A Strong North Means A Strong Australia
Tracks
Concurrent Room 1
Concurrent Room 2
Concurrent Room 3
Concurrent Room 4
| Wednesday, August 5, 2026 |
| 1:15 PM - 1:30 PM |
Overview
Hon. Madeleine King MP, Minister for Northern Australia
Speaker
The Hon Madeleine King MP
Minister for Resources, Minister for Northern Australia
A Strong North Means a Strong Australia
Presentation Overview
The development of northern Australia is a priority for the Albanese Government, and as Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, I’m committed to helping to realise the full potential of our north.
We are continuing to deliver on our Northern Australia Action Plan 2024–2029.
We are already seeing progress in activating the northern economy - creating jobs and driving growth across agriculture, tourism, critical minerals, and renewable energy.
The Albanese Government is investing in infrastructure to unlock growth, with road, rail, port and digital connectivity projects. We are building our national security through upgrades to northern defence bases.
And we continue to protect the north’s unique environment and cultural heritage - with First Nations aspirations at the heart of our work.
Since the last Developing Northern Australia Conference, the government has released and responded to the review of the $7 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF).
We have introduced legislation to extend NAIF for a further 10 years. This decision will ensure NAIF can continue to invest in projects that create jobs, diversify the northern economy and build communities and opportunities across the north.
Our government’s support for critical minerals is also reaping benefits across the north, and particularly around Alice Springs, where the Arafura Nolans project is powering ahead with support from both the Australian and US Governments.
We are continuing to deliver on our Northern Australia Action Plan 2024–2029.
We are already seeing progress in activating the northern economy - creating jobs and driving growth across agriculture, tourism, critical minerals, and renewable energy.
The Albanese Government is investing in infrastructure to unlock growth, with road, rail, port and digital connectivity projects. We are building our national security through upgrades to northern defence bases.
And we continue to protect the north’s unique environment and cultural heritage - with First Nations aspirations at the heart of our work.
Since the last Developing Northern Australia Conference, the government has released and responded to the review of the $7 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF).
We have introduced legislation to extend NAIF for a further 10 years. This decision will ensure NAIF can continue to invest in projects that create jobs, diversify the northern economy and build communities and opportunities across the north.
Our government’s support for critical minerals is also reaping benefits across the north, and particularly around Alice Springs, where the Arafura Nolans project is powering ahead with support from both the Australian and US Governments.
Biography
The Hon. Madeleine King was sworn in as Federal Minister for Resources and Minister for Northern Australia on 1 June 2022, and reappointed to the role on 13 May 2025, following the re-election of the Albanese Government.
Minister King was first elected to Parliament in 2016, representing the seat of Brand on the outskirts of Perth, where she was born and grew up.
The seat encompasses the Cities of Rockingham and Kwinana and contains some of Perth’s heavy industries, including the HMAS Stirling naval base on Garden Island and the Kwinana Industrial Area. King’s father worked at the BP oil refinery in Kwinana and her mother and grandmother ran a drapery store in Rockingham.
Minister King was promoted to the shadow ministry in 2018 and has served as Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs and Small Business, Shadow Minister for Trade and Shadow Minister for Resources.
Before entering parliament Minister King held senior executive roles at The University of Western Australia and served as the inaugural Chief Operating Officer at the Perth USAsia Centre.
As a Shadow Minister, a former political adviser and through Parliamentary committee work, she was a regular visitor to Northern Australia and has been deeply engaged in issues surrounding development in the north.
Minister King has a strong interest in ensuring the benefits of economic development are shared fairly and create opportunities for all segments of Australian society.
Minister King has a law degree from the University of Western Australia in Perth.
She is also a keen hockey enthusiast, and was a member of the WA Women’s Masters Hockey Team from 2012 to 2015.
