Division
Dean Smith Northern Australia is not a distant frontier; it is central to Australia's prosperity, security and future growth. That is why the coalition supports the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment Bill 2026, extending the NAIF for a further 10 years from 30 June 2026 to 30 June 2036. The coalition established the NAIF in 2016 because we recognised the enormous economic contribution of northern Western Australia and the wider north. Northern Australia covers more than half the continent but is home to just 5.1 per cent of all Australians, yet it produces well above its population share through mining, energy, agriculture, tourism, logistics and exports. In Western Australia, that contribution is unmistakeable. The Pilbara is one of the great economic powerhouses of the world. Its ports, mines, gas fields, roads, airports and energy systems help drive Australia's export income and national prosperity. The Kimberley is rich in agriculture, pastoral production, tourism, aquaculture, resources and First Nations culture. From Broome to Kununurra, it carries enormous potential but also enormous infrastructure challenges. That is why the NAIF matters so much. Since its establishment, the NAIF has helped bridge financing gaps and deliver infrastructure projects that might otherwise never proceed. It has supported projects across agriculture and water, energy, resources, transport and, importantly, social infrastructure. As at December 2025, the NAIF had supported 33 projects backed by $4.3 billion in commitments. Those projects are forecast to generate $33 billion in public benefit—around $7.60 for every dollar of NAIF finance—and support more than 18,000 jobs across northern Australia. The independent review into the NAIF confirmed what regional communities already know: the NAIF is trusted, effective and regarded as a highly valued institution. Stakeholders describe it as part of the northern Australia ecosystem, with the review's first recommendation
Senate, 2026-06-30. negative: ayes 20, noes 31.
Question
Dean Smith Northern Australia is not a distant frontier; it is central to Australia's prosperity, security and future growth. That is why the coalition supports the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment Bill 2026, extending the NAIF for a further 10 years from 30 June 2026 to 30 June 2036. The coalition established the NAIF in 2016 because we recognised the enormous economic contribution of northern Western Australia and the wider north. Northern Australia covers more than half the continent but is home to just 5.1 per cent of all Australians, yet it produces well above its population share through mining, energy, agriculture, tourism, logistics and exports. In Western Australia, that contribution is unmistakeable. The Pilbara is one of the great economic powerhouses of the world. Its ports, mines, gas fields, roads, airports and energy systems help drive Australia's export income and national prosperity. The Kimberley is rich in agriculture, pastoral production, tourism, aquaculture, resources and First Nations culture. From Broome to Kununurra, it carries enormous potential but also enormous infrastructure challenges. That is why the NAIF matters so much. Since its establishment, the NAIF has helped bridge financing gaps and deliver infrastructure projects that might otherwise never proceed. It has supported projects across agriculture and water, energy, resources, transport and, importantly, social infrastructure. As at December 2025, the NAIF had supported 33 projects backed by $4.3 billion in commitments. Those projects are forecast to generate $33 billion in public benefit—around $7.60 for every dollar of NAIF finance—and support more than 18,000 jobs across northern Australia. The independent review into the NAIF confirmed what regional communities already know: the NAIF is trusted, effective and regarded as a highly valued institution. Stakeholders describe it as part of the northern Australia ecosystem, with the review's first recommendation
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