Julie-Ann Campbell (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Phrases such as 'critical minerals', 'rare earths', 'net zero economy' and 'a future made in Australia' are not just passing buzzwords, and they're not just convenient political catchphrases. These words represent the strategic foundations of Australia's economic resilience and growth, our national security and our long-term competitiveness. Those words mean something. They mean something to a lot of people. I cut my teeth representing workers in the manufacturing industry, representing boilermakers, fitters and turners and sheet metal workers. Can I tell you that, whether those working Australians are working to build trains, working in medical manufacturing or making components, what is clear is that manufacturing is important because it creates jobs. It creates good jobs, ones that offer secure pathways and a job with dignity. It affects livelihoods; it affects families. Making sure that those families have a strong foundation—at the same time as building economic resilience for our nation, at the same time as value adding to core and critical supply chains in our globe—is something that we can never forget. Once those skills are lost, once those industries are lost, they are very hard to get back.

These factors are all part of Australia's strategy in what is very much a changing landscape—how nations secure supply chains, how they develop advanced manufacturing and how they prepare their workforces for a low-emissions global economy. Because that's what the future is, that's what the future holds. We as a country, as a nation and as a people want to be at the forefront of that future if we are to secure both our communities and our economy going forward.

Australia is extremely well positioned to capitalise on our strengths in this evolving landscape. We have abundant natural resources, a skilled workforce, R&D excellence and a geographic location in the Indo-Pacific. We need to invest in that. We need to make sure that those things continue and we need to make sure, if we're going to drive our economy, that it involves this mix. Our nation's future prosperity, and indeed our security, will be reliant on our ability to capitalise on these strengths and harness and support the emerging industries focused on critical minerals, rare earths and the net zero economy.

At the core of this drive is the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility, the NAIF, which is the foundation of northern Australia's economic development agenda. The NAIF is a $7 billion Commonwealth government financier providing concessional loans for the development of infrastructure projects in northern Australia and the Australian Indian Ocean Territories. Its primary aim is to accelerate infrastructure development across northern Australia. Its core purpose is to stimulate economic growth, attract private sector investment and deliver broad public benefit, including sustainable Indigenous participation and employment outcomes.

The NAIF supports a wide range of sectors that are critical to northern Australia's economic and social development. It provides financial assistance, primarily in the form of concessional loans, to projects that deliver new or materially enhanced infrastructure, boosting the economies of the Northern Territory, of my home state of Queensland and, Deputy Speaker Mascarenhas, of your home state of Western Australia.

In the energy sector the NAIF contributes to projects involving the generation, transmission and storage of renewable energy, supporting the growth of a sustainable energy future and national net zero objectives. The NAIF also plays a significant role in the resources sector by funding developments across critical minerals, rare earths, fertilisers, gold and copper. These minerals are so critical to our modern way of life. They're so critical to the way that the world works now and the way that our country works now. They're critical to connectivity. They're critical to health. They're critical to education. They're critical to our economy. In transport and logistics the NAIF finances infrastructure like ports, airports, rail and freight networks, which connect communities and unlock supply chains. Beyond these core sectors the NAIF supports additional industries where investments leads to substantial new or improved infrastructure.

This is about building our nation, it's about driving our economy and it's about making sure that we've got the skills to continue do so. This includes areas such as manufacturing, telecommunications, tourism related developments and aquaculture. Crucially, the facility also invests in social infrastructure, enhancing essential services such as education, health care, housing and community facilities to improve liveability and support thriving local communities. Perhaps the best summary is this: the NAIF's investments are forecast to generate around $33 billion in direct economic benefit from the 32 funded projects across northern Australia.

They are also supporting thousands and thousands of jobs—good jobs, jobs that create pathways and futures not just for the individual but for the family and the community as well. Many of these jobs—over 1,385 of them as of 31 December 2025—have gone to First Nations people. These positive outcomes for First Nations peoples reflect the requirement of NAIF financed projects to support local businesses and local communities—the ones that need that investment, those skills, those secure jobs the most—and project plans that specify First Nations involvement from procurement all the way to employment.

This bill amends the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Act 2016 to extend its operations until 30 June 2036. This comes after a recent review, which involved significant consultation across northern Australia, concluded the facility is fit for purpose. The bill implements five-year reviews to ensure it remains that way. There are two other key amendments to this bill. The first concerns strengthening accountability for compliance with the investment mandate, and the second establishes joint responsibilities for the two ministers responsible, the Minister for Resources and Minister for Northern Australia, and the Minister for Finance. This brings the facility in line with standard practice for Commonwealth specialist investment vehicles.

It's worth looking more closely at some specific projects that were made possible by NAIF—projects that came to life only because the Albanese Labor government has made an investment in this space, projects only made possible because NAIF exists and because we've worked to make sure that we continue to invest in it. The Critical Minerals Strategy 2023 to 2030 outlines the government's plan to strengthen and indeed expand Australia's critical minerals industry. The NAIF was accordingly directed to set aside $500 million of its appropriation to support projects aligned with this strategy. It's a big investment, and it's a big investment because we know that these are the projects that drive our economy and that also drive and lift up those local communities in and across northern Australia.

An example of this is the Arafura Nolans Bore Rare Earths Project. This Northern Territory based project received up to $200 million in financing in January 2024. It's expected to deliver around $1.4 billion in economic benefit and generate approximately 334 jobs, supporting long-term growth in the region. Behind each and every one of those 334 jobs is a story, a family, skills and a pathway for their future. What is the project? It's the mining and processing of two rare-earth elements which are critical for producing high-performance permanent magnets for electric vehicle motors, wind turbines, smartphones and a range of robotic technologies. What the NAIF does is bring together so many things that are important to this Labor government. It brings together secure jobs. It brings together investment in regions. It brings together the technologies that we know are economy driving, and it packages them up to make sure that we get a boost for our nation.

The Alpha HPA project in Queensland is also accessing $200 million through NAIF to support the production of over 10,000 tonnes of high-purity alumina. This will be used in manufacturing for products such as LED lights, lithium-ion batteries and semiconductors. Aligned with A Future Made in Australia, this investment is enabling industry diversification in the Gladstone area, creating hundreds and hundreds of jobs and injecting hundreds of millions of dollars into the regional economy in Queensland.

Over in WA—this might be an interesting one for you, Deputy Speaker—the Chichester Solar Gas Hybrid Project is part of the drive to a net zero economy. The $90 million loan from the NAIF enabled the development of a new solar generation facility. The facility is expected to displace 100 million litres of diesel generation annually from the Pilbara, and the result is a cleaner and more affordable supply of energy.

It's not only the economic impact, though; it's also the social impact that NAIF brings. The NAIF complements its economic development mandate with finance for vital social infrastructure projects—I say 'vital', because northern Australia spans vast distances, with small, widely dispersed populations, making it difficult for many communities to access essential services. The region's remoteness, climate and limited infrastructure create unique challenges for delivering education, health care, housing and other everyday needs. A large share of the population is made up of First Nations communities, each with specific cultural and social priorities. Purpose built social infrastructure is vital to support these communities, to preserve cultural identity and to improve access to key services. I know that this is also something particularly important to the member for Leichhardt, who's sitting there as a great representative of those Queensland regional communities every day.

When you think about regional and remote communities and what they need to stay strong, it's facilities such as schools, medical clinics, housing, community hubs and cultural spaces which are critical. When these services are strong, they help attract and retain residents, support the local economy and workers and boost overall liveability. They're important. The NAIF helps address these challenges by providing long-term, flexible finance for social infrastructure projects, with a focus on developing infrastructure that provides clear and lasting public value. This includes investment in facilities for education and skills development, enabling people to train, skill up, learn and build long-term career pathways.

One example is the Cairns Seniors Community Housing Project, which has benefited from a loan of up to $140 million from the NAIF. Construction on this project is due to be completed by December this year, with 490 dwellings being available to house around 690 people. Another North Queensland example is the NAIF's loan to James Cook University to construct new student accommodation. It's a seven-storey facility that houses over 400 students, and it's right next door to James Cook University's Engineering and Innovation Place. NAIF funding of $96 million enabled the development of a dedicated space where engineering and IT students, researchers and industry partners can collaborate on innovation and technology development. As part of the social infrastructure mandate, there is also investment available for health and aged-care infrastructure to improve wellbeing and support quality care across those regions.

The NAIF has already delivered more than $4 billion worth of investments across northern Queensland, the NT and northern Western Australia. The few I've mentioned here today illustrate how the NAIF has the capacity to affect positive and lasting change across many sectors, in many communities and in many families. The Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment Bill 2026 means that the NAIF will remain a secure, consistent and transparent source of funding to bolster economic development, jobs and infrastructure for our whole nation.

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