Defence, trade on table for Natasha Fyles Washingon visit
The Chief Minister of the Northern Territory will visit Washington on a strategic mission within weeks. Find out why.
Business
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Chief Minister Natasha Fyles will travel to the United States in early September to reaffirm defence ties, promote the Northern Territory’s critical minerals and highlight its emergency response capability.
During a nine-day visit, the Chief Minister will meet with key US federal government decision makers to advance the Territory’s role in supporting US defence training initiatives under the Australian-United States Alliance in the Northern Territory.
Critical minerals will also be on the agenda as will the NT’s emergency response capacity as the United States and Canada recover after fires and tropical storms battered the country in the past few weeks.
The vital trip means Ms Fyles will be unable to attend the second Future NT forum in Darwin on September 8, with Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison instead representing the government in panel discussions.
The visit is an opportunity to develop US Defence’s planned infrastructure investments in the Territory and will be centred around Washington.
The US Department of Defence is spending tens-of-millions of dollars in the Northern Territory as part of the United States Force Posture Initiatives.
Key projects include the $80m tank farm project at Darwin’s East Arm, $10m to construct an earth-covered magazine facility at RAAF Base Tindal and new living accommodation at Robertson Barracks to support the presence of the marine rotational force.
The United States and the Northern Territory first began strengthening defence ties in 2011 when then president Barack Obama stopped at RAAF Base Darwin with PM Julia Gillard to formally announce the US pivot out of the Middle East and back into Asia.
During the visit, the President met with survivors of the February 1942 bombing of Darwin.
That visit was soon followed by the first US Marines rotation through Robertson Barracks, with about 20,000 service personnel passing through the NT over the past decade.
Ms Fyles said the NT had an important role as an alliance hub to enable Australian and allied military forces to train and live in a secure, geostrategic location.
“Defence is a significant part of our economy, and we will see it grow as the Defence Strategic Review is implemented,” Ms Fyles said.
“The Northern Territory plays a pivotal role in the bilateral relationship between the US and Australia, and the defence of our nation. Reinforcing our commitment to the Australia-United States Alliance is important across defence and other joint initiatives in the Indo-Pacific.
“The Northern Territory Government is working to grow more opportunities for our industry and to strengthen international relationships in the areas of defence, regional health security and global critical minerals supply chain.”
While in the US, the Chief Minister will also promote Northern Territory’s emerging role in supporting resilient critical mineral supply chains for major private sector aerospace and defence contractors.
This announcement comes after key Territory defence industry, government agencies and industry associations joined a defence roundtable in Darwin last week.
The meeting, led by the Chief Minister, was an opportunity to discuss the implementation of recommendations of the Defence Strategic Review and the Australia-US Alliance in the Indo-Pacific.
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