The main economic activities on Christmas Island are the mining of low grade phosphate, limited tourism, the provision of government services and more recently the operation of the Immigration Detention Centre. The government sector includes administration, health, education, policing, customs, quarantine and defence.

The department is committed to keeping the Christmas Island community informed on important projects being undertaken by the Australian Government.

On 19 February 2008, the then Minister for Home Affairs, the Honourable Bob Debus MP, asked the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories to inquire into and report on the role of the National Capital Authority.

The terms of reference provided for the Joint Standing Committee to inquire into were: