"Need is too strong a word but it's hard to open up a new area, but I think there is a rationale for government investment in large-scale infrastructure to open up new areas because it's risky and it's a frontier.

There have been 115 inquiries to the $5 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility which was created two years ago. There are 56 projects under active consideration, according to information provided by Senator Canavan's office, with five projects in the due diligence phase, including the Adani mine.

Some of the sectors covered by the potential NAIF recipients include energy, mining and resources, agriculture, roads, telecommunications, water and tourism. The NAIF board is chaired by West Australian businesswoman Sharon Warburton and includes four Queenslanders including lawyer Khory McCormick, company director Sally Pitkin, former mayor Bill Shannon and mining executive Karla Way-McPhail.

Adani had deferred a decision on the Carmichael mine after the Palazczuk government was split over the royalties package. Late night meetings between senior Palaszczuk government ministers this week resulted in a revised royalties framework which will not be specifically for the Carmichael mine, but for new projects in the Galilee Basin, Surat Bain and the north-west minerals province near Mt Isa.

The new scheme would allow a deferral of mine royalties for the first four years of a project, before being ramped up after the fifth year. The full amount, including interest, would be paid over the life of the mine.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said late on Friday state Cabinet had unanimously agreed to a new policy approach for the future development of the Galilee, Surat Basins and the north-west minerals province. But she did not release any details of the royalties framework.

"Under this new policy, the Adani coal mine will pay every cent of royalties in full. There will be no royalty holiday for the Adani coal mine," she said.

"Opening up these three regions for development has the potential to support thousands of new jobs that are needed in regional centres along the coast as well as in outback Queensland."