Additional comments from Greens Senators

1.1The future of industry for Northern Australia will not be in propping up coal and gas projects. Public money should be directed in the best interests of the public by investing in the energy transition to net zero.

1.2To ensure the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) will benefit communities in Northern Australia, rather than put them at further risk from climate damage, the legislation should ensure no public money is spent on coal and gas projects.

1.3The Clean Energy Finance Corporation, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, the National Reconstruction Fund and the Industry Research and Development Act 1986 all have similar provisions preventing the public funding of coal and gas.

1.4The history of the NAIF has demonstrated that it is open to politicisation. Notably, the previous Government attempted to use the NAIF to partially prop up the Adani coal mine project,[1] and block funding of a wind farm and storage project in northern Queensland—with no clear justification.

1.5This history provides a compelling justification for a legislative provision to restrict future executive governments that wish to fund outdated and dangerous technologies.

1.6Finally, investment in long-term infrastructure and planning in Northern Australia must also address barriers to workforce development. This means genuinely expanding investment in accessible and affordable housing. Across regional Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland alone there is a shortfall in social and affordable housing of 97100.[2]

Recommendation

The Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment Act 2016 be amended to restrict investment in coal and gas projects.

Senator Penny Allman-Payne

Greens Senator for Queensland

Senator Peter Whish-Wilson

Greens Senator for Tasmania

Footnotes

[1]Mark Ludlow, ''No' to coal: Adani mine harder to fund with NAIF loan veto', Australian Financial Review, 26 November 2017.

[2]Ryan van den Nouwelant, Laurence Troy and Balamurugan Soundararaj, 'Quantifying Australia's unmet housing need, a national snapshot', Community Housing Industry Association, November2022.