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Good morning, it’s wonderful to join you today.

Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land where we meet today, the Miriuwung and Gajerrong people.

I pay my respect to their elders past and present, and I extend that respect to all First Nations people who join us today.

And I acknowledge Lawford Benning, Executive Chair of the Miriuwung Gajerrong Corporation, and Directors Adam Griffith and Carol Hapke. 

Can I acknowledge Stephen Dawson, Western Australian Minister for Regional Development, Ports, Science and Innovation, Kimberley and Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council. 

And would like to recognise Glenn Sterle – Senator for Western Australia. Glenn is an absolute stalwart of the north and particularly northern WA. A truckie by trade (and often by preference). Glenn has quite literally travelled the miles you truly need to, to truly known the north. His passion for this very special part of the world, and the people that live and work here, is always on show when we are in Canberra.

Also joining us is:

• The Honourable Melissa Price MP, the Member for Durack, and Shadow Minister for Science and Cyber Security;
• Senator Slade Brockman; and
• Former WA Government Minister the Hon Alannah MacTiernan.

The fact all of you are here today shows how projects such as this one, and development and opportunities across northern Australia, have broad support across political lines.

And I acknowledge Tracey Hayes, Chair of the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Board.

And thank you also to Jim (Engelke) from the Kimberley Cotton Company for inviting us all here to celebrate the official opening of this wonderful project. Thank you to all at Kimberley Cotton for your hard work.

And what a day it is for the people of Kununurra, as we usher in a new industry with the opening of the Kimberley Cotton Gin.

This project has been years in the making, and represents the culmination of years of work of governments, industry and the community coming together with a shared vision.

Here, in the northern corner of Western Australia, our nascent cotton industry has long been stymied.

I am really pleased to back here as Minister for Northern Australia to see this project come to fruition. 

I last visited this site June 2023 in after we achieved contractual close on the project to get funds flowing. 

Before today, any cotton grown here faced high transport costs to reach processing facilities, countless kilometres away.

This undercut profits, hobbled the ability of local growers to compete, and prevented the industry from thriving. 

But now, with this new facility, that barrier has been removed.

For the Kimberley growers, processing can now happen closer to the field.

This will lower costs, create jobs and encourage industry expansion.

This facility will have an initial capacity to process up to 110,000 bales of cotton each year, while still having room to grow and meet future demand.

I’m proud the Australian Government has helped bring this project to fruition thanks to a $34 million loan provided by the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility. 

It was built on budget an on time. 

It’s hard to overstate the kind of economic benefit this investment is going to bring to the region.

Right here, on this site, 31 ongoing jobs are being created. That’s on top of the 30 construction jobs it supported. 

And looking beyond, there will be indirect business and employment opportunities, which will flow throughout the supply chain.

Those jobs, and this facility, will help establish a new $925 million cotton industry in northern Australia.

With 10 per cent Indigenous ownership of the project through the Miriuwung Gajerrong Corporation, this is also poised to bring benefits to local First Nations people as well.

All told, over the next 20 years, this project is forecast to create over $200 million of public benefit that will flow into the local economy, Kununurra, the Kimberley and beyond.

By any measure that’s a great return on investment.

And this is just one project.

Across Northern Australia, from the Pacific to the Indian Oceans, NAIF is investing in more than 30 projects expected to bring similar economic windfalls.

For every dollar spent, it is forecast that approximately $7 of public benefit will be generated.

That equates to $33 billion across every project in the north going into our businesses and communities.

The Albanese Government is backing northern Australia with record investment.  

As I keep saying: A strong north means a strong Australia. 

We want to unlock the economic potential of Northern Australia and to ensure benefits flow to everyone who lives in the north, including First Nations communities as well.

We know there is more to be done.

Since coming to office we have increased funding for the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility by $2 billion to $7 billion to support infrastructure developments that generate public benefit.

And after a slow start under the Coalition, NAIF has now committed $4.3 billion in loans across 32 projects ranging from large-scale resource and energy developments to social infrastructure, including universities, airport upgrades, agriculture and aquaculture developments.

NAIF supported projects are forecast to deliver $33 billion in public benefit and Indigenous Outcomes for the region, and support more than 18,100 jobs.

Some of the other big projects being supported by the NAIF include the Perdaman Urea Project, which is being backed by $220 million loan. 

Working with the WA Government, NAIF is providing a further $255 million towards key infrastructure servicing the project. 

Last year the NAIF backed Arafura Resources Nolans Rare Earths project with a $200 million loan. 

NAIF has also provided a $160 million loan to support the development of the Thunderbird Mineral Sands Project in the Kimberley.

Across north western WA as a whole, NAIF has committed $1.6 billion to 10 projects forecasting to create $18 billion in public benefit and create nearly 6,500 jobs. 

The north is the gateway to the national economy. 

This region was front of mind back when Labor was last in government, through the $400 million investment in the East Kimberley Development Package that targeted health, education, the environment, housing, transport and community facilities.

That package was a partnership with the WA government, and the community, and was driven by the then Parliamentary Secretary for Western and Northern Australia Gary Gray – my predecessor in the seat of Brand and a former Minister for Resources.

We can draw a direct line between that planning and investment then and the launch of this cotton gin today. 

And we want to do more to reduce those infrastructure constraints to that the whole country benefits. 

The Kimberley Cotton Gin that we inaugurate today demonstrates what's possible when government, industry and communities work together. 

With the NAIF’s support, we’re not just opening a processing facility – we’re launching an industry that will deliver lasting benefits for Kununurra and the surrounding region for generations to come.

This project represents how the potential of Northern Australia will be unlocked – through innovation, collaboration and a commitment to a prosperous future.

Thank you.