Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Smith for that question, and I would like to acknowledge his longstanding interest in support for developing Australia's north, particularly in Western Australia. The Northern Australia white paper is indeed a game changer for Australia's north and will drive sustainable development and growth for at least the next 20 years. Importantly for our First Australians, the white paper will create job and economic opportunities for Indigenous people who live across our north.

We are continuing to work with Indigenous communities in the implementation of the white paper. This engagement will be critical if we are going to see the changes that we need. Reforms to support the better use of Indigenous land must drive this change. This means increasing the value of land for all, creating a native title funding regime that has a greater focus on economic opportunity for Indigenous Australians and increasing individual property rights in township areas for willing Indigenous communities. The government is determined that native title holders and Indigenous businesses and communities should have the same opportunity as other Australians to leverage their land assets to generate wealth. Land in Northern Australia has the potential to support greater and more diverse economic activity, and government has a role to remove the barriers that currently exist.

I can report to the Senate that measures in the White paper on developing Northern Australia have all been very well received—and it is not hard to see why. The measures include $20 million to support native title holders to build their capacity and effectively and equitably engage with potential investors; $17 million to support the essential infrastructure, like surveying and township leasing; $12 million to expand opportunities for Indigenous ranger groups, particularly in the protection of biosecurity to this nation; and over $10 million for land tenure pilots for removing those blockages that currently occur with sometimes conflicting legislation. But it is very clear that the White paper on developing Northern Australia is in fact a blueprint for the long-term development of Northern Australia. (Time expired)