The federal government is investing $1.6 billion upgrading roads in the Northern Territory. It will improve mobility, it will improve access to tourism in the Northern Territory and it will improve business with lower costs and by helping attract investment and more economic opportunity into the Territory. Read more

It's great news that last week the Northern Territory government provided its first approvals for drilling in the Beetaloo Sub-basin, which is a part of the larger McArthur Basin. It is one of the most exciting resource opportunities in the nation. It is very exciting because it is Australia's first major shale, oil and gas project in Australia. Read more

I rise tonight to express my condolences on the passing of Paul Neville, a former member for Hinkler in the other place. Paul passed away in the early hours of New Year's Day earlier this year. We've not had too many sittings this year and I've been waiting for some time to pay my tribute to him in this place. Read more

I'd like to thank all the senators who have contributed to this very important debate on these very important bills. It's a historic occasion to mark our burgeoning relationship with Timor-Leste to see these bills pass through this place. Read more

Northern Australia represents about 40 per cent of our nation's continent in terms of landmass but it accounts for 60 per cent, or two million gigalitres, of the rainfall that falls across Australia in any year. Of course, its water resources are largely undeveloped compared to the rest of Australia.  Read more

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A lot of those 50,000 jobs are up there in the north. I know that she, myself and the whole Liberal-National government are there to support jobs in our resources sector and to support jobs in our coal industry. We want to see that thrive and grow. Read more

I understand it was a terrific success with around 33 exhibitors, over 700 jobs on offer and almost, I think, 1,300 people through the doors of the jobs fair in Cairns. It's one of three jobs fairs that the government has put on in the last few months, including the ones in Townsville and Wide Bay.  Read more

Victoria has made a proud contribution to our nation's resources history. Indeed, in some respects, it is the home of our resources industry, going back to the days of the gold rushes and, in more recent times, the use of its extensive brown-coal resources and oil and gas resources. It has played an enormous role in developing our nation. Read more

We're also seeking to make sure that Victoria in particular continues to contribute to the future strength of our resources sector. That's why it was so great last week to join my good friend and colleague Senator Birmingham and Minister Tim Pallas from the Victorian government to turn the first sod on the Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain project in Victoria, an exciting project for our country.  Read more