List of recommendations

Recommendation 1

2.63The committee recommends the Australian Government establish a review into the distribution formula of the Federal Assistance Grants. The review should consider:

the effectiveness of the current system of distribution;

whether current distributions are equitable across local government areas, with a focus on remote and very remote areas;

the effect of the relative decline in the value of the Grants on the service delivery capacity of local governments; and

whether the program is meeting its intended purpose.

Recommendation 2

2.67The committee recommends the Australian Government establish a review into current tax incentives to encourage people to live in NorthernAustralia. The review should consider:

the effectiveness of current incentives;

changes needed to make an incentive-based scheme more equitable and based on current definitions of remoteness; and

opportunities to improve the current system to encourage more people to live and work in remote and very remote parts of Northern Australia.

Recommendation 3

4.63The committee recommends the Australian Government, in conjunction with the state and territory governments for Northern Australia, consider ways to provide incentives for appropriate modular homes to be built to address the immediate housing crisis in Northern Australia.

Recommendation 4

4.71The committee recommends the Australian Government develop a Northern Australia focused Regional Infrastructure Strategy with state, territory and local governments. This Strategy should focus, as a matter of priority, on how to address skilled labour shortages, ensure there is a sustainable pipeline of infrastructure, and on building the housing and construction industry in regional areas.

Recommendation 5

4.72The committee recommends the Australian Government, in conjunction with states and territories, explore options for a Regional Infrastructure Fund – or similar mechanism. Such a fund could be contributed too by all levels of government, to focus on supporting local employment in social, residential, commercial and civil construction projects. This fund would focus more broadly on social infrastructure differing from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility.

Recommendation 6

4.73The committee recommends the Australian Government consider ways to fund and support long-term projects that train and employ local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on housing construction and maintenance projects in Northern Australia. This process should be co-designed with communities to ensure that funding and projects are tailored to local circumstances.