Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Macdonald for that question. In doing so, I acknowledge his many, many years of strong and effective advocacy for the people and communities of the north. The government today has released our plan for developing northern Australia. There is, in the government's assessment, significant and very exciting untapped potential in our North. Northern Australia, of course, already makes a very significant contribution to our economy.

Just one million people live in about three million square kilometres across northern Australia. There are communities from Townsville to Cairns to Darwin to Broome to Karratha. Those one million Australians are responsible for more than half of our sea exports out of Australia. Just 60,000 people in the Pilbara of Western Australia are generating national income for Australia that is in excess of the income generated by 119 countries around the world. Sixty thousand Australians in the Pilbara are generating more income than that which is generated by 119 countries around the world.

We believe that we can do better. We believe that there is great opportunity for the great North of Australia to contribute even more strongly to Australia's economic growth and prosperity. That is why the government is making an unprecedented investment in our future success and in the future success of families and businesses across northern Australia through our northern Australia white paper. I congratulate Senator Macdonald for the contribution he has made in putting that plan together. We have set out an ambitious, long-term reform agenda with actions to unlock the North's full potential across six key areas: simpler land arrangements to support investment, developing the North's water resources, growing the North as business trade and investment gateway— (Time expired)