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Federal
Corporate Commonwealth Entity
Transport and Infrastructure

Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility

Portfolio: Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts

https://naif.gov.au/

Annual Budget

$23M

2026-27 Budget (Budget Paper No. 4)
-5.8%vs prior year ($24M)
Total Revenue

$120M

2024-25 Total Revenue
Staff

80

Headcount (2024-25)
Budget Commentary

Material downward shift in 2026-27 funding (-5.8%, $1M change). 2025-26 estimated actual $24M → 2026-27 budget $23M. Source: Budget Paper No. 4, Agency Resourcing tables.

Major Digital Projects
5

New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) Regulator and IT Build

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts

Tier 2
DCA: Medium
Active

Total Budget

$79.2M

Digital Budget

$23.8M

July 2024January 2026

The establishment of a NVES for light vehicles will deliver more fuel-efficient cars for Australians and support the government’s commitment to achieve net zero by 2050. This investment is for the development of an effective ICT environment in which to manage the regulatory obligations around the NVES, such as data capture from vehicle suppliers/importers, reporting, facilitation of compliance and audit functions, and the establishment and maintenance of a NVES credit trading scheme.

Reporting and Program Management (RPM) System

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts

Tier 2
DCA: High
Active

Total Budget

$30.8M

Digital Budget

$14.2M

July 2023June 2026

The RPM project is improving the administration of grant payments to states and territories for land transport infrastructure projects. Following recommendations from the Australian National Audit Office, the department is developing a new system, which has been designed to address evolving business needs and transition the current legacy system to a more scalable and flexible system. The RPM Project Objectives are: (1) Develop a new system to automate, simplify and streamline business processes; (2) Provide a single source of data for all grant process stages that is validated and accurate, easy to access and analyse; (3) Ensure the new system is intuitive, easy to use and flexible, and can be extended to meet future needs; and (4) Migrate data from the existing data sources into a consolidated source of truth for infrastructure investment.

Digital First (DF) Program

National Archives of Australia

Tier 3
Active

Total Budget

$25.1M

Digital Budget

$20.6M

July 2023June 2026

The National Archives of Australia has established the DF Program to uplift its ability to manage, preserve and provide meaningful access to an increasingly digital collection of records that hold national significance. In late 2025, the DF Program was rescoped to realign the work of the program to support implementation of the new Strategy 2025–2030: Evolving National Archives. The program will finish in June 2026, with additional scope relating to account and workload management to be addressed through strategy implementation.

Fighting SMS Scams

Australian Communications and Media Authority

Tier 3
Active

Total Budget

$10.9M

Digital Budget

$3.2M

October 2024July 2026

This project is enabling the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to develop, operate and maintain an SMS ID registry to help prevent scammers from impersonating brands and entities in texts, using message headers (such as myGov), and to create a trusted communications channel.

Spectrum Management

Australian Communications and Media Authority

Tier 3
Active

Total Budget

$22.7M

Digital Budget

$20.9M

October 2022May 2027

The digital spectrum management system will include a range of new and enhanced digital and ICT capabilities to support improved spectrum management.

Ideas relevant to this department

8 tagged

Reform proposals on YourGov that name this department as a delivery partner — drawn from citizen voice, government strategy, research, international examples and gap analysis.

STRATEGY SUMMARY

We contribute to the Nation by proudly investing in the growth of northern Australia. [CP p.4]

PURPOSE

We contribute to the Nation by proudly investing in the growth of northern Australia. [CP p.4]

Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.4

Strategic priorities

· 4

1

Sustainable and resilient economic development and the alleviation of economic or social disadvantage in northern Austra

Sustainable and resilient economic development and the alleviation of economic or social disadvantage in northern Australia.

Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.4
2

Working with jurisdictions to deliver key infrastructure projects in northern Australia.

Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.4
3

Realising the Critical Minerals Strategy 2023–2030, along with support for other Australian Government policies and prio

Realising the Critical Minerals Strategy 2023–2030, along with support for other Australian Government policies and priorities including Future Made in Australia and the Net Zero Economic Authority.

Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.4
4

Materially improving the lives of Indigenous people and communities.

Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.4

Outcomes

· 4

Financing transformational opportunities in northern Australia

Offering innovative financing solutions that address the unique risk factors that projects in northern Australia are susceptible to, including distance, remoteness, climate and connectivity. Investing in projects that will create long term benefits to northern Australia, increase economic activity and accelerate participation in the development of new industry sectors, production processes and technologies. Supporting ancillary industries and businesses to support current and future key infrastructure developments.

KEY ACTIVITIES

  • Offering innovative financing solutions
  • Investing in projects
  • Supporting ancillary industries

Facilitate economic and sustainable growth

Strengthening the Nation’s future economic prosperity through investments that support continued economic growth of northern Australia. Financing projects that bring new capacity online through the construction of new infrastructure or by materially enhancing existing infrastructure. Supporting projects that evidence broad based public benefit and generate benefits to the broader economy and community beyond those captured by a project proponent.

KEY ACTIVITIES

  • Strengthening the Nation’s future economic prosperity
  • Financing projects
  • Supporting projects

Expand and promote Indigenous opportunities and outcomes

Expand and promote Indigenous opportunities and outcomes through bespoke Indigenous Engagement Strategies (IES) that are tailored for the Indigenous groups of the area or region of the proposed project.

KEY ACTIVITIES

  • Developing bespoke Indigenous Engagement Strategies
  • Tailoring strategies for Indigenous groups

Contributing to the Nation

Investing in projects across a breadth of sectors to facilitate the establishment or enhancement of business activity or increase economic activity in a region.

KEY ACTIVITIES

  • Investing in projects
  • Facilitating business activity

Values

· 4

Collaboration

Solutions focused

Integrity

Making a difference

Performance measures

· 3

CodeMeasureTarget 2025-26Latest resultStatus

ID

Dollar value of Investment Decisions

>$700m

Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.9

$340 million

Annual Report 2024-25 · p.30
Partially achieved

CD

Capital deployed (i.e. cumulative drawdowns)

>$3.0bn

Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.9

$2.6 billion

Annual Report 2024-25 · p.30
Achieved

LR

NAIF loan ratio (private sector contribution to NAIF finance)

<75%

Corporate Plan 2025-26 · p.9

16%

Annual Report 2024-25 · p.30
Achieved

Ideas distilled from this entity's strategy & evidence

· 8

Case Processing

Streamline Investment Approval Process

Reduce the time taken to approve investment decisions by implementing a more efficient review process.

Impact: Medium
Effort: High
Small

2024-25.pdf

Citizen Participation

Indigenous Engagement Pilot Program

Pilot a new program to better engage with Indigenous communities on proposed infrastructure projects.

Impact: High
Effort: Medium
Medium

2025-26.pdf

Data & Performance

Data Transparency Initiative

Launch a transparency initiative to publish detailed data on investment decisions and outcomes.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
Large

2024-25.pdf

Regulation & Policy

Green Financing Model

Introduce a green financing model to prioritize projects with significant environmental benefits.

Impact: High
Effort: High
Large

2025-26.pdf

Strategy & Reform

Regional Collaboration Platform

Create a digital platform to facilitate collaboration between regional stakeholders on infrastructure projects.

Impact: High
Effort: High
Large

2024-25.pdf

Procurement & Delivery

Adopt Overseas Best Practices

Adopt best practices from overseas for infrastructure project procurement and delivery.

Impact: Medium
Effort: Medium
Large

association-worldbank.org-governance.txt

Capability Building

Capacity Building Workshops

Organize regular capacity building workshops for NAIF staff to enhance project management skills.

Impact: Medium
Effort: Low
Small

2024-25.pdf

Data & Performance

Public Benefit Tracking System

Implement a tracking system to monitor the public benefits realized from NAIF-financed projects.

Impact: High
Effort: Medium
Medium

2025-26.pdf

Case Processing

Streamline Investment Approval Process

Reduce the time taken to approve investment decisions by implementing a more efficient review process.

Impact: Medium
Effort: High
Small

2024-25.pdf

Citizen Participation

Indigenous Engagement Pilot Program

Pilot a new program to better engage with Indigenous communities on proposed infrastructure projects.

Impact: High
Effort: Medium
Medium

2025-26.pdf

Data & Performance

Data Transparency Initiative

Launch a transparency initiative to publish detailed data on investment decisions and outcomes.

Impact: Very High
Effort: High
Large

2024-25.pdf

Regulation & Policy

Green Financing Model

Introduce a green financing model to prioritize projects with significant environmental benefits.

Impact: High
Effort: High
Large

2025-26.pdf

Strategy & Reform

Regional Collaboration Platform

Create a digital platform to facilitate collaboration between regional stakeholders on infrastructure projects.

Impact: High
Effort: High
Large

2024-25.pdf

Procurement & Delivery

Adopt Overseas Best Practices

Adopt best practices from overseas for infrastructure project procurement and delivery.

Impact: Medium
Effort: Medium
Large

association-worldbank.org-governance.txt

Capability Building

Capacity Building Workshops

Organize regular capacity building workshops for NAIF staff to enhance project management skills.

Impact: Medium
Effort: Low
Small

2024-25.pdf

Data & Performance

Public Benefit Tracking System

Implement a tracking system to monitor the public benefits realized from NAIF-financed projects.

Impact: High
Effort: Medium
Medium

2025-26.pdf

Legislation administered

· 1

Act

2016

Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Act 2016

The entity administers this Act which outlines its legislative functions and responsibilities.

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