Media Release – ANDEV backs Adam Giles’ efforts to develop Northern Australia

Australians for Northern Development and Economic Vision (ANDEV) has strongly supported the formation of a select group of ministers and experts appointed by Northern Territory Chief Minister Adam Giles. The Cabinet sub-committee has been formed to progress growth in the Northern Territory economy with a focus on mining, energy, tourism, education, food and exports.

ANDEV Chairman Mrs Gina Rinehart came out in support of the NT Government saying, “The NT Government has a ‘can do’ attitude. From the discussions I have had with the Chief Minister and various ministers, they have exactly the type of vision that Australia needs.”

Mrs Rinehart on behalf of ANDEV, has been calling for the whole of the NT to be transformed into a low tax, low regulation Special Economic Zone (SEZ) which she claims will drive investment and economic growth into the region, and more recently these claims have been supported by Australian think tank, the Institute of Public Affairs, and others.

Mrs Rinehart added “in this time of record debt in Australia, added to by large state debts, debt which will hamper Australia from doing many things it needs to be doing, such as better preparing for our increasingly elderly Australian population and their increasing needs for senior care facilities and medical needs, improving our hospitals and funding our internal and external defence, and better caring for our disabled, it is critical indeed should even be obvious that we find and introduce ways to increase investment in Australia, and consequently significantly increase revenue.”

Adam Giles will chair the Cabinet sub-committee, with the other members being Treasurer David Tollner; Minister for Mines and Energy Willem Westra Van Holthe; Minister for Lands, Planning and the Environment Peter Chandler; and Minister for Tourism and Major Events Matt Conlan.

Supporting the sub-committee is an expert panel which includes Doug McTaggart of Galibier Partners and former NT Chief Minister Paul Henderson.

“The announcement indicates the focus on development that an Adam Giles led government will have and is welcome recognition of the problems which are currently stifling investment, exploration and acting as a disincentive to growth and revenue,”  Mr imants Kins, Co-Chair of ANDEV said.

“Adam Giles has shown great leadership in this initiative. There is real momentum to make something happen in the North given this announcement, plus the preparation of the Federal Coalition’s draft discussion paper on developing Northern Australia,” Mr Kins said.

“Northern Australia has the potential to drive the Australian economy in coming decades, and this is the type of vision that can make it happen,” Mr Kins said.

“America’s economic growth was driven by westward expansion, and there is no reason why Australia can’t achieve something similar by developing our North,” Mr Kins said.

Mrs Rinehart supported this by saying, “just look for instance at Australia’s own example, when then premier Sir Joh Bjelke Petersen eliminated death taxes in Queensland, many people migrated to Queensland and so did billions of dollars, which were then invested in Queensland”.

Australians for Northern Development and Economic Vision (ANDEV), has been calling for the establishment of a Northern Special Economic Zone (SEZ) with lower taxes, and a streamlined lessened regulatory burden since 2010. It has been working with the Institute of Public Affairs, since 2011 to raise Australian’s awareness of the potentiality of the North and to champion the establishment of a new creative policy that includes the establishment of SEZs.
Media Comment: Imants Kins, Co-Chair of ANDEV, 0401 034 541, kins@iinet.net.au