11 September 2013 Daryl Manzie Territory FM

Adam Giles, NT Chief Minister has announced his business ambassadors which Manzie thinks is an ‘absolutely positive step’. Manzie says that he made the announcement at the establishment of the NT Business Events Ambassador Program. He says that Giles has listed 16 of Australia’s leading business and community leaders with a very broad cross section of experiences and expertise and their single goal is promoting the NT [...]

11 September 2013 Kate O’Toole ABC Darwin

Interview with Luke Bowen Executive Director, NT Cattleman’s Association about being an Ambassador for the NT. O’Toole says there is a collection of new ambassadors for the NT, one of them is Gina Rinehart. Bowen says they are talking about tourism and the resources sector, education and medical research. He says Tourism NT is one of the major drivers behind this, ‘its got its tentacles in to all [...]

20 September 2013 Cameron Wilson Radio National

One of the pre-election promises of the Coalition government was to develop a white paper on the future of Australia’s north. Warren Entsch, Federal Liberal MP, will chair a committee developing the white paper. Entsch says his first priority will be establishing the committee and says submissions have already been received since the white paper was announced and discusses the Northern Australia land and water taskforce that [...]

21 September 2013 Peter Alford The Australian

JOE Hockey is sympathetic to Indonesia’s proposal to buy control of up to 1.5 million hectares of northern Australian cattle country to help secure its beef supplies.

The Treasurer said the specific proposal was not raised during his discussions with Indonesian counterpart Chatib Basri at this week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum finance ministers meeting.

“But I was very encouraged that in my discussions with the Indonesian Finance Minister [...]

21 September 2013 Bridget Carter The Australian

ASSISTANT Treasurer Arthur Sinodinos says the newly elected government is committed to its pre-election promise of developing northern Australia as it prepares for a “food boom” that will join mining as a major driver of the economy.

“This is an area, where if we as a nation get it right, we can exploit the opportunity in the way we are now doing in the mining and resources industries,” [...]

17 September 2013 Sid Maher The Australian

Tony Abbott has opted for experience in his first cabinet, which contains only one woman, promoting West Australian senator Mathias Cormann to the key role of finance, moving Andrew Robb to trade and investment and dumping the Nationals’ John Cobb from the frontbench to make way for Barnaby Joyce as agriculture minister.

Declaring his new line-up “one of the most experienced incoming ministries in our history”, Mr Abbott [...]

17 September 2013 The Cairns Post

IN lieu of retaining his position as party Whip – but this time in an elected administration – Warren Entsch has opted instead to chair a special committee for the development of northern Australia.

For Leichhardt constituents, it should be viewed as a win.

The position of government Whip is a demanding one, highlighted by the fact that Mr Entsch loses four staff members by relinquishing those duties.

It’s [...]

17 September 2013 Northern Territory News/Sunday Terratorian

PRIME Minister-elect Tony Abbott has announced the make-up of his new cabinet.

The most obvious thing that has got people talking is the clear gender imbalance — there is only one woman deemed good enough to get a seat in cabinet.

Deputy Liberal Leader and Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop is that woman.

There is no doubt that she is a competent and proven parliamentary performer but [...]

18 September 2013 Alejandro Chafuen Forbes

After the resounding win of Tony Abbott in the recent Australian elections, many commentaries pointed to the policy debates as the turning point for his victory in which he defeated outgoing Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Some of Rudd’s critics focused on his defense of a carbon tax that was based upon dubious environmental science, others argued that he seemed to take his electorate base for granted. In addition, critics [...]

14 September 2013 The West Australian

For three years Tony Abbott ran after any hint of weakness in the Labor government.

Mr Abbott would not stay still. He would grind out one step in front of the other, always with an eye on the finish line.

On the night of September 7, Tony Abbott crossed the finish line of his longest marathon some 1376 days after he started.

Yet the real race — that of [...]