Thank you, Craig Doyle, Conference Chair.
It is great to see you here. No longer with the NAIF CEO hat on, but it is wonderful that the DNAC has you now, and your continuing presence in the North really does show your commitment to what is one of the most important regions in our country.
Good morning, everyone.
I begin by acknowledging the Arrernte people, the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, and I pay my respects to Elders, past and present.
I extend that respect to all First Nations people here today, and acknowledge their enduring connection to Country, culture and community across Australia.
I had the privilege of visiting Standley Chasm yesterday – a great tourism business which you should all visit if you have the chance, but also an incredible natural wonder that is managed by the local Arrernte Aboriginal people. So thank you for having me on your Country this week.
I would like to acknowledge my Federal Parliamentary colleagues who have been here at the Conference through the course of the week.
Thank you for the invitation to speak to you today.
Conversations over the past few days have focused on many industries, opportunities and challenges. We know the North is home to huge economic potential, but today I am going to bring the conversations back to basics and talk about the foundation that makes this economic development possible; housing. Or more specifically making Northern Australia a place to call home.
It is of course a big topic of discussion across all government – of all levels and persuasions; within our communities; within families. We know the challenges to building housing are even more pronounced in Northern Australia.
I am also going to talk to you about what our government is doing to rebuild the housing system. It is not an easy path but this journey is absolutely fundamental if we want our kids and future generations to be able to contemplate owning their own home or even just having the security of a place to call home.
This conference brings together people who share a common purpose—ensuring Northern Australia continues to thrive. That potential is extraordinary.
We know the north is home to major industries, world-class natural resources, fantastic tourism destinations and some of Australia’s fastest-growing regional communities.
It's also home to resilient, innovative people who appreciate both the opportunities and the unique challenges of living and working across the north.
The Australian Government believes Northern Australia is central to our nation’s future.
Whether it's critical minerals, renewable energy, agriculture, defence, tourism or the care economy, many of Australia's biggest opportunities are right here.
But none of these opportunities can be fully realised unless people have somewhere to live.
That is why today I want to focus on one of the most important foundations of Northern Australia’s future—housing.
Housing is much more than an economic issue.
It is more than a planning issue.
And it is certainly much more than a construction issue.
Housing is fundamentally about people.
It's about giving families security.
Helping businesses grow.
It's about ensuring nurses, teachers, police officers, tradies and hospitality staff can live in the communities they serve.
It's about giving young people a reason to stay while attracting new workers with their families to build great futures in the north.
The bottom line? We need more homes.
Housing availability has become one of the biggest constraints on growth.
The Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia recognised this in its Northern Australia Workforce Development Report, and I acknowledge all those who participated in the consultation for this report.
Its findings were clear.
Without sufficient, affordable and appropriate housing, Northern Australia will struggle to attract workers, retain residents, reduce skill shortages and achieve its full economic potential.
The committee also heard compelling evidence that housing shortages are directly impacting efforts to grow the workforce.
In many northern communities, existing housing stock is already stretched way beyond current demand.
In some places, new construction is replacing ageing homes rather than adding to the overall supply.
While renewal is important, replacement alone does not create the additional capacity our growing communities require.
That means employers continue competing for a limited pool of available housing, alongside local families, students and essential workers.
For business, this creates a very practical problem.
Many employers told the committee they were able to recruit the right people.
But recruiting someone is only half the challenge.
If there is nowhere for that person to live, they simply cannot take up the job.
I hate to think how many people could have relocated to the north in recent years if only they could find appropriate accommodation.
Large employers, particularly governments and major resource companies, may have the capacity to provide accommodation for employees.
But many small and medium-sized businesses do not.
For a local tourism operator, a family-owned engineering firm or a regional hospitality business, building staff accommodation just isn't an option.
The result is jobs remain vacant, businesses are hamstrung and inevitably, economic opportunities are lost.
At the same time, too many people across Northern Australia continue to experience overcrowded housing.
This disproportionately affects First Nations communities, where overcrowding can have significant impacts on health, education, family wellbeing and employment.
These are challenges that no Australian community, in any postcode, should have to accept.
Addressing them requires sustained investment, genuine partnership and long-term commitment.
Housing responsibilities are shared across local governments, states and territories, and the Commonwealth.
Planning systems, land release, enabling infrastructure, social housing, homelessness services and housing finance all involve different levels of government working together.
That is why collaboration is so critical.
Through National Cabinet, the Housing and Homelessness Ministerial Council, the Building Ministers Meeting and the Planning Ministers Meeting, governments are working together to improve housing supply and affordability across the country.
We know there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Success will depend on governments, industry, community organisations and investors working together with a shared sense of purpose.
That shared purpose is reflected in the Australian Government's Homes for Australia: A National Plan, released in May this year.
This is a comprehensive $47 billion plan to rebuild Australia's housing system so that it delivers better outcomes for Australians now and well into the future.
The plan recognises that housing shortages are felt differently across different parts of the country.
The pressures facing our major cities are not always the same as those facing regional and remote communities.
We all know Northern Australia is unique.
As such, it needs place-based solutions.
The national plan is built around six priorities including increasing housing supply and improving affordability.
And it recognises a basic principle: housing is not just about today's demand.
It's about preparing Australia for tomorrow.
That is particularly true in regional Australia.
Regional communities offer an exceptional lifestyle, strong social connections and growing economic opportunity.
Increasingly, Australians are choosing regional communities as places to build careers, raise families and invest in their futures.
That's great news.
But population growth must be matched by housing growth.
Otherwise, the very success of regional communities creates additional pressure on housing markets.
We also recognise that delivering housing in regional Australia often costs a lot more.
Construction and freight can be significantly higher.
Building availability is often more limited.
And infrastructure can be more expensive.
It requires targeted investment and practical partnerships.
For regional Australia, and especially Northern Australia, housing must be seen as economic infrastructure, not just accommodation.
It enables investment, supports jobs, strengthens communities and creates value far beyond the housing sector itself.
That's exactly why the Australian Government continues to invest in regional housing through initiatives such as the Housing Australia Future Fund, the Housing Support Program and the 100,000 Homes for First Home Buyers Program.
These investments are helping unlock land, improve project feasibility and bring forward new housing supply where it's needed most.
The 2026–27 Budget also committed an additional $2 billion for housing-enabling infrastructure, including $500 million specifically dedicated to regional Australia.
These investments are helping communities plan for growth.
Plan rather than simply respond.
They’re creating the foundations for stronger regional economies and more resilient communities.
This understanding—that housing is essential economic infrastructure—is reflected in the evolving role of the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility, or NAIF.
NAIF has a proud record of investing in the infrastructure that underpins growth across the north.
Traditionally, that has meant supporting projects such as ports, airports, energy, water and transport infrastructure—investments that create jobs, boost industries and improve connectivity.
But as the needs of Northern Australia have evolved, so too has NAIF.
In 2023, the Government updated NAIF’s investment mandate to encourage investment in projects that increase the supply of affordable housing across Northern Australia.
That was an important milestone, demonstrating the priority our government places on housing, and encouraging NAIF to play a role in identifying and supporting solutions.
Without homes, it becomes harder to attract workers. Without homes, businesses struggle to grow. Without homes, students look elsewhere. And without homes, communities cannot realise their full potential.
Housing is no longer viewed as a social issue in isolation; it is recognised as essential infrastructure that supports economic development, workforce participation and regional growth.
Since the investment mandate was updated, NAIF has begun playing an increasingly important role in delivering new housing solutions.
NAIF’s work across Northern Australia is about more than financing infrastructure.
It’s about enabling communities to grow, study, work and live where opportunity exists.
Nowhere is that more important than in housing and accommodation.
Where supply pressures can affect workforce attraction, education outcomes and the long-term liveability of regional centres.
Across the north, NAIF has supported projects that respond directly to these challenges.
From housing initiatives in Cairns and Townsville, to student accommodation that helps universities attract students, support regional skills development and contribute to local economies.
A standout example is NAIF’s support for Darwin’s Campus Living Villages with more than 400 new purpose-built student accommodation beds for Charles Darwin University.
This includes a new 14-storey accommodation tower next to CDU’s Danala campus in the Darwin CBD, as well as upgrades and additional beds at the Casuarina campus.
It builds on NAIF’s earlier investment in the Danala campus and helps complete the next stage of CDU’s growth in the city.
The Campus Living Villages project will not only provide safe, modern and affordable accommodation for students but also help ease pressure in Darwin’s tight rental market.
It will support construction and ongoing local jobs.
And strengthen the Territory’s ability to attract students from across Australia and our region.
NAIF’s broader housing and accommodation portfolio also includes social and affordable housing in Townsville, housing support in Cairns, and student accommodation at James Cook University in Townsville.
Together, these projects demonstrate the practical impact of NAIF’s mandate.
Unlocking investment where it is needed.
Supporting regional growth.
And helping Northern Australia to become a place where people can build their futures.
It shows the true value of partnerships, and of long-term planning.
None of these projects has been delivered by one organisation, or one government acting alone.
That collaborative approach is the key.
The realities of building across vast, remote regions require solutions that reflect the local environment.
That understanding informed the work of the Northern Australia Ministerial Forum.
In October last year, the Forum finalised a report examining the barriers to increasing housing supply across Northern Australia.
Importantly, this work was undertaken collaboratively with the Western Australian, Northern Territory and Queensland governments.
None of the issues outlined in the report are insurmountable.
But they do require a policy approach that recognises Northern Australia's unique needs.
Housing in the north is not just relative to population size.
It must also be considered in terms of long-term strategic importance.
It supports our defence activity, primary production, tourism, education and research sectors.
And we know that future growth depends on getting the basics right.
Housing is one of those fundamentals.
It's every bit as important as roads, airports, clean energy and telecommunications.
Which is why we’ll continue to work alongside governments, First Nations and other community organisations, investors and industry to focus on solutions—solutions that lead to more houses.
Reform is a long game.
There is a lot of good work happening in housing policy.
New investments; new programs, a strong ambition from our government to deliver meaningful change.
And the Government intends to play its part.
We want to ensure local communities have access to the information they need about the policies and programs being delivered. And I want to ensure they can continue to channel their opportunities and challenges back to government.
Because we are different in the North. And we should continue to remind governments and policy makers of that as we set about with these reforms.
So, I come back now to the theme of today's session: a place to call home.
Because at the end of the day, that's what we're talking about—not just houses, but homes.
A home where kids grow up.
Where families celebrate life's big and little milestones.
A home where neighbours become friends.
Where people feel safe, secure—where they belong.
Homes are where communities begin.
And communities are the foundation of a strong Northern Australia.
It’s endured because it sums up what we all want, and deserve—no matter where we come from, we all want a place to feel safe, where we belong and where we can build a future.
That is what housing investment is ultimately about.
Not just building more houses… creating more homes.
And homes are what we need to ensure Northern Australia continues to prosper and make the most of its enormous, untapped potential.
Thank you very much.