Ministers for regional development and Northern Australia have held a meeting of the Northern Australia Ministerial Forum (NAMF) to discuss ways of growing a stronger north.
The NAMF brings together state and federal counterparts and relevant agencies to discuss issues unique to northern Australia and pursue solutions to shared challenges.
Federal Minister for Northern Australia, the Hon Madeleine King MP, chaired the Forum and was joined by:
- Senator the Hon Malarndirri McCarthy, Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians
- Luke Gosling OAM MP, Special Envoy for Northern Australia
- The Hon Dale Last MP, Queensland Minister for Regional and Rural Development
- The Hon Stephen Dawson MLC, Western Australian Minister for Regional Development
- Oly Carlson MLA, Northern Territory Assistant Minister for Treasury and Finance
It was the first meeting of NAMF since the Federal Election, and the fifth since the Labor came into Government.
The group presented findings on the unique issues faced by communities in Northern Australia regarding issues such as housing and insurance.
The forum discussed ideas such as the potential for unlocking new, modern construction methods for northern communities.
The forum also heard from the President of Australian Local Government Association, Gladstone Mayor Matt Burnett, who discussed the challenges facing the local government sector across the north and possible opportunities for all levels of Government to work more closely together to improve services.
The Albanese Government is driving a major pipeline of housing investment across northern Australia to boost supply and support stronger communities.
This includes funding through the Housing Australia Future Fund and the National Housing Accord to deliver thousands of new social and affordable homes and enabling infrastructure, as well as targeted investments through the Social Housing Accelerator and the National Housing Infrastructure Facility to get projects moving faster.
Labor is also investing $2 billion in remote housing for the Northern Territory to deliver more culturally appropriate, climate-resilient homes for First Nations communities.
