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

Facing North is an initiative of the Territory Leadership Network, which is a collaborative arrangement between the Darwin Major Business Group and the Northern Territory government and is hosted by me and the other NT federal parliamentarians: Warren Snowdon, the member for Lingiari, and the two NT senators, Nigel Scullion and Malarndirri McCarthy. It's an inaugural event that was first held last year. Following the success of the event, we're again, tonight, showcasing Darwin and the Northern Territory as the sophisticated, professional, modern and diverse economy that we are, with real opportunities.

We have brought down a whole range of industry captains and local Northern Territory government members to mix with members of this parliament, the decision-makers here in Canberra. Industry associations, along with many captains of industry, have also descended. There are about 150 Territorians descending on Parliament House today for the event tonight. We've got the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, the Hon. Michael Gunner MLA, here having a range of meetings. Tonight, we will be showcasing some of the best Territory cuisine and beverages. As well as senior members from the federal and Territory governments, there will be the mayors. The Administrator of the Northern Territory, the Hon. Vicki O'Halloran, will also be here. There will be senior business and industry leaders, as I said; former chief ministers Paul Henderson and Shane Stone; key Defence personnel; high-level banking and airline representatives; and many other boards—Kakadu Tourism, the NAIF, Menzies, Seafarms, the Australian Logistics Council and the APA, to name but a few. I've made sure that groups like NAILSMA, the Larrakia Nation and the Larrakia Development Corporation are able to take part as well.

We look forward to welcoming members and senators tonight to the Mural Hall. It's a fantastic group of Territorians that have come together. In particular, I want to thank the Larrakia Nation and the mayor of the City of Darwin for the recent changing of the name of a major road in Darwin to a Larrakia word, 'Garramilla'. It's a great example of honouring Larrakia heritage in the everyday lives of Darwin residents. We recognise—and I personally recognise—the power of language. It is a storehouse of Larrakia knowledge about the environment and our ancient culture of the Top End.