Workforce package to inject more doctors and allied health professionals into regional and rural communities and improve treatment and care for patients:
  • $35 million in new funding to attract, support and retain rural health professionals through the successful Innovative Models of Collaborative Care program.
  • $15 million to expand the John Flynn Prevocational Doctor Program to more than 1,000 placements in rural Australia per year by 2026. This will train the next generation of junior doctors through placements in rural and regional general practice and make them ready for the Australian General Practice Training Program.
  • $9 million for rural GPs to undertake advanced skills training in areas including obstetrics, palliative care, paediatrics and mental health.
  • $87 million to incentivise highly-trained healthcare professionals to work in rural and remote Australia.
  • Expanding the Murrumbidgee single employer model trial to more regions across rural Australia to provide more support for GPs to work in country hospitals and treat patients in the community. This will help more doctors provide services such as anaesthetics, obstetrics, mental health and emergency medicine in regional areas.
  • Allowing local areas that have been identified as a priority for recruiting more doctors to have more time to recruit them through a 12-month extension of their Distribution Priority Area (DPA) status.

• Make it easier and more affordable to access Medicare-funded MRI scans in regional, rural and remote Australia. A $66 million investment will increase access to Medicare-funded MRI scans in regional, rural and remote Australia from 1 November 2022.
• Invest $14.3 million to expand the Rural Health Medical Training Program in aged care including to the Northern Territory and remote Queensland.
• Invest an additional $33.3 million over four years towards a 10-year strategic agreement with the Royal Flying Doctor Service worth almost $1 billion.
• Invest $18 million in CareFlight to guarantee rescue and emergency aeromedical services for remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the Northern Territory.
• Invest $13.9 million towards the Puggy Hunter Memorial Scholarship Scheme, supporting 300 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander undergraduate students in health-related disciplines – with full-time scholarships of up to $15,000 per year and part-time scholarships of up to $7,500.
• Invest $8.6 million to establish the National Closing the Gap Policy Partnership on Social and Emotional Wellbeing and help reduce the devastating impact of mental ill-health and suicide on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
• Invest $5.9 million to catch up on missed health screenings for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and multicultural communities.
• Guarantee Medicare – under our Government, Medicare funding to WA, the NT and Queensland has grown by over 58 per cent from $5.3 billion in 2012-13 under Labor to $8.4 billion in 2020-21. We’ve also introduced permanent and universal telehealth with over 100 million services to 17 million people since 2020.
• Deliver record funding for hospitals across the North – hospital funding to WA, the NT and Queensland has grown by over 123 per cent from $4.2 billion in 2012-13 to $9.4 billion in 2022-23, and we are keeping the cost of private health insurance down.
• Continue to rollout our record $3 billion investment in mental health care and suicide prevention to achieve a more compassionate and caring system with a greater focus on prevention.

• Provide cheaper medicines. Our Government has made more than 2,900 new or amended medicine listings on the PBS since 2013 with investment of over $16.5 billion. We will continue our policy to list all medicines recommended by the medical experts, unlike Labor which stopped listing medicines in 2011 because they couldn't manage money.
  
  We will also cut the price of medications listed on the PBS from January 1 next year, as part of an annual $150 million saving for Australians. The $10 cut per script means the maximum price Australians will pay for PBS medicines drops from $42.50 to $32.50, a 24 per cent saving. This builds on significant reductions to the PBS safety net from 1 July 2022 for concession card holders.

• Invest a record $58 million under the National Action Plan for Endometriosis to improve endometriosis diagnosis and primary care support, helping more women to find appropriate care and better manage the impact of endometriosis. As part of the plan, new specialised endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics will be established in every state and territory to improve diagnosis, care and treatment, supporting over 800,000 Australian women with the disease.
• Cut the cost of life-saving devices for diabetics. The Coalition Government is supporting a further 71,000 Australians with Type 1 Diabetes by investing over $270 million to cut the cost of Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM). This means that every Australian diabetic will have access to a potentially life-saving CGM device, which could cost up to $5,000 a year without subsidy. From 1 July 2022, the maximum cost will be $32.50 a month.

Our Record

The Coalition Government has been delivering on its commitments in Northern Australia to build a strong economy, deliver greater economic opportunities and ensure better services.

• Delivered the White Paper on Developing Northern Australia in 2015 and established the Office of Northern Australia, headquartered in Darwin.
• More than $100 million invested in the Darwin City Deal, a 10-year partnership with the Northern Territory Government and the City of Darwin.
• $189.7 million investment to kick start the next five years of development under the Our North, Our Future 2021-2026 initiative, including:
  • $111.9 million to establish a Northern Australia Development Program to support businesses to scale-up projects.
  • $9.3 million for three pilot Regions of Growth to develop regional master plans to address supply chain issues, communication difficulties, tourism recovery and water infrastructure.
• $75 million over 10 years through the Co-operative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia, headquartered in Townsville, to support industry-led research.
• Over $72 million to improve telecommunications in Northern Australia through the Connecting Northern Australia element of the Regional Connectivity Program.

Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility

• Established in 2016, the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) has supported more than 32 investments totalling almost $3.5 billion, expected to generate around $25 billion in economic benefit and over 13,000 jobs.
• NAIF is on track to exceed $6 billion in investment decisions by the end of 2021-22, with investments including:
  • $150 million loan for Northern Territory airports expansion to upgrade Darwin, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs airports.
  • $151.5 million loan for the new Charles Darwin University City Campus and the renewal and upgrade of the Charles Darwin University Casuarina Campus.
  • $610 million loan for Genex Power Limited’s Kidston Pumped Storage Hydro Project.
  • $300 million loan to expand Darwin Harbour including a new Darwin Shiplift facility.
  • $16.8 million loan for the Onslow Marine Support Base.
  • $90 million loan for Alinta Energy's Chichester Solar Gas Hybrid Project.
  • $74 million loan for the Beyondie Sulphate of Potash Project.
  • $142 million loan for James Cook University to establish a Technology Innovation Complex and student accommodation.
  • $76 million loan to Central Queensland University for northern campus upgrades.
  • $50 million loan to redevelop Townsville Airport terminal.
  • $19.75 million loan for Mater Private Hospital Townsville for a multi-deck carpark.
  • $175 million loan to Pembroke Resources to develop the Olive Downs Coking Coal Complex, a large-scale steelmaking coal mine in the Bowen Basin, Queensland.
  • $140 million loan to Hastings Technology Metals Ltd for the development of the Yangibana rare earths project, Western Australia.

Promoting Indigenous economic outcomes

• $243.6 million Indigenous Skills and Jobs Advancement package in the 2021-22 Budget, to improve economic, social and education outcomes for Indigenous Australians, including:
  • $128.4 million for a new Indigenous Skills and Employment Program, replacing a number of existing funding streams to become more flexible and provide tailored, place-based solutions.
  • $10 million to support Indigenous enterprises in the primary industries and land management sectors.
• Established the Indigenous Procurement Policy in 2015. Since then, 2,100 Indigenous businesses have been awarded contracts totalling $5.3 billion. In 2020-21, more than 10,000 contracts were awarded to Indigenous businesses under the IPP.
• Establish an Indigenous Business and Employment Hub in Darwin, providing access to business advice and online programs for businesses in remote and rural locations to access new markets.
• Refreshed the Indigenous Reference Group to draw upon local knowledge and experience to ensure the interests of Indigenous land owners, communities and businesses are represented in the delivery of the Northern Australia agenda.
• $8.3 million invested to deliver new Telstra macro cell mobile phone towers servicing seven Indigenous communities across the Northern Territory, with a further $30 million committed to improve telecommunications infrastructure for Indigenous Australians nationwide.

Road infrastructure

• $1.96 billion investment under the Roads of Strategic Importance initiative, prior to the 2022-23 Budget expansion, to better connect agricultural, tourism and mining regions to transport hubs.
• Delivered $330 million to deliver the Outback Way, across Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia, with an additional $678 million committed in the 2022-23 Budget.
• $700 million under the Northern Australia and Beef Roads programs, upgrading around 500 km of roads.
• Invested a further $385.4 million in the Northern Australia Roads Program Extension in the 2022-23 Budget.
• Committed over $10 billion to the Bruce Highway Upgrade Program from 2013-14 to 2027-28, including $397.9 million for the Mackay Ring Road, $184 million for the Townsville Ring Road stage 5, and started tendering for the $1 billion Rockhampton Ring Road project.
• $180 million for the Central Arnhem Road upgrade project.
• Investing in upgrades and overtaking lanes along the Great Northern Highway including the Bow River and Tickalara Creek bridges, with $40 million committed in the 2022-23 Budget for the Newman to Port Hedland corridor.
• $152 million to upgrade the Peninsula Developmental Road on the Cooktown to Weipa corridor.

Water: supporting economic growth

• $5.4 billion for Hells Gates Dam, subject to the completion of the business case.
• $483 million towards the Urannah Dam, conditional upon demonstration of value for money.
• $11.6 million to co-fund the Mareeba-Dimbulah Water Supply Scheme Efficiency Project.
• $183.6 million to co-fund the construction of the Rookwood Weir near Rockhampton.
• $30 million for construction of Big Rocks Weir near Charters Towers.
• The Northern Australia Water Resources Assessment, undertaken by CSIRO, was commissioned by the Coalition Government as an initiative of the White Paper on Northern Australia.
• $5 million for Charles Darwin University, Central Queensland University and James Cook University to research water security across Northern Australia to address water resource allocation, agricultural diversification and water service delivery.

Backing local economic development in the North

• Supporting Northern Australia’s primary industries to grow through new export deals with the UK, India, the 14 countries of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and more.
• Funding the Rum Jungle Rehabilitation Project, Northern Territory, supporting around 61 full time direct jobs over 11 years and creating significant indirect employment and other opportunities for the site’s traditional owners.
• $3.9 million to support the Beef Australia 2021 national expo in Rockhampton.
• Building and upgrading modern sporting facilities including:
  • $15 million to upgrade North Queensland Cowboys’ rugby league and sports science facilities.
  • $5 million to construct the SWELL aquatic centre, Palmerston, NT.
  • $2.5 million to redevelop and expand the Gladstone PCYC.
• $2.2 million to upgrade the Kevin Richards Memorial Oval, Karratha.
• $997,900 to build roofing over centre court at the Cairns International Tennis Centre.
• $800,000 to upgrade the Newman sporting and recreation complex, WA.
• $136,500 to refurbish the Elliott sport and recreational facility, NT.

• Backing important local community projects such as:
  • $8 million to establish the Fitzroy Community Hospice, Rockhampton.
  • $5 million reconstruction of the Proserpine Entertainment Centre.
  • $750,000 to establish the Holocaust Museum, Darwin.
  • $200,000 to upgrade the Rondo Theatre, Cairns.

• Approved over $256 million across Northern Australia through the Building Better Regions Fund including:
  • $10 million new Rockhampton Art Gallery.
  • $9.7 million redevelopment of the Royal Flying Doctor Service base, Mount Isa.
  • $6 million Cable Beach foreshore redevelopment, Broome.
  • $3.6 million Tiwi Islands Welcome Centre and pontoons.
  • $1.4 million Emerald Airport upgrade.
  • $744,850 Yirrkala Guesthouse, East Arnhem Land.

• Strengthening manufacturing across Northern Australia through the Modern Manufacturing Strategy including:
  • $1 million to CocoNutZ Australia at Mossman, Queensland.
  • $1 million to CQ Field Mining Services, Mackay, Queensland.
  • $1 million to Sun Cable, Darwin NT, for solar array manufacturing for solar farms.

• $30 million to establish the Central Queensland University School of Mining & Manufacturing

Guaranteeing essential services

• Record funding for public hospitals – funding for hospitals in WA is up from $1.4-billion in 2012-13 under Labor to around $2.9 billion in 2022-23; in the NT, up from $152.1 million in 2012-13 to around $391.3 million in 2022-23; and in Queensland up from $2.7 billion in 2012-13 to around $6.1 billion in 2022-23.

• Cheaper medicines, with more than 2,900 new or amended medicine listings on the PBS since we were elected in 2013, including an additional 960 since 2019.
• More affordable childcare through our Child Care Subsidy, which provides around 90 per cent of families with a subsidy of between 50 and 85 per cent and reforms which have reduced average hourly out-of-pocket child care costs by 12.5 per cent since 2018. The Coalition has abolished the annual cap on subsidies and, since March 2022, families are receiving a higher subsidy of up to 95 per cent for their second and subsequent children aged 5 and under.
• Major improvements to aged care, with a $19.1 billion package of support in response to the Royal Commission, the single largest investment in aged care, and over 163,000 additional home care packages funded since 2018-19.

Making our communities safer

• Standing up for Australia’s interests in our region, including as a founding member of the historic AUKUS alliance and the Quad Leaders’ summit.
• Maintaining strong borders by stopping the boats, stopping the deaths at sea, removing children from detention and disrupting the people smuggling trade.
• Taking tough action to deport foreign criminals, cancelling or refusing the visas of over 10,000 foreign criminals, including over 1,900 in Queensland, almost 1,200 in Western Australia and over 100 in the Northern Territory.
• Standing up to social media companies to keep Australians safe online, particularly women and children, by legislating the Online Safety Act and drafting new laws to tackle anonymous trolling and protect online privacy.

Ensuring Northern Australia’s environment is protected

• Boosting Northern Australia’s recycling capacity, with the Recycling Modernisation Fund supporting two recycling facilities for old tyres and waste plastics in the North. We’ve banned waste exports, protecting marine life in our oceans.
• Supporting Landcare to protect our species and improve soils and farm productivity, with Landcare projects across Northern Australia including:
  • $4 million to Southern Gulf NRM Ltd for a smart farming beef production project.
  • $1.59 million to James Cook University for a Climate Smart Sugarcane irrigation partnerships project to minimise runoff and improve soil health.
  • $585,876 for Cape York NRM Ltd smart farms grant for soil health.
  • $412,685 for Territory NRM Incorporated to build the capability of the community to conduct soil sampling and utilise testing results for improved outcomes.

• Meeting and beating our emissions targets, having already achieved emissions reductions of 20 per cent on 2005 levels (beating our Kyoto-era targets); a projected reduction of 30-35 per cent by 2030; and a detailed plan to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 – without impacting our economy.
• Protecting threatened species and the North’s unique environment through the Environment Restoration Fund, including a $1.48 million grant to Territory NRM Inc. to create safe havens.

• The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has invested in renewables and low emissions technology projects in Northern Australia, including:
  • $42.5 million to support the Engie project with Yara Pilbara Fertiliser, Karratha, WA.
  • $2.16 million for Stanwell Central Queensland hydrogen feasibility study.
  • $2 million for Glaciem Cooling Technologies’ thermal energy storage project, including expanding solar PV capacity at the Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville.
  • $9.5 million to finance the Collinsville solar farm.

• The Clean Energy Finance Corporation has supported renewable, energy efficiency and low emissions technology projects across Northern Australia, including:
  • Up to $12.5 million to build and operate a hydrogen heavy trucking transport solution by Ark Energy H2 and Sun Metals.
  • Around US$36.7 million to Pilbara Minerals to support the development of the Pilgangoora Project to produce more lithium, a critical resource for battery and electric vehicles.

The Risk of Labor

There is a clear choice at this election.

A choice between a Coalition Government that is delivering a strong economy in Northern Australia, and a Labor Party that would weaken it.

A choice between the Coalition Government’s economic plan that will deliver lower taxes and lower unemployment for the North, and a Labor Party with a track record of higher unemployment, higher interest rates and higher taxes.

A choice between the Coalition Government’s support for growing the resources sector, and a Labor Party that will force resources companies to buy carbon credits.

A choice between the Coalition Government’s support for live exports, and a Labor Party that shut down live cattle exports when last in power and has a policy to phase out live sheep exports.

A choice between investing in Australia’s national security, defence and strong borders, and a Labor Party that cut Defence spending by $18 billion when last in power and would undermine Australia’s border protection regime.

Labor has no economic plan for the North, or the rest of the country.

Labor has no understanding of the challenges of Northern Australia.

Under an Albanese Labor government, Northern Australia would be forgotten.

Labor’s 2021 and 2022 budget-in-reply speeches did not mention Northern Australia.

Labor’s 149-page National Platform contains 64,000 words, but just three paragraphs on Northern Australia.

Labor puts at risk the jobs of Northern Australia agriculture and resources workers.

When Labor were last in government, they closed down the northern live cattle export industry.

A Labor-Greens alliance would put a moratorium on all new coal, oil and gas projects, killing off over $500 billion in investment and 80,000 jobs.

In uncertain times, Northern Australia can’t risk Labor.

Cost

The Coalition’s Plan for Northern Australia includes funding for previously announced election commitments.

Funding for all other policies in the Coalition’s Plan for Northern Australia is already provided for within budget estimates.