Progress continues on the important Kingston Pier Channel Construction project, with design Option 3A currently being finalised and environmental approvals prepared.

The selection of Option 3A followed extensive consultation with the community and key stakeholders throughout last year, with the detailed (80 per cent) design presented to the community in November. Advisian Pty Ltd provided an overview of the investigations undertaken to inform the design, with consultation via telephone and online interviews due to the ongoing impacts of COVID-19. 

Norfolk Island Health and Residential Aged Care Service (NIHRACS) will continue to deliver essential health and residential aged care services to Norfolk Island after the current agreement with New South Wales (NSW) ceases and new arrangements are put in place.

I am pleased to announce the Australian Government is funding CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, to continue the Norfolk Island Water Resources Assessment (NIWRA) monitoring program and undertake a number of associated studies.

The Australian Government is continuing its support of Norfolk Island’s vocational education and training (VET) students through expansion of the Norfolk Island VET Financial Assistance Initiative (Initiative).

Since commencing in January 2019, the Initiative has made it easier for Norfolk Island residents studying a VET qualification to pay tuition fees, through reimbursing the difference in course fees incurred with what a resident student of the state or territory of their institution would pay.

Conserving and protecting Norfolk Island’s outstanding beauty, diverse landscapes and rich biodiversity is a key priority for the Australian Government, with the roll-out of the Norfolk Island Pest and Disease Survey showing our practical commitment to the long-term biosecurity and sustainability of Norfolk Island.

The new, targeted Pest and Disease Survey builds upon the Norfolk Island Quarantine Survey that was carried out during 2012 to 2014, which developed an important baseline of biosecurity information on Island.

The Australian Government has extended its engagement of Qantas to deliver passenger and freight air services for Norfolk Island until the end of August.

Air New Zealand remains the long-term underwritten supplier of air services to Norfolk Island. However, the current impacts of COVID-19 on Air New Zealand’s crewing arrangements and service delivery, mean that the extension of the current arrangement with Qantas is necessary to ensure the continuity of air services to Norfolk Island.

Norfolk Island’s extraordinary natural and cultural wonders are set to be featured in a series of high-profile television programs, produced by the Western Australia based Guru Productions for their “Explore TV” series.

This exciting project has been funded under the Australian Government’s $400,000 COVID-19 stimulus package for tourism promotion on Norfolk Island, showcasing Norfolk Island as a destination of outstanding beauty and rich cultural heritage to a national audience.

Following the information evening at Governor’s Lodge on Monday 19 April, we are looking for a community organisation or representative group to conduct an ‘Expression of Ideas’ on the future of The Cooker (previously referred to as ‘The Boiler’).

The Cooker has an important place in this history of our community, as outlined by more than 70 people who attended the information evening.

An enduring partnership for the delivery of critical services for Norfolk Island – including health and education – remains a key priority for the Australian Government and we continue to work hard to develop appropriate stable and long-term service delivery arrangements to best serve the Norfolk Island community.

A Queensland Government delegation visited Norfolk Island from 27-29 April, including Minister for Education, Industrial Relations and Racing, the Hon Grace Grace and senior Queensland Government officials.

As one of Australia’s most important historical sites, the long-term management and conservation of Kingston is a key priority of the Australian Government.

Over the coming months, two critical heritage management and conservation projects at Kingston are being progressed, helping to preserve the world heritage area for residents and tourists into the long-term.