COMMITTEES

Ms SCRYMGOUR (Lingiari) (10:30): On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia, I present the committee's report entitled Developing the north is not a catchphrase. Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e). Ms SCRYMGOUR: by leave—Today we table the first report into our emerging industries inquiry for the Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia.

This is the first of several themed reports we plan to table. Northern Australia is vibrant, resilient and strategically important. It is Australia's gateway to South-East Asia, it is the home to some of the most pristine and unique natural environments in the world, and it is central to our resource, agriculture and pastoral industries.

It is, in every sense, a region of immense national importance and opportunity. Northern Australia has the potential to safeguard our national future prosperity. It is critical, however, that this development delivers lasting benefit for the people who live there.

The reality is that we in the north do not enjoy the same level of services and quality infrastructure as those in the south. This is not new. Governments of all colours over many decades have struggled to overcome this.

This report seeks to learn from the northern Australian development to date and outline how we might improve the structures which underpin northern development. The Albanese government has committed substantial resources across a range of portfolios, and there are many organisations and agencies doing important work across the north. However, we will only have a lasting impact if we coordinate, co-invest and complement the work of each other.

To support and enhance this, this report recommends a review of the governance framework for northern Australia. In extension of this, the report recommends the consideration of a northern Australia statutory authority. Officials work very hard in the Office of Northern Australia, yet the scale of the work that they need to undertake is massive.

This recommendation seeks to identify areas where they can be further empowered. Our committee has also called for continued investment in northern led research and innovation. It is imperative that we continue to undertake research in the north and we work to ensure that the northern expertise informs local development.

An additional challenge which this report addresses is the massive pipeline of infrastructure development for northern Australia. The government is investing heavily in the north through a number of different vehicles. To help streamline this investment, we recommend Infrastructure Australia reinstitute its northern Australia infrastructure audit.

This will provide a forward plan of major projects, allowing communities to have visibility of which projects are coming up. It will also help ensure workforce planners have the line of sight that they need to deliver these projects. This report recognises that, to address structural barriers in northern Australia, we need strong cross-portfolio and cross-jurisdictional collaboration.

In particular in remote communities, a wide range of actors need to be brought together to work towards a common goal. That is not always easy, but it is critical. This committee has held remote hearings in the Kimberleys and the Top End of the Northern Territory, and we will continue next year with our remote schedule.

Our job is to bring the voices of the north to Canberra and to keep this parliament focused on this vitally important region. I want to thank the members of our committee for their commitment and contribution. There are not many of us in northern Australia, but the collegiality and commitment we share for our home is very important.

I want to thank the deputy chair for her work in this inquiry and her contribution also. Working in a bipartisan way to deliver the north for the north has never been more important. In the member for Brand, we are lucky to have a hardworking Minister for Northern Australia.

The minister understands the issues of the North and, most importantly, she speaks frankly and with purpose when it comes to northern Australia. This report seeks to ensure the systems which operate across northern Australia are streamlined, coordinated and effective and that they support the continued advocacy of the minister. Some of these recommendations will require further conversations, but the important part is that we have that conversation.

I move: That the House take note of the report.