Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

I recognise Senator McMahon is a big advocate for the development of her territory. The Darwin area and the broader surrounds of the Northern Territory have enormous potential. While gas production is being unnecessarily restricted in some parts of Australia, finally, finally, finally the Northern Territory government has opened up that possibility in northern Australia. It's a huge opportunity for our country. There is something like 180,000 petajoules of gas in the Northern Territory. We use about 500 petajoules of gas per year in eastern Australia. So there's potentially 200-odd years supply of gas in the Northern Territory alone. It's our first major shale gas basin in Australia. We can all see what shale gas has done for the manufacturing industry in the US and jobs in the US, and I want to have those kinds of jobs here in Australia. I know Senator McMahon wants a manufacturing industry in Darwin. That's why we've taken steps to introduce a national gas reservation scheme which will see gas produced here in Australia stay in Australia and support Australian jobs and Australian manufacturing industry.