Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The people of the Northern Territory are reeling from the news that $2 billion of GST revenue will be ripped from us in the next few years. I cannot overstate the devastating impact this has going to have on our families, our economy, our services, our work in closing the gap and developing the North. The Turnbull government has turned its back on the Top End. Even the Senator for the Northern Territory, the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, is nowhere to be seen.

We have had the Senator for Queensland, the minister for northern Australia, claim that the coalition is making direct investments in the NT. Nothing could be further from the truth. Beef roads: three kilometres of bitumen. Yeah, thanks very much! The North Australia Infrastructure Facility and $5 billion to build critical infrastructure through the North: how much is being spent in the Northern Territory? Not one dollar. We are witnessing a serious lack of investment and interest by those opposite for the Northern Territory. Not since 2001-2002 have we seen such a critical lack of investment.

Our local newspaper had some unkind words to say about those opposite, and I will not repeat that one particular word. But what I will say is, 'Get on a plane.' (Time expired)