This report explores four potential options for the future development of the Darwin port and harbour. Rather than providing a specific policy treatment on the current leasing arrangements, this work focuses on promoting policy discourse on a unifying vision for the future of Darwin harbour.

A key insight from this analysis is that this moment is an opportunity for the federal government to work with the Northern Territory government to harness the existing plans for the port’s future, including those proposed by Defence and the U.S and the NT Government, and embed those plans within the broader strategic vision for Australia moving forward. While each of these worthy plans undoubtedly has merit, the question is whether, by carefully harnessing them together, they could produce a greater economic and national security whole.