Territory farmers lash out after Four Corners’ ’scaremongering’ report on NT cotton industry

Territory farmers have hit back at an ABC report characterising attempts to build a cotton industry as “developers circling”. Read what they said.

The Territory’s agricultural sector has hit back at “another attack” by the ABC on economic development in the Northern Territory.

Months after hitting Darwin’s streets to criticise private security operators trying to keep Territorians safe from violence and anti-social behaviour, the national broadcaster’s flagship Four Corners program has moved to the Territory’s regions to condemn the emerging cotton industry.

The report, aired on August 19, raised a number of allegations about declining water levels, the issuing of permits and construction of dams, all of which were dismissed by industry, while characterising Territory attempts to grow a cotton industry as “developers circling”.

Cotton Australia chief executive Adam Kay said the ABC had a history of presenting one-sided accounts, and Territory Cattlemen’s Association’s Will Evans hit out at ABC “elites” and questioned Four Corners’ reputation as Australia’s investigative reporting flagship.

Adam Kay at the Northern Australia Cotton Gin launch in Katherine in December. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Mr Evans said nearly all cattle producers contacted by Four Corners refused to be interviewed because “the high standards demanded from politicians and industry by some of the elites at the ABC are not reflected in their own conduct”.

“There are many brilliant journalists at the ABC. It’s a real shame their voices are shouted over by shows like Four Corners and the relationships they have with real, honest, hardworking people tarnished by this kind of behaviour,” he said.

Mr Kay said Cotton Australia was “extremely disappointed at the conduct of ABC’s Four Corners program” and pointed to a 2019 Australian Communications and Media Authority decision that found the ABC breached its own code of practice during a report on cotton.

Mr Kay said the ABC had a history of presenting “one-sided” accounts.

NT Cattlemen's Association Will Evans

He said the catastrophising scenario outlined by the ABC about potential impacts of cotton were false – saying only 0.2 per cent of the Territory was being used for agriculture – and that of 12,982ha of cotton planted, just 575ha (about 4.5 per cent) is irrigated.

Out of 407 water licences in the NT, only nine of those involve cotton.

“Due to this and other experiences with Four Corners, Cotton Australia took the deliberate decision not to engage with them on this program given their past bias,” Mr Kay said.

“Again, last night, Four Corners portrayed a one-sided view of the industry, disregarded legitimate scientific research, made conclusions based on repeated claims by activists, promoted the electoral ambitions of a key opponent of the industry and irresponsibly raised alarmist claims about possible catastrophic outcomes and a devastated tourism industry.”

Mr Kay hit out at a number of claims made on Four Corners that he said had no scientific basis, including the Roper River system would run dry if it was irrigated and that irrigation was causing a decline in water levels at Mataranka.

It dismissed the ABC’s assertion cotton would not benefit the economy, said claims it would impact tourism were “scaremongering” and denied cotton was being grown illegally on pastoral leases.

“The regulator and the relevant Minister disagree, stating the practice is legal,” Mr Kay said.

He also dismissed Four Corners’ claims that farmers were misleadingly applying to grow hay, but were growing cotton instead outside their permit approval.

“In some cases, growers have held historic and long-term rights and entitlements to enable them to engage in agricultural cropping and their decisions about which crops to grow can change in a rotational cropping system,” Mr Kay said.

“Cotton has only emerged as a viable option recently and so it is understandable that some may have nominated other crops when originally lodging their applications.”

An ABC media spokesman said Cotton Australia were “approached and declined an interview”.

“We have no further comment,” he said.

The ECNT has called for a Royal Commission.

Originally published as Territory farmers lash out after Four Corners’ ’scaremongering’ report on NT cotton industry