The Minister for Territory Coordinator may designate a project to be a ‘Significant Project’ if the project:
- is of economic significance to the Territory or a region of the Territory; or
- is complex in nature and is of regional significance in terms of scale and impact.
Process for designation
Investors interested in seeking a Significant Project designation are encouraged to contact the relevant industry-focussed agency in the first instance. The Territory Coordinator will work with investors and the industry-focussed agency to explore how a Significant Project designation can support a project to advance at pace.
The Territory Coordinator will seek projects that can demonstrate a strong case and a compelling need for use of powers under the Act.
Key benefits of designation
The designation of a ‘Significant Project’ unlocks key powers under the Act, providing an ability for the Territory Coordinator to issue requests and notices to streamline and coordinate statutory processes and decisions to drive economic development. Key powers can only be applied to Northern Territory legislation listed in the Act.
Key powers for Significant Project include:
- prioritisation requests - requesting the responsible entity give priority to undertaking the statutory process over any other matter subject to the same process
- progression requests - requesting the responsible entity start, pause, continue, or complete a statutory process within the specified period
- decision requests - requesting the responsible entity for a statutory decision make a specified decision within the specified period
- step-in notices - minister or Territory Coordinator becomes the decision maker under a relevant law for a defined process
- exemption notices - to modify or exclude the application of the relevant law, or a provision of it, for the purposes of the decision being made or the process being undertaken
- condition variation notices - to vary the conditions imposed on a statutory decision.
For the Minister for Territory Coordinator notices of significant project designation or revocation, view publications.