The work of the North Australia Development Unit ( NADU), which currently resides in the Department of Social Security in Darwin, is to become part of a new capacity on northern development matters in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet from end January 1992. The new office wrill report to Senator Collins as Minister assisting the Prime Minister for Northern Australia.
The functions of the unit are to be broadened to enable it to conduc~ t and sponsor research on potential economic and other developments in the North, as well as research in social security and program delivery which it has conducted to date.
The unit will be headed from 1 March 1992 for three years by Mr Bill Gray who is currently Chief Executive Officer of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission ( ATSIC). Mr Gray will become an Associate Secretary in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
The objective is to help provide the analytical and research base required for decisions on northern development and, in particular, to provide more direct support for Senator Collins in his role of advancing, within the Government, the interests of Northern Australia.