The Australian Government has announced a $100,000 investment in aquaculture from the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Developing Northern Australia designed to stimulate jobs and economic growth across the north.
The announcement by Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Matt Canavan and Assistant Minister for Science, Jobs and Innovation Zed Seselja comes as federal, state and territory ministers gather in Kununurra for the Ministerial Forum on Northern Development.
Minister Canavan welcomed the industry-led, three-year project, which is a collaboration between North Regional TAFE’s Broome Aquaculture Centre (BAC) and the Ribinyung Dawang Aboriginal Corporation (RDAC).
“This project will tap into the enormous potential of aquaculture in Australia’s north west,” Minister Canavn said.
“The CRC for Developing Northern Australia will invest $100,000 in the $2.5-million Broome Aquaculture Centre and RDAC project to develop an Indigenous freshwater prawn (Cherabin) business out of Broome and Kununurra.
“This funding supports research on aquaculture production techniques, and builds a nationally-accredited training program to create an Indigenous workforce with transferable job skills.
Minister Canavan said the Australian Government was supporting industry in Broome and Kununurra, and ultimately improving economic and job outcomes for Northern Australia.
“By bringing together industry partners and integrating with local Indigenous businesses, this new freshwater prawn initiative advances job and investment opportunities across the West Kimberley, Pilbara, Northern Territory and Queensland,” Minister Canavan said.
“It will develop new skills for the Indigenous workforce, improve social development, and build self-sufficiency among remote communities across the north.
“One of the purposes of tomorrow’s Ministerial Forum on Northern Development is to support Indigenous business development across the north of Australia, and investment in this project is evidence that the Australian Government is doing exactly that.”
Assistant Minister Seselja commended the CRC for another project that will improve economic and job outcomes for Northern Australia.
“CRCs have a proven track record in delivering tangible benefits for industry,” Assistant Minister Seselja said.
“In this case, the Broome Aquaculture Centre and RDAC will use new, innovative technology and unlock the enormous potential of the Kimberley native freshwater prawn, for economic and job benefits in this region.”
Authorised by Senator M. Canavan, Rockhampton