Action plan ‘ on track’
THOUSANDS of jobs and billions of dollars in investment are flowing as part of the Coalition’s action plan for Northern Australia, federal minister Matt Canavan says.
But Labor spokesman Jason Clare said unemployment was higher in Townsville now than when the LNP launched its white paper for northern development and the Government was yet to commit to the city’s need for water security.
Senator Canavan, the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, speaking to the third Northern Australia Annual Statement, told Parliament on Tuesday the Government was realising its agenda.
“Infrastructure development has been the linchpin of our plan,” he said.
Senator Canavan said 32 of the 37 projects under the $ 700 million Northern Australia Roads Program and Northern Beef Roads Program had been completed, were under way or were starting soon.
These projects were creating up to 2400 direct jobs for local communities, he said.
Mr Canavan said The Outback Way, from Winton to Laverton, was being upgraded as a priority route across the North.
He said an extra $ 1.5 billion was being invested under the Roads of Strategic Importance program, upgrading key agricultural and mining roads.
More than $ 230 million has been committed to Northern Australia water projects, with assessments by CSIRO identifying agricultural opportunities in Queensland’s Mitchell River catchment, Western Australia’s Fitzroy River catchment and the Northern Territory’s Finniss, Adelaide, Mary and Wildman river catchments.
“The substantial wealth generated in Northern Australia has come largely from private investment, with much more needed,” Senator Canavan said. “The support we have been able to provide to a range of projects has helped leverage an increasing amount of private sector investment.”
He said the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility had approved loans to businesses in marine supply, resources, tourism, aquaculture, air transport, renewable energy and higher education.
Total investment was nearly $ 1 billion, supporting projects with a total value of up to $ 2.3 billion, he said.
Mr Clare said the LNP was yet to commit to water security in Townsville.
“Labor had to drag the LNP kicking and screaming to match our promise to widen the Townsville Port channel. But they’re still refusing to match our $ 100 million commitment to deliver long- term water security for Townsville and our $ 200 million commitment to build hydropower on the Burdekin,” Mr Clare said.