Northern Australia Alliance in the nation’s capital
Posted on October 19th, 2017
100 guests attended the Annual Northern Australia Statement function at Parliament House on Tuesday in Canberra hosted by the Hon. Barnaby Joyce MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources and Minister for Resources and Northern Australia in partnership with our Northern Australia Alliance (Advance Cairns, Broome Future Ltd, Capricorn Enterprise, NT Chamber of Commerce, Townsville Enterprise, GW3, Karratha District Chamber of Commerce and Industry). Ministers, Shadow Ministers and Federal Members of Parliament from Northern Australia were in attendance as well as from Local Government, the Co-operative Research Centre, Regional Development Australia, Office of Northern Australia and the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) Board.
Jason Claire MP, Shadow Minister for Resources and Northern Australia also addressed the audience and it was refreshing to hear both Opposition and Government agree on the importance of Northern Australia in supporting major infrastructure development in water, roads, ports and rail for the North!
I had the honour of providing the Vote of Thanks to our Northern Australia Alliance Chairman Trent Twomey (Chairman Advance Cairns), our Political Leaders in Government and Opposition, as well as all of our Guests.
Whilst in Canberra, our Northern Australia Alliance met with both Government and the Opposition to discuss the importance of infrastructure development in Northern Australia:
- The Hon. Barnaby Joyce, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Northern Australia, Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources
- The Hon. Bill Shorten MP, Leader of the Opposition with his colleagues Jason Clare MP (Shadow Minister for Trade and Investment and Shadow Minister for Resources and Northern Australia), Chris Bowen MP (Shadow Treasurer), Warren Snowdon (Shadow Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health Northern Australia), Member for Townsville Cathy O’Toole
Our meetings were very productive with Ministers and Shadow Ministers listening intently to our business and industry groups about specific priority projects and policy ideas for Northern Australia including water, roads, ports, rail as well as more localized priority projects including Rookwood Weir, a Convention Centre in Yeppoon and infrastructure support and opportunities for Great Keppel Island.
Special thanks to Federal Member for Capricornia Michelle Landry MP who assisted me with a base office whilst at Parliament House – her hospitality was outstanding!
Read more about how the vision of a stronger northern Australia is being realised at northernaustralia.gov.au where you can access the statement and implementation report.
