About Us

NAIF’s mission is to generate transformational growth for northern Australia through being an innovative financing partner.

A key focus of any financing is to drive public benefit, economic and population growth and Indigenous involvement in northern Australia.

NAIF is a development financier with a lending facility provided by the Commonwealth Government that provides loans to infrastructure projects and businesses across northern Australia.

NAIF’s primary purpose is to accelerate infrastructure development and thereby drive transformational growth in northern Australia by innovative financing that:

  • Generates public benefit including that outside of what is captured by the project proponent;
  • Encourages longer term growth in the economy and population of northern Australia;
  • Encourages private sector participation in the financing of northern Australia’s infrastructure needs; and
  • Facilitates sustainable Indigenous participation, procurement and employment outcomes.

Where we operate

A map of northern Australia

 

NAIF key facts

  • NAIF can provide debt or equity finance to projects that satisfy the relevant mandatory criteria in the Investment Mandate. The mandatory criteria require that each project must:
  1. Involve the development or enhancement of infrastructure.
  2. Be of public benefit.
  3. Be in, or have significant benefit for, northern Australia.
  4. For debt finance, be able to repay or refinance NAIF’s debt.
  5. Have an Indigenous engagement strategy.
  6. For equity investments, generate a return to Government.
  • The projects that NAIF can finance are wide ranging and include physical structures, assets, technology or facilities that contribute to the establishment or enhancement of economic activity in a region.
  • Examples of the sectors that NAIF can support include, but are not limited to, resources, airports, ports and rail, agriculture, water, energy, social infrastructure (including property, tourism, education and health), manufacturing and telecommunications.
  • NAIF has a higher tolerance for the unique risks of investing in northern Australia including but not limited to, distance, remoteness and climate.
  • NAIF can look at projects across northern Australia including the Northern Territory, and those parts of Queensland and Western Australia above the Tropic of Capricorn. As well as the regional centres of Gladstone, the Gladstone Hinterland, Carnarvon and Exmouth, as well as the Local Government Areas of Meekatharra and Wiluna in Western Australia.
  • Importantly projects financed by the NAIF do not need to be entirely within these boundaries if they produce significant benefits to northern Australia.
  • Investment Decisions are made by an independent Board who are supported by an experienced team of infrastructure financiers who work with proponents and other lenders to commercial timelines.

NAIF Values diagram

NAIF’s people and culture strategy underpins the development, engagement and alignment of its people to deliver and execute on NAIF’s strategy over the next four years and beyond. Central to this strategy are the following organisational values and behaviours:

  • Collaboration
  • Integrity
  • Making a difference
  • Solutions orientated