AUSTRALIANS FOR NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT & Economic Vision

Thriving North Australia with more growth, more opportunities and more people.

ANDEV is made up of individuals and businesses that care about the development of Northern Australia.

We want to see Governments provide policies that make Northern Australia competitive in the global market place and encourage investment that brings sustainable economic and social development to Northern Australia.

This is very much a story about the forgotten half of Australia because of its remoteness, lack of political representation, climate and geography. The Australians who live here are proud of their pioneering history and Top End Australian character. They are in many ways the forgotten Australians – forgotten by politicians and many Australians who live in populous cities outside of the North.

Governments too often neglect the North as most of them don’t live there and understand the special circumstance when it comes to imposing what too often turn out to be burdensome rules and regulations.

For many who live in the South there is a reluctance to look up – up to the Pilbara, the Kimberley, the Top End and North Queensland where so much potential lies dormant. ANDEV sees the North as the land of opportunities. The trouble is that historically those who make decision about the North live in the big cities. This is not good for Northern Australia and Australia.

Why is ANDEV Necessary?
Generally industry bodies and Governments have paid lip service to the development of Northern Australia. Its needs and potential have been ignored. There has been a failure to see it as of being of vital strategic importance in the economic and social development of Australia.

There is a need for a dynamic and dedicated voice. In 2010 ANDEV was established on the initiative and drive of Mrs Gina Rinehart. Look no further than the Federal parliament to understand the need for this community voice. ANDEV regards Northern Australia as everything north of the 26 th parallel. That makes up almost half of the huge continent of Australia.  With a small population this 44% of Australia in 2019 generated an estimated 71% of Australia’s exports – $277 Billion of Australia’s exports of energy, resources and agriculture, and delivered significant taxation and jobs both directly and indirectly throughout Australia.  Yet in the Commonwealth parliament’s House of Representatives where the Commonwealth Government is formed Northern Australia with 44% of the land mass has only 11 of the 151 seats in that House. That is 7% of the seats. These 11 seats cover an estimated 6.5 M km2 or 83% of Australia. Queensland has 7 seats. NT two and WA two. In WA the seat of Durack covers almost 60% of WA. It’s a battle for even a small amount of those monies produced by the North to be returned to the North. It remains short of infrastructure, goods, services and other amenities cities outside of the North demand and get! 

ANDEV worked hard in conjunction with the IPA from 2010 to 2013 in awakening Australians to the importance and potential of Northern Australia. In 2013 the then Opposition Coalition led by Tony Abbott took a detailed Northern Australia policy to the 2013 Election and on winning that election introduce its Northern Australia policy. ANDEV would like to acknowledge in particular the support of the then Opposition leader Hon Tony Abbott, Hon Andrew Robb AO MP and the excellent work of the IPA.

Between 2013 and 2019 a key ANDEV focus has been on having the Coalitions policy implemented, cutting red and green tape and seeking further improvements on existing policy such as establishing a Northern Australia Economic Zone as a Integrated Development Zone (“IDZ”) or series of IDZ’s. This is the next step required to take Northern Australian into a transformative stage of development that will bring benefits across Australia. 

ANDEV calls for a IDZ that includes an efficient decentralized regulatory system, less regulations, one stop shop for all Government approvals, personal and business taxation system that drives growth and a long-term commitment from all levels of Government to the strategic importance of Northern Australia and its economic and social development. IDZ’s can foster globally competitive industries. Ad hoc policies can generally result in ineffective and unproductive outcomes

Founders of Australians for Northern
Development and Economic Vision

Chairman Mrs Gina Rinehart and Co-Chairman Mr Imants Kins.

Click here to explore how Government (s) can reduce all types of regulation across mining and agriculture.

It is our duty to leave to future generations of Australians a robust and growing economy, something all the more achievable if we unleash the potential of Northern Australia.

The potential for economic development in Northern Australia is undeniable and developing the North should be a priority for all levels of government.  We are doing a great disservice to future generations if we do not capitalise on the abundant opportunities in the region.

These opportunities don’t just exist in the mining and resources sector, but in agriculture, renewable energy, medicine, education, tourism, communications and across the full spectrum of human activity.

There is also huge potential for Northern Australia to become the high quality, high gross margin food bowl for Asia.  We currently feed 60 million people a year. With sensible water catchment and deployment of the latest agricultural, transport and logistics technology, Australia could feed 120 million, or many more.

Moreover CSIRO ( 2015) estimated that 60% of Australia’s total annual rainfall falls in Northern Australia and only a very small percentage of that is captured. If this water is harnessed and used effectively, it could have significant positive implications for water storage, flood mitigation, power generation and innovative irrigation schemes.

There is one statistic which sums up more than any other why we must develop the North.  By 2020, more than half the world’s middle class will be in Asia and Asian consumers will account for over 40 per cent of global middle class consumption.  Australia’s proximity to Asian markets is unrivalled and the exploding Asia-Pacific middle class is already creating huge new mass markets.  It will also create very large niche markets suited to the higher cost, quality goods and services available in Australia.

Asia is the new growth market and, as the OECD report suggests, the growth will occur in the immediate future, practically overnight.  If Australia is to take advantage of this historic opportunity, then we should start now by transforming the North of Australia.

Northern Australia is on Asia’s doorstep and we would be foolish not to use this competitive advantage.

In 2019 ( ABS cat 5638) WA, NT and Queensland were responsible for $277 B of Australia’s exports or 71% of Australian’s total annual exports. With the right policies there is potential for this to grow and for value adding processing to be established.

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ANDEV has a vision of a thriving North Australia with more growth, more opportunities and more people. Australia’s status as a major supplier of goods and services to our Asia-Pacific neighbours is at risk as competition increases from around the world. Policies that make Northern Australia and Australia generally more competitive are vital.

Industries associated with the resources sector are moving investment overseas as Australian governments make it more difficult and more risky to invest in Australia.

But it isn’t just the resources sector. Agricultural development in Northern Australia has long been hamstrung by distant governments who don’t understand the particular needs of Northern Australia economies. 

Governments are making Australia less competitive by putting in place new taxes that hit North Australia hardest, by tying entrepreneurs in red-tape and placing upward pressure on input costs for Northern industry.

With innovative ANDEV style Government policies the future of Northern Australia and Australia is bright!

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