Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Pocock for moving this urgency motion, and I rise to speak on it. The Albanese government will provide $1.5 billion in planned equity to support the development of the Middle Arm precinct, together with $440 million for regional logistics hubs along key transport links to connect Katherine, Alice Springs and Tennant Creek to Darwin. I would point out that this is an election commitment that the government made prior to the election last year, so we very much see this as delivering on an election commitment that we made to the Australian people.

I would add that a couple of weeks ago I was in Tennant Creek on some government business and I had the opportunity to talk with locals there about the opportunity that the Middle Arm precinct will provide but also with those regional logistics hubs at the same time. There is really strong interest in the local community, amongst traditional owners, in the Sun Cable project and the tremendous opportunity that renewable projects will provide in the Northern Territory. So I think that there is strong support for this project within the Northern Territory and they do see it as an important part of creating the jobs of the future and long-term sustainable industries that can create reliable jobs that people know they can rely on to build a long-term future for themselves and their families in that area.

To be clear, the government's investment in Middle Arm is an investment in common-user marine infrastructure that supports industries critical to achieving the government's commitment to net zero, including specialist product wharves, modular offloading facilities for manufacturing and dredging of the shipping channel. It will also help position the Northern Territory and northern Australia to take advantage of international demand for Australian clean energy. We are confident that there is enormous opportunity across the Northern Territory when it comes to creating both jobs and economic opportunity.

This is infrastructure that will support industries critical to meeting our commitments to net zero while generating jobs and economic opportunities across the Territory. The proposals include developing a hydrogen facility using solar energy to produce green hydrogen for domestic use and potentially for export; developing a green hydrogen hub, which comprises green hydrogen and green ammonia production—again there are plenty of opportunities for jobs and economic development—and a processing facility for critical minerals, which are to be used in energy storage batteries and precursor battery materials, and the manufacturing of these products. Again this is a key priority of the federal government. The truth is that gas remains an important energy source for Australia and our trading partners during the transition to net zero and decarbonisation. A lower-CO2-emissions liquefied natural gas export facility is also one of the proposals.

The projects linked to Middle Arm will provide significant economic benefits and create an estimated 20,000 jobs in the Territory. It is, however, deeply disingenuous to ignore the facts, as some people have continued to do, and claim that this is an investment in fracking. It isn't. It is also disappointing that those people fail to engage in the detail of the proposition that the Australian government has put to the Northern Territory government.

I understand that there are a range of views and perspectives on this project. While the government remain committed to the projects, we are also committed to working with the Northern Territory government and the community to ensure the necessary assessments take place before the project proceeds. The Australian government is committed to working with traditional owners and First Nations communities as the proposal is developed further.

The Australian government's decision to make an equity investment in this project will allow us to work in partnership with the Northern Territory government to ensure our vision is met. This is particularly important as new markets to process and export green hydrogen and energy transition components are established. Instead of giving handouts to private companies, we are investing in common-use infrastructure to give all potential users in the market the opportunity to grow and thrive. The government know how important it is to deliver on our commitments to the Australian people, by investing in enabling infrastructure that creates economic opportunity and jobs of the future in renewable energy and manufacturing. We think that the Northern Territory deserves those opportunities as well.

We know that we can take action on climate change and work towards our net zero commitments while creating jobs and opportunities. Despite attempts by others to ignore the facts and the reality, this is the record of the Albanese government. It is one we are proud to deliver on, particularly for those people in the Northern Territory who rely on good-quality jobs.