HOW TO ENSURE THE POLITICAL WILL TO ACTUALLY DEVELOP THE NORTH

_{14 November, 2008}

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Thanks very much Brendan and to you and to Association President and my Mayor Lyn McLaughlin, your co-chair Frank Beveridge, Howard Hobbs and Rosemary Menkens other Mayors, Councillors and conference participants.

I’m delighted to be back in the North Queensland Local Government family and from the look of some of those slides and the poor health of some of you out there, I think I might have been lucky to be in Canberra last night rather than joining you in the festivities.  It’s quite clear that Local Government Conferences have not changed since the days when I used to be a willing, although then a much younger and more ‘able to take it’ player, participant in the after work elements of these gatherings.

When I last spoke to the North Queensland Local Government Association I talked about an Upper House for Queensland comprised of Mayors throughout the State.  Part of the reasoning behind this proposal was to focus governments more fully on the regions.

But today I did want to discuss another idea that might ensure that we can get that essential political will needed to drive the development of our region.

We all know of the enormous and largely untapped economic and social potential of north Queensland, and, indeed, northern Australia, with its:

- abundance of water
- agriculture development potential
- vast mineral resources
- pristine wilderness areas
- ecotourism opportunities
- cultural tourism development and employment opportunities
- proximity to Asia
- wide array of quality teaching and research institutions
- other emerging opportunities like, sustainable energy enterprise – arising from climate change

People like those of us in this room have been talking about this potential for years – and the science and understanding is now available to ensure we can take advantage of these opportunities in a sustainable way.

Northern Australia comprises around 45% of the land mass of the Australian continent, however, almost 95% of Australians live south of the Tropic of Capricorn.

Northern Australians (according to the State Government Treasury figures in 2006), each contributes on average $58,690 to Australia’s Gross Domestic Product whilst people living in Southern Australia contributed an average of only $44,790.  That is, on a per capita basis, we contribute 31% more. 

And almost 30% of Australia’s export earning emanates from Northern Australia.

So we’re certainly paying our way now – and have the potential to do even better.

Why then aren’t we able to deliver on that potential?

Perhaps its because we live in a democracy.

Human nature being what it is - and politicians being what they are - most of the action and money spent will go to what pleases most people - and therefore attracts most votes. 

Out of a Federal Parliament of 150 members, 110 are in the south east of Australia and only 5 are in Northern Queensland – 8 if you include the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

In the State Parliament of 89 members, 59 are in the south east of the State and only 14 are north of Mackay.

We can heroically say “but investment in the North is nation building stuff – it should go beyond petty politics.”

And indeed - with the Ord River Scheme, the Burdekin Dam, the Alice Springs to Darwin Railway and the Ring Road now partially constructed around Townsville - we were able to make the case for those northern developments - and Governments were courageous enough to make the decisions.

But we have to build on that understanding and convince the people down south that there will be a desperate need, not today or tomorrow, but in 20 to 50 years time, for new sources of food for Australia – and an urgency for water that can support power, mining and manufacturing enterprises in our Nation.

And we need to remind them that as other Countries become short of water (for example, it was reported last year in the New York Times that the plains of northern China will be drained of aquifer water in 30 years time), or short of space for their population (such as in Japan), our vast northern lands could end up being contested because they are seen by others as “unsettled”, unused and unwanted. 

We need to ensure a more sophisticated understanding of the north and its relevance to people (and governments) in the major cities of the south –

- what is the value of Northern Australia for them;

- what are the special needs of Northern Australia required to deliver its benefits to all Australians.

Promotion of northern Australia needs constant repetition, arguing and convincing in the South.  There is not much point in talking to ourselves.  We’re already convinced.

We have to relate the future of the north to the future of the children and grandchildren of current day Australians, wherever they may live.

I’ve been around for a long time – 18 years in the Federal Parliament - 9 of them as a Federal Minister, 11 years before that as an elected Councillor and 10 years prior to that as an activist in community charitable and professional activities in North Queensland.

So I’ve seen it all before – I’ve heard all about the opportunities and potential.  To a degree nothing is new.  What we lack in the North is the ability to drive action and make the case so that we are noticed by those who yield the power and currently have control of the purse strings. 
 How can we make investment in the O’Connell Creek Diversion, Mount Beckford and Green Hills Dams or the enlargement of the Burdekin Dam, and duplication of the Burdekin Bridge relevant to southern Queenslanders? 

How do we convince southern Australians in Sydney or Melbourne, Canberra, for example, that investment in geothermal and nuclear power in north Queensland or tidal power in Western Australia is something that is in their interests and therefore something that they should be supporting?

We need a strategic plan which sets out the particular benefits, projects and priorities that the north offers – a sort of prospectus if you like – and we must sell this plan to southern Australians as something that they support and lobby respective governments to ensure the political will to make it actually happen.

The work of Gulf Savannah Development in producing their excellent Gulf Savannah Investment Document is a great step forward in outlining the benefits of investing and living in the Gulf Savannah region – and the Richmond Shire has done a similar thing in promoting cheap land for housing.

Many other Councils over the years have taken similar initiatives - but we cannot continue to do this in a “piece-meal” fashion – so that we end up competing against each other.  Local governments and regional development groups must work together with a common vision, if promotion of the north is going to be sustainable in the long term.

One solution might be a new State for Northern Australia – it’s not a new idea being floated, according to Mary Vernon writing recently in the Townsville Bulletin, in the debate as we moved towards federalism in 1901.

Proposing a new State would, however, no doubt focus the minds of southern West Australians and southern Queenslanders if they thought that some of the more productive parts of their States were to leave - and along with all of the mineral royalties, stamp duties and payroll tax that would leave with it.

But a State of Northern Australia would still be just that - a State - and huge income and company tax payments and offshore royalties would still go to a Government based in Canberra.

In something that might be seen by some (correctly I might add) as a self serving statement, the creation in the Federal Government of a Minister for Northern Australia should be considered.

But a better way in the immediate future might be a body, or Commission, or Corporation, comprised of committed, enthusiastic and visionary people to act as an ongoing researcher and advocate for fair treatment of the north - and for appropriate sustainable development.

The task of that body would be first of all to provide quality information and data on the worth of the north and its needs – and, perhaps most importantly, its potential as the future for our nation.

And, secondly, to sell that message to Governments and investors.

This could be done as mentioned by a Minister and dedicated Commonwealth Department.

Or it could be done perhaps by a Commission or Corporation funded by the Federal and perhaps State Governments.  But in either of these instances such a Body would only continue at the pleasure of those funding it and to a degree this would depend upon the priorities of the Government of the day. 

Over the years I’ve thought deeply about how best to ensure that we are noticed by those who yield the power and control the purse strings.  As Minister for Regional Services I did initiate the Northern Australian Forum where we had a series of meetings over 2 or 3 years across the north engaging northerners, highlighting ideas and potential getting the best proposals, consolidating those ideas in reports and submitting them to the Federal Government.

But very often these reports, all these good ideas, then sit on a shelf and gather dust.

That’s not to say that that happened in the case of the Northern Australian Forums.  As a result of those Forums, initiatives like the Alice to Darwin Railway, the Regional Partnerships Program, Roads to Recovery Program and certainly some substantial investment in the Bruce Highway and the Townsville Ring Road came into being.

However, what we need is an authority or Body that can be independent, can be aggressive and this means of course that it must be funded exclusive of Governments. 

Much as I have thought about this over the years, I’m not sure that I’ve ever come up with the correct solution but sheer long term frustration tells me that we have to try something different.

At the time of the Northern Australian Forums there was an alliance formed of Local Authorities across the north of Australia. 

But it does seem to me that if we as northerners are serious about future development we have to commit some money.

And the only entities which represent exclusively northerners are not State or Federal Parliaments where northerners are only a small percentage, but Local Councils in the region.

I’m always well aware that Council budgets are pushed to the limits but it seems to me that if we are to do anything serious then the 71 Local Governments across the north of Australia must sign up to a long term commitment to fund a Northern Australian Authority that will do what we all know needs to be done.

Such an investment would also attract financial support from northern philanthropists who see merit and profit from development of the north.

It needs to be directed by a group or Board that has some involvement from those providing the money but as well as that, is merit based with people who can actually achieve results.

It then needs to have an ability to pay serious money to get the right consultants, economists, researchers, engineers, managers and publicists to gather the information that’s needed and to lobby those who do have control of the Federal and State money.

Imagine how effective a high-powered authority could be if it was constantly working to develop the north.  It could almost be seen as a new State within three States ignoring existing State boundaries and politics – just pushing for the good of all people in the north.  A new state like body without having to go through the constitutional and political pain and energy of trying to form a new State of the Commonwealth.

If on average the 71 Councils across the north were to contribute $50,000 a year over the next 8 years, and I am talking average here, that would provide something like $3.5 million which should enable the engagement of a competent CEO and some support staff in a Secretariat and money to engage the economists and researches and publicists needed to fulfil its role.

Something like an across the top Townsville Enterprise, or Advance Cairns or Gulf Savannah Development – but not to replace or compete with those groups – to complement and perhaps coordinate them.

Is it unrealistic to expect that any Local Authority would be prepared to make that sort of commitment for the long term?  Perhaps it is unreal.

But until someone else can suggest to me a better way of seriously addressing the promotion of Northern Australia then it’s an idea worth more than a second thought.

Can I suggest that your executive do some research of the Northern Australian Alliance of Councils formed earlier this century.

Can I then suggest some Councils take on the role of reactivation of the Alliance and meet to consider a role, funding and constitution of a new such body.

It is only by taking the big picture visionary view that we can hasten the development of the North’s well-known potential.
This is one course of action to take - the alternative is to do nothing - and continue to hold conferences every year to talk about Northern Development - and achieve nothing.  

In my view it is only by joining together in a professional way across the North of our nation that we can really take on the major challenge of getting recognition  of what the North can do for Australia.
There is increasingly an acceptance that what benefits Mt Isa and Moranbah also benefits Cairns and Clermont, that what's good for Townsville and Tully also is positive for Mackay and McKinley- localised areas that were once competitors are now working together in their common interests.

It should impress people when we say that 10% of our export earnings come from the North West Mineral Province and the Beef Cattle industry.  How much more attention grabbing though is it to say that 35% of our export earnings come from Northern Australia.  How impressive is it to say we could feed Australia from the Ord – but how very much more impressive is it to say that from the Ord and the Daly/Douglas, the Flinders Gilbert and Burdekin Basins we could feed not only Australia – but Asia as well.

We need to argue the case from a position of greater strength by joining the wealth of the north west gas and oil fields off Western Australia with the productive capacity of the Ord, the Daley/Douglas Katherine, the Savannah plains and mixing that in with the energy and sophistication of North Queensland and with the export earnings from the Pilbara and the North West and North east Mineral provinces of north Queensland and the Bowen Basin coal deposits.
And taking advantage of our tertiary institutions, our world class science practitioners and our pioneering spirit, our sense of adventure.

We can be in charge of our own destiny but it takes courage and determination.

The time for visionary northern statesmen and women is NOW.

Thanks for having me with you and I wish you all the best as you lead your communities - and northern Australia  - to a better future in the years ahead.

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