This bill is currently before Parliament.
Transport & communications
The bill extends the Northern Australia Infrastructure FacilityA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance.'s investment decision-making period by 10 years, from 30 June 2026 to 30 June 2036.
The bill was introduced because NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance.'s existing law stopped it making new investment decisions after 30 June 2026. The government said the 2024 statutory reviewA review required by legislation to check whether an Act is working as intended and whether changes are needed. supported continuing NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance., and the bill gives the facilityA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. another decade to finance northern Australian infrastructure while adding clearer ministerial oversight and transaction certainty if the Investment MandateThe ministerial direction that sets rules and policy priorities NAIF must follow when deciding whether to provide financial assistance. is not followed.
NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. is a Commonwealth development financier for infrastructure in northern Australia. Debate on this bill sat at the intersection of two long-running arguments: supporters said northern Australia needs patient public finance because distance, sparse populations and project risk can block private investment; critics said that kind of public finance should be more tightly steered away from fossil fuel expansion and toward net-zero, First Nations and public-benefit goals. The bill does not rewrite NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance.'s investment mandateThe ministerial direction that sets rules and policy priorities NAIF must follow when deciding whether to provide financial assistance. itself, but it extends NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance.'s ability to keep making investment decisions and adds governance and compliance safeguards after the 2024 review.
The main criticism was that extending NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. without changing its mandate leaves open the use of public finance for coal, gas or related infrastructure. Greens and independent MPs sought amendments to prohibit fossil fuel and native forest logging finance, require consistency with net-zero goals, add First Nations consultation, and push NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. toward clearer additionality and public-benefit tests. Coalition speakers supported the bill but argued a 10-year extension was less certain than making NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. permanent.
Hon Madeleine King MP introduced this bill. Supportive speeches so far have come from Labor, Nationals, Liberal Party.
Did it become law?
Not yet
Final passage
No final vote yet
The bill has not yet completed passage through Parliament.
Days since introduction
98 days
Updated 10 June 2026.
Meaning
The bill extends the Northern Australia Infrastructure FacilityA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance.'s investment decision-making period by 10 years, from 30 June 2026 to 30 June 2036.
The NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. Board would have to notify the responsible ministersThe ministers who share responsibility for NAIF under the Act. This bill updates several provisions to refer to both the Minister for Northern Australia and the Minister for Finance. if NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. or a subsidiary fails to comply with the Investment MandateThe ministerial direction that sets rules and policy priorities NAIF must follow when deciding whether to provide financial assistance., and ministers could direct the Board to explain the failure and take corrective action.
The bill says a failure to comply with the Investment MandateThe ministerial direction that sets rules and policy priorities NAIF must follow when deciding whether to provide financial assistance., or with a ministerial direction about compliance, does not invalidate NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. transactions.
It updates governance language so the Minister for Northern Australia and the Minister for Finance share responsibility for several NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. board appointment, leave, remuneration and meeting powers.
It requires future reviews of the NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. Act after 30 June 2029 and 30 June 2034, with the later review to consider whether the 2036 investment deadline should be extended again.
Extend the investment decision-making period of the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) from 30 June 2026 to 30 June 2036.Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment explanatory memorandum
the Board must give the responsible Ministers a written statement ... setting out the action that the Facility proposes to take ... the responsible Ministers may ... direct the Board ... to give ... a written explanation ... and ... to take action specified in the noticeNorthern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment introduced bill text
A failure to comply with ... the Investment Mandate; or ... a direction under subsection (3B); does not affect the validity of any transaction.Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment introduced bill text
Implement the joint ministerial responsibility model to reflect that the Minister for Northern Australia and the Finance Minister have joint responsibility for the NAIF.Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment explanatory memorandum
The Minister must cause a review of the operation of this Act to commence as soon as practicable after ... 30 June 2029; and ... 30 June 2034 ... the review mentioned in paragraph (1)(b) must consider ... whether the time limit of 30 June 2036 ... should be extendedNorthern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment introduced bill text
Context
NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. is a Commonwealth development financier for infrastructure in northern Australia. Debate on this bill sat at the intersection of two long-running arguments: supporters said northern Australia needs patient public finance because distance, sparse populations and project risk can block private investment; critics said that kind of public finance should be more tightly steered away from fossil fuel expansion and toward net-zero, First Nations and public-benefit goals. The bill does not rewrite NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance.'s investment mandateThe ministerial direction that sets rules and policy priorities NAIF must follow when deciding whether to provide financial assistance. itself, but it extends NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance.'s ability to keep making investment decisions and adds governance and compliance safeguards after the 2024 review.
NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. is established for northern infrastructure finance
The Northern Australia Infrastructure FacilityA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. was created to provide development finance for projects across northern Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, later expanded to include the Indian Ocean Territories.
Minister's second reading speech and explanatory memorandum ↗NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. grows to a $7 billion facility
Government speakers said a $2 billion funding increase gave NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. a total of $7 billion to invest in economic development, jobs and opportunities across the north.
Minister's second reading speech ↗Investment mandateThe ministerial direction that sets rules and policy priorities NAIF must follow when deciding whether to provide financial assistance. is updated with climate and policy priorities
The minister said NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance.'s 2023 investment mandateThe ministerial direction that sets rules and policy priorities NAIF must follow when deciding whether to provide financial assistance. includes government policy priorities such as sustainability, climate change and circular economy principles and solutions in northern Australia.
Madeleine King speech, 11 March 2026 ↗2024 NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. Act review is tabled
The independent review assessed whether NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance.'s 30 June 2026 investment decision deadline should be extended and what governance arrangements should apply after that date.
Department of Infrastructure review page ↗Government introduces a 10-year extension bill
The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives to extend NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance.'s investment decision period to 30 June 2036 and add compliance and governance changes.
APH bill page ↗House passes the bill and sends it to the Senate
The House agreed to the bill at third reading. The APH page recorded the bill as before the Senate after introduction there on 12 March 2026.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Referred to Federation Chamber
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
The chamber considered the bill in detail and dealt with amendments before the next stage.
Consideration in detailA House stage where MPs examine bill clauses and can move amendments before the bill goes to its final House vote. debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Reported from Federation Chamber
The chamber considered the bill in detail and dealt with amendments before the next stage.
Consideration in detailA House stage where MPs examine bill clauses and can move amendments before the bill goes to its final House vote. debate
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Key criticism
The main criticism was that extending NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. without changing its mandate leaves open the use of public finance for coal, gas or related infrastructure. Greens and independent MPs sought amendments to prohibit fossil fuel and native forest logging finance, require consistency with net-zero goals, add First Nations consultation, and push NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. toward clearer additionality and public-benefit tests. Coalition speakers supported the bill but argued a 10-year extension was less certain than making NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. permanent.
Support for extending NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. was broad in the House. The sharper disputes were about how permanent the facilityA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. should be and whether its mandate should explicitly exclude fossil fuel projects.
Fossil fuel finance
The Greens argued the unamended bill still left NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. able to support coal, gas and related infrastructure, and proposed a ban on direct finance for coal, natural gas, gas pipeline infrastructure and native forest logging.
Net-zero and First Nations safeguards
Zali Steggall's circulated amendment would require NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. assistance to be consistent with the Climate Change Act and the 2050 net-zero objective, prohibit assistance to gas facilities, and require First Nations consultation before assistance is provided.
Additionality and public benefit
Kate Chaney's second-reading amendment said specialist investment vehicles should deploy capital faster, avoid competing with private capital for low-risk projects, and transparently show that public finance enables projects to proceed, proceed earlier or proceed at greater scale.
Temporary rather than permanent extension
Coalition speakers supported the bill but said they would have preferred NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. to be made permanent rather than extended for another 10 years.
Further sources
Votes
No recorded votes have been found yet for this bill.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Madeleine King said the bill would keep NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. operating as a reliable development financier for northern Australia by extending its investment decision-making window to 2036, adding Investment MandateThe ministerial direction that sets rules and policy priorities NAIF must follow when deciding whether to provide financial assistance. compliance rules, sharing ministerial responsibility with the Finance Minister and requiring future reviews.
Read in Hansard ↗Elizabeth Watson-Brown said the Greens would oppose the unamended bill in the House because NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. could still finance coal, gas and related infrastructure, and she moved an amendment to prohibit finance for coal, natural gas and native forest logging.
Read in Hansard ↗Melissa Price supported the 10-year extension, saying NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. had helped development in Durack and northern Western Australia, but argued the government should have made NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. permanent and should ensure projects deliver real regional public benefit.
Read in Hansard ↗Zali Steggall accepted the bill's purpose of extending NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. but argued it needed stronger climate and First Nations safeguards, including consistency with the Climate Change Act, a ban on assistance to gas facilities and First Nations consultation before assistance is provided.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
6 speakers · 7 contributions · 6 support
“At the core of this drive is the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility, the NAIF, which is the foundation of northern Australia's economic development agenda.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I'm proud to speak in support of the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment Bill 2026, which will extend the NAIF ... for a further 10 years.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“I rise to support this bill, the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment Bill 2026.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Madeleine King on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Minister's second reading speech
Madeleine King said the bill would keep NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. operating as a reliable development financier for northern Australia by extending its investment decision-making window to 2036, adding Investment MandateThe ministerial direction that sets rules and policy priorities NAIF must follow when deciding whether to provide financial assistance. compliance rules, sharing ministerial responsibility with the Finance Minister and requiring future reviews.
“The bill proposes four key amendments. Extending NAIF's investment decision-making period. Strengthening accountability for compliance with the Investment Mandate. Establishing joint responsibilities for the responsible Ministers ... Refreshing statutory review requirements”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
Second reading speech
Madeleine King closed the House debate by saying the bill makes practical targeted updates: a 2036 investment period, Investment MandateThe ministerial direction that sets rules and policy priorities NAIF must follow when deciding whether to provide financial assistance. compliance mechanisms, joint ministerial responsibility and future reviews, while keeping NAIFA Commonwealth financing body that supports infrastructure projects in northern Australia, mainly through loans and other financial assistance. available for projects such as the Perdaman urea project.
“The amendments to the NAIF Act will extend NAIF's investment decision-making period for another decade, strengthen accountability for compliance with the investment mandate, establish joint responsibilities for the responsible ministers ... and ... refresh statutory review requirements”Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
“The Bill extends NAIF's statutory investment decision-making window by ten years, from 30 June 2026 to 30 June 2036 at section 8 of the NAIF Act.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“that's precisely why the NAIF is so important, precisely why it exists and precisely why it needs to be extended.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
2 speakers · 2 support
“The coalition supports the extension of the NAIF's investment period for another 10 years, through to 2036. This extension is critical, but ... it would have been preferred if we were today talking about it becoming a permanent body.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“to affirm our support for the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment Bill 2026, extending the NAIF for a further 10 years, from 30 June 2026 to 30 June 2036”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
1 speaker · 1 oppose
“The Greens will be opposing the unamended Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment Bill 2026 in the House and reserving our position in the Senate.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
1 speaker · 1 mixed
“I totally support that the bill has a legitimate purpose in extending the NAIF's decision-making window and maintaining an investment vehicle for northern Australia.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Referred to Federation Chamber
Referred to Federation Chamber
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Second reading agreed to
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
House · Consideration in detail debate
Consideration in detailA House stage where MPs examine bill clauses and can move amendments before the bill goes to its final House vote.
The chamber considered the bill in detail and dealt with amendments before the next stage.
House · Reported from Federation Chamber
Reported from Federation Chamber
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Consideration in detail debate
Consideration in detailA House stage where MPs examine bill clauses and can move amendments before the bill goes to its final House vote.
The chamber considered the bill in detail and dealt with amendments before the next stage.
House · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Senate · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Senate · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
