• State and Federal Governments sign agreement to receive Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility funding
• Fund to assist with building job-creating infrastructure in Northern Australia
• Agreement follows the announcement of the NAIF Board's first investment decision, for the Onslow Marine Support Base
  
  

Eligible infrastructure projects in Western Australia can now receive Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) funding, after the Commonwealth signed a Master Facility Agreement (MFA) with the State Government.
 
Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Matthew Canavan, said the agreement sets out the legal and financial obligations when projects receive funds from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility.
 
The signed agreement follows the announcement of the NAIF Board's first investment decision, for the Onslow Marine Support Base in Western Australia.
 
Comments attributed to Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Matthew Canavan:
 
"The Federal Government established NAIF to help build infrastructure that will create jobs and grow the economy across Northern Australia.
 
"The opportunities are vast and already there are 140 potential projects in the pipeline, with 10 in due diligence and execution, including three in Western Australia.

"Signing the MFA with WA was the final important step in the process that will allow funds to flow from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility to these nation-building projects."
 
"The Onslow project includes a loan of $16.8 million, with the project forecast to contribute $100 million to the economy.
 
"This was a significant announcement for NAIF, just over a year after its inception, especially considering infrastructure projects typically take up to three years or more to reach financial close."
 
Comments attributed to Premier Mark McGowan:
 
"This agreement will assist the ongoing development of the State's North West.
 
"The State Government is committed to diversifying the Western Australian economy and creating new jobs, and development in our regional areas will play a critical role in this task.

"We've taken our time to negotiate an agreement with the Commonwealth for the NAIF that does not expose Western Australia to unnecessary financial risk.
 
"I'm delighted to see a Western Australian project as the first proposal to receive conditional NAIF support, and the State Government will be formally reviewing the Onslow proposal in coming weeks."