Dear Committee Secretary,
Secure the North’s energy, food, and water to secure the nation
The purpose of this letter is to share research and analysis conducted by the Institute of Public Affairs (“the IPA”) with the Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia (“the Committee”), as it conducts its inquiry into energy, food and water security.
Northern Australia—encompassing northern Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and northern Queensland—is key to fuelling and sustaining national economic growth through its strong resource and agricultural industries. Despite this, Northern Australia remains underdeveloped, private investment is plummeting due to high resource taxes, and the trend of young people leaving the region is accelerating.
The economic character of the North and its geographic remoteness from the centres of political power mean it requires a unique regulatory framework, one that works to support investment in, and development of, critical infrastructure. The IPA recommends that the federal government make Northern Australia a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) to help ensure the North is more energy, food, and water secure, as this is necessary for national security reasons.
