Proposed government reforms impact on NT environment questioned

The NT government has announced plans to release more water for agriculture and relax the approval process for onshore gas projects.

Transcript

00:00A precious Northern Territory resource, today being divvied up outside Parliament.

00:08The country Liberals reversing a draft water allocation plan for the Western Davenport

00:13region, 150 kilometres south of Tennant Creek.

00:17We are allocating 87,000 megalitres, 87,700.

00:22That's 20,000 megalitres more per year than a draft plan recommended, equivalent to 8,000

00:29Olympic sized swimming pools.

00:31The final allocation for the region, which incorporates the Territory's largest water

00:36licence at Singleton Station, also now applicable for 10 years, not 3.

00:42From an NT Farmer's perspective, we have what's called a guardrail, and that is rely on the

00:47best available science of the day, and that's what this plan relies on.

00:51And this has happened without any scrutiny or engagement with the Water Advisory Committee,

00:56water experts, key stakeholders or the general public.

01:00A first allocation plan for the Mataranka region, also finalised today, with 62,000

01:07litres available for extraction, as per previous plans.

01:11The water allocations weren't the only big announcements from the country Liberals this

01:15morning, just a week out from Christmas, with the government also relaxing environmental

01:21regulation for onshore gas projects.

01:24The requirement for gas companies to refer environmental management plans to the EPA

01:29has been scrapped, as has the need for big emitters to provide greenhouse gas abatement

01:35plans to the NT government.

01:37A new way of doing things for a Territory desperate for an economic boost.