Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Macdonald, my fellow senator from the north, for his question. At the outset, I would like to recognise all the work that Senator Macdonald has done over the years to help deliver the government's plan on this agenda. I am very thankful he has done that work because there is a lot to do in this space now, given the government's agenda. He is also right to point out how important is the contribution of the north to our nation's growth, because it is uniquely placed to help deliver the transition we need to get beyond the resources boom.

Senator Macdonald is right that only about six per cent of Australians live in the north, but it does deliver from our northern ports more than 50 per cent of our exports. It also delivers more than 11 per cent of our GDP from just six per cent of our people. It is also well placed to help this transition because it is uniquely geographically placed in our nation. By 2050, half of the world's population will live in tropical regions across the globe. Of course, the north of our country is the tropical region of Australia.

We believe that the natural advantages that the North has should be reinvested in and that the government should focus on them, because driving growth in those areas will help drive growth across our nation. We are doing that through establishing a $5 billion low concessional loan facility and investing $600 million in roads across the north to help improve connections between communities and an additional $100 million specifically in our beef supply chains to get down costs in our beef sector. Through all of these investments we will make a stronger and more prosperous north and create more jobs in the north. A stronger north of our nation means a stronger nation overall.