10 April 2014
Adam Giles
NT Government
Transcript
The North of Australia is entering an exciting and unprecedented new era in our nation’s history.
In the coming months I expect you will hear a lot about the discussion of the Northern Territory, and our position at the heart of the development of Northern Australia.
We are embarking on a bold, new journey to unlock the potential of the north and to take full advantage of our natural resources and our position as Australia’s closest link to Asia.
The Federal Government is drafting a new policy on the development of Northern Australia that represents a unique opportunity to build new infrastructure across northern Australia such as roads, and ports and rail networks that will open up the Northern Territory like never before.
The terms of reference for the white paper are, and I quote:
“… to identify critical economic and social infrastructure needed to support the long-term growth of the region”.
This is what Australia needs.
By opening up Northern Australia, the rest of the nation will be able to benefit from our proximity to Asia, to their trading hubs and the strong links we have already established with business in the region.
We have enough gas reserves in the Territory to power the rest of Australia for two centuries and there are proposals to build a gas pipeline from Alice Springs in the red centre through to Moomba in South Australia
… this can fix the New South Wales gas crisis and supply LNG to the whole of the south east.
More than 60 per cent of the nation’s rainfall occurs north of the Tropic of Capricorn and we are investigating locations for irrigated agriculture and export and to future proof Australia’s food needs.
Around 10 percent of Australia’s Defence Force is already based in the Northern Territory and we expect that presence will grow significantly in coming years.
The reality is we have what everyone else wants.
We have land in abundance, a deep water port. We have road and rail links to the south, no land tax and an open for business attitude.
I believe we have reached a turning point in the history of the Territory.
The time to develop Northern Australia has arrived.
The result will be wealth and prosperity for the nation and jobs and business opportunities right across Northern Australia, and particularly the Northern Territory.
I believe we have the best place to live in the world with our wonderful environment, and I urge you all to come on up to the Territory and be a part of Australia’s future.
I look forward to seeing you.
Courtesy of the NT Government