The Northern Territory Government has launched the Infrastructure NT Commission in an effort to support job-creating projects and private investment.
Territory Investment and Major Project Commissioners have been established to actively pursue investment and drive major projects in the territory.
The Infrastructure NT Commissioner will ensure the state builds the public infrastructure needed to deliver those important job-creating projects, providing a crucial link to achieving the NT Government’s goal of a $40 billion economy by 2030.
The Infrastructure NT Commissioner will have a direct channel to the Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics and will give effect to the Territory Economic Reconstruction Commission’s recommendation to establish a strategic infrastructure planning and development function that plans for, coordinates and aligns infrastructure needs with industry and population growth.
Louise McCormick, currently the General Manager Transport and Civil Services, Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics will fill in as the interim appointment, with recruitment of the permanent Infrastructure Commissioner to follow.
A key aspect of the new body will be to work with Infrastructure Australia to deliver nationally significant infrastructure projects, and have a seat at the table with other Australia jurisdictions when it comes to bidding for infrastructure projects.
Infrastructure Australia CEO, Romilly Madew, said, “The establishment of Infrastructure NT and the Infrastructure Commissioner is an exciting milestone for the Northern Territory.
“As one of the Territory Economic Reconstruction Commissioners, my colleagues and I on the Commission highlighted the benefit a Northern Territory infrastructure body, representing all of the Territory’s infrastructure interests nationally, would have in supporting economic development and growth.
“I congratulate the NT Government’s commitment to making this happen in 2021, and I look forward to working with the Commissioner of Infrastructure NT to identify and champion opportunities for investment and reform to drive the territory’s future growth.
“Infrastructure Australia is very proud of our close and collaborative relationship with infrastructure bodies around the country, and we are very pleased to welcome Infrastructure NT into this group.”
The immediate work the Infrastructure Commissioner will undertake is:
- Build on infrastructure work that government has already done, and have a strategic approach to creating jobs and planning for the future
- Work in conjunction with the Investment and Major Project Commissioners to win projects and make them happen
- Establish a strategically focussed professional team that will represent the Northern Territory in national discussions to ensure our public infrastructure requirements have Commonwealth and broader community support, including submissions to Infrastructure Australia for priority project listing
- Develop a new Territory Infrastructure Strategy, incorporating annual Infrastructure Plans, to get the right infrastructure built at the right time, in the right place to support productivity, economic growth and regional sustainability
- Oversee business cases and concept plans for ‘shovel worthy’ government projects underpinned by appropriate community engagement and planning through the regional recovery committees
- Review and define processes to assess and prioritise all major publicly funded infrastructure investment proposals
Northern Territory Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics, Eva Lawler, said, “Quality projects that enable economic development are important to the Northern Territory’s bounce back. We are well positioned to become Australia’s comeback capital.
“The Territory Labor Government knows a strong pipeline of ongoing infrastructure projects not only supports local jobs and local business, it signifies to the rest of the nation and the world that we are open for business.
“The announcement today of an NT Infrastructure Body and Infrastructure Commissioner is that we have more expertise on the front, winning projects for Territorians.
“We are a Government who is doing the work and making sure the Northern Territory is positioned to win projects and investment, which is in the interests of Territorians, jobs, business and our future.”
