Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has made a landmark funding announcement in the Northern Territory, promising $842 million in funding for the territory over six years.He announced the cash injection at a press conference in Alice Springs this morning, saying the investment will be focused on closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians."This is a great day for the territory, and it's particularly a great day for remote communities," he said.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks to media on January 10, 2025 in Perth, Australia. The Prime Minister is traveling across the country ahead of his campaign and must call the Australian federal election on or before 17 May 2025. (Matt Jelonek/Getty)The federal government's $842 million cash injection will strengthen service delivery in remote First Nations communities, from policing to women's safety, health and education services.It will also help fund Indigenous organisations in the NT and will shore up more than 500 jobs in the territory."The task before us is to build a future in which all Australians have access to the same opportunities," Albanese added."My government remains determined to seek better results for Indigenous Australians and help Close the Gap."Albanese was joined by Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro, who called the funding "one of the best health funding deals we've ever had for the territory".She confirmed that a "big portion" of the funding will go towards "making sure that our remote communities are invested in".The announcement came on the heels of Opposition Leader Peter Dutton's claims that the Albanese government had not done enough to address crime in the NT.These are the 20 most dangerous cities in the worldView GalleryDutton also visited Alice Springs last week to announce the Coalition's plans to tackle crime and other key issues ahead of the 2025 federal election."The crime crisis in Alice Springs has captured the nation's attention," Nine's federal politics reporter Liz Daniels told Today on Friday morning."A promised crackdown on it was a huge part of the Liberal party's win in last year's Northern Territory election, and it will be the number one issue in the territory when we go to the polls at a federal level."
