Exclusive: Beetaloo, Middle Arm, other NT projects make national priority list

SEVERAL major Territory-based projects are on this year’s national Infrastructure Priority List. SEE WHICH PROJECTS

The gas rich Beetaloo Sub-Basin is on this year’s national Infrastructure Priority List. Picture: SUPPLIED

• Morrison Govt chips in $50m to speed up Beetaloo development by two years
• NT’s Beetaloo Basin among national projects flagged to create 220,000 jobs, boost economy by $350bn in next two decades

THE gas rich Beetaloo Sub-Basin, Darwin’s Middle Arm Precinct infrastructure, large-scale Territory solar generation and remote NT community power generation are all on this year’s national Infrastructure Priority List.

Infrastructure Australia, the peak advisory body to the federal government, compiles the Priority List.

Infrastructure Australia’s role is to advise on national infrastructure priorities and assesses the economic merits of projects with fully-developed business cases.

MORE TOP NEWS

Mining slams NT Govt: ‘putting at risk investment in Territory with royalty change’

Darwin’s singing doctor rakes in 1.6mil views

Five sites named for game changing Darwin seafood processing facility

The 2021 edition of the Priority List identifies a $59bn project pipeline with six high priority projects, 17 priority projects, 48 high priority initiatives and 109 priority initiatives.

Enabling infrastructure for developing the Beetaloo Sub-Basin for potential gas market opportunities is listed as a high priority initiative, while the common user infrastructure at the Middle Arm Precinct, large-scale solar generation for renewable energy and the remote power generation come under priority initiatives.

The presence on the list of the Beetaloo Sub-Basin, which is 600km south of Darwin, is no surprise.

Beetaloo Gas Basin. Origin's Kyalla well drill site. Picture: SUPPLIED

The Morrison government has given top priority to it as the first of five strategic basin plans earmarked for delivery to spearhead a gas-fired recovery for Australia. As part of its Beetaloo development plan, the federal government has invested $1.9m to develop a Beetaloo Aboriginal Economic Development Strategy, is establishing a $2.2m Barkly Business Hub and pledged to work to ensure traditional owners in the Beetaloo “are properly supported”.

It is also putting $50m on the table to speed up gas exploration and development in the Beetaloo Sub-Basin.

The funding will be put towards exploration that occurs before June 2022.

Infrastructure Australia chief executive Romilly Madew said the list directed investment to the infrastructure projects that would guide Australia’s economic recovery and improve quality of life.

Ms Madew, who is also a member of the Northern Territory Economic Reconstruction Commission (TERC), said Infrastructure Australia had added a record number of new investment opportunities.

HOT NEW DEAL: Read everything for 28 days for just $1

“As far as the Territory goes it is about identifying the opportunities for it and ensuring that they are highlighting those opportunities to the federal government,” she said. “The Infrastructure Priority List is a great pipeline for the federal government when it is considering additional spending. What’s great about this year’s list is the number of Northern Territory initiatives that have been included on the list.”