House debates

Wednesday, 2 June 2021

Questions without Notice

Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility: CopperString Project

2:19 pm

Photo of Keith PittKeith Pitt (Hinkler, National Party, Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

Can I thank the honourable member for that question. I've heard a lot of associations with my last name, but that's a new one!

I'm asked about the NAIF itself and of course the CopperString project, which is expected to extend from Townsville to Mount Isa. It is an important project, which we are taking seriously, I say to the member for Kennedy.

We intend to continue to deliver for the north. We intend to continue to deliver for the people of northern Australia—the people in the member's electorate and right across the north. I understand the value of the North West Minerals Province and the particular value that something like CopperString could provide to the North West Minerals Province. It could generate around 750 jobs. But we've already provided some $5 million of support, in 2019, and another grant of around $11 million recently to help the proponents in terms of their design.

But I am asked about NAIF considering the project. It is inappropriate for me to comment on something completely in the NAIF's purview. However, my understanding is that—they have an independent process—they are meeting regularly with the proponent and they will make their advice in terms of that decision and put it to me as the minister. I'd encourage them to continue to do that, particularly for the CopperString proponents. This is a project which has been around for some time. But, if it gives any comfort to the member for Kennedy, in part of the review of the NAIF we have announced that we have got regions of growth, and one of those pilot locations is from Townsville to Mount Isa, as the result of a lot of lobbying from colleagues, right across the north. That is a particular area which we are focusing on as part of the work we expect to do with the NAIF.

But I do have to take issue with one of the points in the question, and that is around what the NAIF has done, particularly in Queensland and how many projects it's actually supporting. It's over $1 billion in Queensland already. We know that we have Signature Onfarm out at Clermont—the Anguses—a $24 million loan for a processing facility out there, a fabulous facility. That is underway. We've seen photos of that construction—

Comments

No comments