Minister for Indigenous Australians
Remote communities are places of identity, belonging and connection to Country.
They are also places of resilience, leadership and opportunity.
But if we are serious about building a better future, we must tackle the challenges and build on what is working.
The Albanese Government is creating a positive path forward for remote communities by backing people, investing in opportunities and supporting communities to realise their own aspirations.
That is why our commitment is simple, no one left behind and no one held back.
It is also why Closing the Gap remains one of the most important responsibilities we share as a nation.
Most importantly, it is about delivering outcomes that people can see in their everyday lives.
Across the Territory, that delivery is already happening.
In remote communities, local people are taking up new jobs, organisations are expanding the services they provide, and communities are creating opportunities that support long-term growth and self-determination.
The Albanese Government has committed around $2.9 billion to reform remote employment through the Remote Jobs and Economic Development (RJED) program and the Remote Australia Employment Service (RAES).
Nationally, RJED is creating 6,000 jobs, with more than 3,000 already approved.
Here in the Territory, the RJED program has already created more than 1,150 remote jobs for local people, with 19,820 job seekers also accessing support through RAES.
These jobs are supporting families, strengthening community organisations and ensuring services are delivered by local people who know their communities best.
In Ramingining, Bula'bula Arts is one of many organisations benefiting from RJED support, creating local jobs and sharing Yolŋu art, culture and stories with visitors.
These opportunities take many forms.
In some communities they are creating jobs through tourism and cultural exchange.
In others, they are supporting people to care for Country while building skills, leadership and long-term employment.
Across the Northern Territory, over 60 Indigenous Ranger Groups are protecting biodiversity, managing land and sea Country and passing cultural knowledge to future generations.
These are jobs with purpose.
Opportunity, however, is about more than employment alone.
It is also about ensuring families can afford the essentials and participate fully in community life.
At a time when cost-of-living pressures are being felt across the country, families in remote Australia have too often paid significantly more for everyday essentials than most Australians.
That is why the Albanese Government made remote food security a priority.
Across the Territory, 68 stores have joined the Low-cost Essentials Subsidy Scheme, delivering lower-cost groceries in communities from Kalkarindji and Gapuwiyak to Borroloola, Mutitjulu and Wurrumiyanga.
Nationally, the scheme has already delivered an estimated $5 million in savings for remote customers.
And through the Good Food People program, 31 people working across 25 stores in the Territory are helping make healthy and affordable food more accessible in their communities.
When essentials become more affordable, families have greater financial security and communities are better placed to thrive.
This is also why Indigenous Business Month is so important.
From small businesses serving local communities to larger enterprises operating across industries, Indigenous businesses are creating jobs, delivering services and generating more than $16 billion in revenue each year.
With almost two-thirds of jobs in the First Nations business ecosystem located in rural and remote Australia, their contribution reaches far beyond the businesses themselves.
They create opportunity close to home, strengthen local economies and help communities shape their own future.
There is more work to do, and we should never pretend otherwise.
My recent discussions with the Northern Territory Government reinforced that.
The Commonwealth continues to invest heavily in the Territory, and communities deserve to see the benefits of that funding, without being left waiting for support that has already been committed.
I have seen across the Territory that when investment reaches communities, it delivers the housing, infrastructure and services needed to meet local needs.
These outcomes are helping to Close the Gap, strengthening communities and creating the foundations for long-term prosperity.
Real progress is measured by people having the chance to build the future they want for themselves, their families and the next generation.
