Combined with enhanced infrastructure, industry growth and development would offer pathways for greater engagement in the economy by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Northern Australia.
The resilience and international competitiveness of the region's economy relies on their involvement because of land rights and interests, and the large local labour force they represent. There are untapped opportunities for these communities to be entrepreneurs or proponents across different elements of the value chain in sectors such as agriculture, tourism, forestry and mining and resources.
Enabling Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to benefit from economic growth will require investment in infrastructure to improve basic services, such as telecommunications, energy and water.
It will also depend on these communities being more involved in infrastructure planning and delivery, which will deliver employment opportunities.