Our Mission at TDC is to develop all commercial opportunities on behalf of the clan members throughout the Region to advance our key aims of providing local jobs for local people and, in the long term, ensuring every child has a chance of a full life.

Local Aboriginal Corporations have written to the new Northern Territory Government requesting an urgent update on the status of funding for the Port Keats Road upgrade. There are growing concerns that the project may be cancelled following recent moves to reprioritise infrastructure projects across the Territory.

MURIN Association, Thamarrurr Development Corporation, and Kardu Diminin Corporation have submitted a joint request to Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro and Minister for Logistics and Infrastructure Bill Yan, seeking clarification on the future of this critical project. The Port Keats Road, which connects Wadeye, Palumpa, and surrounding Homelands, is vital for regional mobility and economic development. Years of inadequate maintenance, combined with the road’s current state of being impassable for 4 to 6 months annually, have severely disrupted access to essential services, isolated communities, and raised costs for residents, businesses, and service providers.

The Commonwealth has committed the majority of the $72 million needed for the upgrade, so the potential withdrawal of NT Government funding would represent a significant missed opportunity and would be devastating for the surrounding communities. In recent weeks, four significant vehicle accidents have occurred on the Wadeye to Palumpa stretch, further highlighting the road’s dangerous condition. The photo above is just one of the vehicles that succumbed to the dangerous road conditions recently.

Before any decisions are made, we respectfully invite government officials to visit Wadeye, meet with Traditional Owners and community members, and see firsthand the road’s impact on daily life.