NESP MaC Project 1.32 - Scoping Study: Supporting Regional Planning in Northern Australia, 2021-2022 (JCU)

Updated: 2026-06-25

This record provides an overview of the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub small-scale - "Scoping Study: Supporting Regional Planning in Northern Australia". Development in northern Australia has had bi-partisan political support for many years and thus receives significant policy and funding profile. However, the agenda is widely considered to have under-achieved against aspirations, becoming a heavily contested space with poor outcomes for development and environment. Disputes over environmental issues are central to this contestation affecting development proponents, government agency decision-makers and affected communities. This project aimed to make a positive contribution to easing (often known as de-risking) this contestation. A key issue has been availability of agreed data/information/knowledge to all parties. This project planned to run this agenda in partnership with the Resilient Landscapes Hub and the CRC for Developing Northern Australia, thus covering terrestrial, marine and socio-economic issues in strategic partnership. Given the many parties and wide range of issues involved, the project required extensive planning and consultation in the first year in order to develop a coherent research investment strategy for future years. Outputs • Final technical report with analysed data and a short summary of recommendations for policy makers of key findings [written]