On 14 June 2017, the Senate referred the following matters to the Senate Economics References Committee for inquiry and report by 7 December 2017:

The governance and operation of the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF), with particular reference to:

1. the adequacy and transparency of the NAIF’s governance framework, including its project assessment and approval processes;
2. the adequacy of the NAIF’s Investment Mandate, risk appetite statement and public interest test in guiding decisions of the NAIF Board;
3. processes used to appoint NAIF Board members, including assessment of potential conflicts of interest;
4. the transparency of the NAIF’s policies in managing perceived, actual or potential conflicts of interest of its Board members;
5. the adequacy of the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Act 2016 and Investment Mandate to provide for and maintain the independence of decisions of the Board;
6. the status and role of state and territory governments under the NAIF, including any agreements between states and territories and the Federal Government; and
7. any other related matters.