Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Labor opposes this motion. In the Northern Territory there are many remote communities that suffer from high levels of disadvantage. We have a historical deficit. When it comes to issues such as infrastructure, housing, education and health, these need to be addressed if we are to have equal access to economic and social opportunities. The fact is that it costs more to run a health clinic in Yuendumu than it does in Melbourne. More than 70 per cent of our roads are unsealed. The massive GST cut recently inflicted on the Territory is the equivalent of closing every school in the Northern Territory and it will affect the people of the Northern Territory for years to come. With a population of around 250,000, generating own-source revenue is a challenge for the Territory. We do everything we can to attract private investment. Developing the north needs a national effort and it is to the advantage of all Australians that we pursue this common agenda.