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🏛 House of Representatives3 readingsAmendments circulated
Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) 2023
✦ Plain-English Summary
# Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) 2023
## What it does
The government has updated the rules for how it loans money to infrastructure projects in northern Australia. The changes expand the program to include Indigenous-focused projects, add two island territories (Christmas Island and Cocos Islands) to the eligible regions, and increase the total funding available from $5 billion to $7 billion.
## Why it matters
More money is now available for infrastructure in the north, and Indigenous communities can specifically access funding for projects that meet their economic needs—not just general northern development. This gives First Nations groups a direct pathway to support their own infrastructure priorities rather than relying on mainstream programs.
## Key details
- **New objective**: The facility now explicitly aims to support "economic infrastructure that meets the particular needs of Indigenous persons"
- **Expanded territory**: Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands are now eligible regions (previously excluded)
- **Funding boost**: The lending limit increases from $5 billion to $7 billion, giving an extra $2 billion for projects
- **Effective immediately**: The changes took effect the day after the bill received royal assent
Official Description
Amends the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Act 2016 to: increase the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility’s (NAIF) appropriation from $5 billion to $7 billion; enable the NAIF to provide financial assistance for the development of economic infrastructure that provides a basis for economic growth or stimulates population growth in the territories of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands; and provide that the objectives of the Act include the provision of financial assistance for the development of Northern Australia economic infrastructure for the benefit of Indigenous persons.
Committee Referrals
Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee
Audit History
Last updated on APH
10 Apr 2026
Last checked by Crossbench
yesterday
Full text indexed
yesterday
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