24 May 2014 Mark Di Stefano ABC News
Teenagers from the Northern Territory have expressed negative views about living “down south” amid fears for the future of the mining sector in the Top End.
The 16- and 17-year-olds were brought together by the ABC to discuss the issues surrounding the Northern Australia White Paper as Federal Parliament’s joint select committee holds public hearings in the Territory.
Gary Higgie from Taminmin College pointed to the mining [...]
24 May 2014 ABC News
One of the world’s staple grains could prove a diversification winner for northern Australia, the Northern Territory Government and growers agree.
Pastoralist turned rice grower Bruce White planted seedlings three weeks ago his cattle property, Mt Keppler Station, 100 kilometres south of Darwin, and is already starting to see shoots popping up.
He started planting on the flood plain two years ago, and while there were some challenges – like [...]
28 May 2014 Nine News
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has conceded Labor’s mining and carbon taxes will be repealed after July 1.
Speaking to a mining conference in Canberra, Mr Shorten admitted Labor would not be able to block the government’s repeal bills.
“In terms of the mining tax, despite what Labor’s position is, that will be repealed,” he told mining executives on Wednesday.
Labor’s stance on mining taxation was the first topic when the [...]
28 May 2014 Cecilia Jamasmie Mining.com
Expectations for Australia’s economic growth have slumped to a three-year low, weighed down by a new tumble in mining investments in the past six month to April, a government report released Wednesday shows.
In its latest compilation of projects across the country, the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics (BREE) puts the value of committed investments by the end of last month at $212.1 billion (A$229), down from $248 billion (A$268) [...]
28 May 2014 Matt Brann & Caddie Brain ABC Rural
A passion for the Territory cattle industry and a chance to be part of its future has driven Tracey Hayes to finally accept the top job with the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association (NTCA).
The new chief executive officer is the first female to lead the organisation in its 30-year history.
Ms Hayes has just returned from a trade delegation tour of Vietnam and China, after [...]
27 May 2014 ABC News
The Pilbara Regional Council says it is formulating a strategy to lobby for a special economic zone to be implemented in northern WA, to attract more investment to the region.
The zone, which is also supported by Kimberley groups like the Broome Chamber of Commerce, means tax incentives and offsets will be offered to businesses willing to invest in the north.
The Federal Government has shown support for the idea [...]
27 May 2014 The Australian
Minority partners in Gina Rinehart’s Roy Hill iron ore project have now fully paid for their stakes, contributing another $284.8 million in recent days, The Australian Financial Review reports.
According to the newspaper, Korea’s POSCO, Japan’s Marubeni and Taiwan’s China Steel Corporation have last week finished paying for their shares in the $US10 billion project.
In March, Ms Rinehart secured $US7.2 billion in debt from US, Japanese and Australian banks to build the mine.
[...]
27 May 2014 Farm Online
FORMER boss of the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association (NTCA) Luke Bowen is set to head up the Territory’s new Northern Australia Development Office.
The NT’s Chief Minister Adam Giles said Mr Bowen was the perfect person to drive the government’s push to develop the north.
“As the head of the peak cattle industry body for the past five years, Mr Bowen has engaged with stakeholders who manage 90 per cent [...]
The ongoing Inquiry into the Development of Northern Australia continues this Friday 30 May with a public hearing in Brisbane. To see the program, click Brisbane_program.
Transcripts are now available for the public hearings this month in Broome, Kununurra, Alice Springs and Gove:
Broome, WA (5 May 2014) – Broome_05May2014
Kununurra, WA (7 May 2014) – Kununurra_07May2014
Alice Springs, NT (19 May 2014) – Alice_Springs_19May2014
Gove, NT (21 May 2014) – [...]
21 May 2014 Minister for Trade and Investment
New trade and services data highlighting the importance of China as Australia’s major trading partner demonstrates why concluding a Free Trade Agreement with the world’s second biggest economy is a high priority of the Abbott Government.
The data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), combined with earlier ABS merchandise trade data, shows two significant milestones were achieved in 2013. For the first time:
Australia’s goods [...]
