The Nationals WA in Government will establish a Minister for Northern Western Australia and a standalone government Agency to drive investment, support the region’s critical resources industry, and back the people who keep Australia’s economic engine room running.
Leader of The Nationals WA, Shane Love MLA, said Northern WA deserves a dedicated Minister and Agency to champion its interests and unlock its full potential.
“This new Ministerial role will complement the existing Federal Minister for Northern Australia and reinforce the economic significance of the region, following the same geographic lines.”
“The North is vital to the State and National economy, yet consistently overlooked in decision-making. The Nationals WA will change this with a Minister solely focused on the region’s needs—whether driving investment, securing jobs, or eliminating barriers which hold businesses and communities back,” Mr Love said.
Legislative Council candidate and Nationals WA State President, Julie Freeman, will serve as the inaugural Minister for Northern Western Australia in a Nationals Government.
Shadow Minister for Northern Australia, Senator Susan McDonald, welcomed the commitment to establish a new stand-alone agency saying it would ensure a laser-focus on growing the region’s economy.
“The WA Nationals are synonymous with policies that drive long-term investment to the regions including the signature Royalties for Regions program when they were in government. Today’s announcement that there will be a dedicated unit with a dedicated focus on driving investment in the state’s north, builds on that trackrecord, she said.
Senator McDonald said the announcement went hand-in-glove with the Federal Coalition’s recent commitment to ensure Northern Australia will get a permanent multi-billion-dollar Infrastructure Fund to underpin long term jobs and new industries.
She said the current $7 billion Northern Infrastructure Fund – the NAIF – which had so-far underpinned 20,000 jobs in northern Australia, had a sunset clause to expire 30 June 2026.
“Under a Federal Coalition that fund will not expire. Instead, it will become permanent and will be able to help provide low interest loans for projects being driven by WA’s new stand-alone agency for the north,” she said.
Mrs Freeman said the Nationals first commitment to Northern WA will be delivering immediate cost-of-living relief to nearly 50,000 families struggling with skyrocketing insurance premiums in cyclone-prone regions.
“The Nationals WA will introduce a $500 annual rebate on home insurance for households north of the 26th parallel saving families $2,000 over four years and help ensure more residents can afford to protect their homes,” Ms Freeman said.
“In Northern WA, home insurance is becoming increasingly unaffordable, leaving too many families without the protection they need.
“In recent weeks, we’ve seen the potential risk and havoc caused by Cyclone Zelia in the Pilbara, and it’s unacceptable that so many households remain uninsured or underinsured because they simply can’t afford the
rising premiums.”
The ACCC Insurance Monitoring Report confirms the Pilbara is one of the most expensive regions in Australia for home insurance, with a median premium of $5,169 per year – more than three times higher than Perth, where the median premium is just $1,657.
Mrs Freeman said the WA Government is raking in ten per cent of the cost of these insurance premiums as stamp duty. This $500 rebate will effectively refund hardworking Northern Australian families this impost “The Nationals WA’s $500 rebate would provide immediate relief, encourage more homeowners to stay insured in high-risk areas, and help build a more sustainable insurance sector in the north.” Mrs Freeman said.
Leader Shane Love MLA said the policy would cost up to $25 million per year, and deliver real, targeted relief for families in the Gascoyne, Pilbara and Kimberly regions.
“For years, Labor has ignored the rising cost of insurance in Northern WA,” Mr Love said.
“This rebate is a practical and responsible way to keep families safe and protect our northern communities,” he said.
“The Nationals WA are the only party who take the future of our North seriously, these measures are just the beginning of what we will deliver in Government.”
