The Territory's plan to be a world-class hub for gas production, manufacturing and services will be outlined in a series of sessions aimed at the oil and gas industry and investors on the East Coast.
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Team NT Executive members Paul Tyrrell and Clare Martin will lead the pitch.
Their role is to advocate the Territory's investment, business and lifestyle prospects nationally and internationally and harness investment opportunities.
Mr Tyrrell, as former head of the Territory's public service, and Ms Martin, former Territory Chief Minister, are credited with playing key roles in significant initiatives such as attracting the Ichthys Project onshore LNG facilities to Darwin.
The oil and gas industry is supported by the Territory Labor Government's Budget 2019 which included $6.5 million to continue the $26 million Resourcing the Territory program to stimulate resource exploration and investment attraction.
Among the points highlighted at the sessions will be:
- The Territory's five-point plan to diversify and grow the Northern Territory gas industry, including creating a new gas demand centre in Darwin to develop a range of gas processing and manufacturing industries, research and cluster centres.
- Prospective onshore gas developments in the Territory and the significant opportunities for gas supply to East Coast industrial and residential customers. This comes after the first gas flowed from the Territory to East Coast gas markets via the Northern Gas Pipeline in January this year.
- The Territory's record of successfully facilitating large-scale investment projects across a range of industries including oil and gas, mining and agribusiness. Examples of gas sector developments include the INPEX-operated Ichthys LNG Facility, the ConocoPhillips-operated Darwin LNG Facility, Jemena's Northern Gas Pipeline and the Tanami Gas Pipeline.
- Darwin's role as a strategically located LNG hub supplying Asian markets. The Territory is strategically positioned to secure gas from existing offshore gas reserves in the Timor Sea or from future onshore gas developments.
The sessions will be held this week in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. They are being held in cooperation with the AI Group, Manufacturing Australia, and Chemistry Australia.
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Chief Minister Michael Gunner said: "Continuing to sell the Northern Territory as an attractive investment destination is a priority of the Government.
"The oil and gas industry plays an important role in growing our economy and creating jobs through further onshore and offshore investment.
"Team NT's sessions are an important element of showcasing what the Territory has to offer and will help maximise opportunities for investment and job creation."
Mudburra Traditional Custodian Ray Dixon, who lives in the Beetaloo basin downstream from Origin Energy's planned shale gas developments, said it was insulting for government MPs to be flying around the country trying to sell off resources that if extracted would have a detrimental impact on locals.
"I understand the Territory Government is broke, but fracking country to get at shale gas is only going to leave us worse off," he said.
"You don't destroy land and water for a quick buck.
"We would like to see the government spend more on renewable energy like solar farms so we can have jobs and energy without destroying the country.
"Locals in this part of the Territory do not support this move by the NT Government, and we want people on the East Coast to know that it does not have our consent."
Protect Country Alliance spokesman Graeme Sawyers said the NT Government should not tie the Territory's economic future to the boom and bust fossil fuels industry.
"This is a reckless move by the Gunner Government, particularly at a time when the world is turning its back on fossil fuels and embracing renewable energy," he said.
"Fracking is the most expensive fossil fuel to extract and renewables are becoming cheaper every day. The government should be using this mechanism to attract investment in renewables, something of real long term benefit to the Territory economy.
"The need for gas as a transition fuel has diminished, meaning there is no long term future for the industry in the NT.
"The Territory Government's rush to get it out of the ground at any cost is madness."
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