Alice Springs will receive federal funds to help combat its ongoing crime crisis, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison announcing $14 million for the beleaguered town yesterday, with federal Labor committing to matching the funding if they are elected next month.

The commitment came on the same day the Coalition announced a massive $300 million energy industry investment for the NT that will include $130 million for gas giants Inpex, Santos and Darwin LNG to construct a carbon capture and storage hub, as well as $96 million for clean energy projects in the NT, including developing hydrogen facilities near Darwin.

Mr Morrison said construction of renewable projects in the NT could create 13,000 jobs.

“Our economic plan for the Territory will deliver a jobs boom, creating a stronger economy for a stronger future,” Mr Morrison said.

“We want to harness the Territory’s position as a world leader in energy and turbocharge it, unlocking investment and generating more jobs.”

Mr Morrison made the official announcements in Alice Springs on Sunday.

Earlier this year, Alice Springs Mayor Matt Paterson wrote to Territory and federal politicians pleading with them for help to fix the town’s ongoing crime crisis.

Mr Morrison said he was made aware of the troubling crime statistics in the town back in February after being forced to meet with Mr Paterson.

“This is a longstanding challenge, and it will continue to be, but I believe the $14 million we’re investing directly here can make a big difference to this,” Mr Morrison said.

The funding would be used for more CCTV units in town, create a new mental health service and provide $4 million to expand night patrols by Tangentyere Council and Alice Springs Council.

“We are backing in a community-led response to the challenges in Alice Springs, with more night patrols, youth training and early intervention, a new youth-focused area of the library, mental health services and more CCTV,” Mr Morrison said.

The federal Labor Party also committed to providing the $14 million to fight crime in Alice if they are elected.

“Criminal law is primarily a matter for the states and territories. However, Labor believes the Commonwealth Government can and should take a leadership role to tackle the unacceptably high rate of crime in areas like Alice Springs,” said a joint statement issued by shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus and NT Senator Malarndirri McCarthy and Labor candidate for Lingirari Marion Scrymgour.

Labor Senator Penny Wong was also in Alice Springs on Sunday pledging to train an additional 500 Indigenous health workers to deal with the NT’s high rates of dialysis and rheumatic heart disease.

“The gap in First Nations health is profound,” she said.

“First Nations Australians are four times more likely to die from rheumatic heart disease, four times as likely to have kidney disease.”

Ms Wong also pledged more money for remote housing in the NT, stating that further details would be announced before the federal election on May 21.