Breakfast at Bowden’s: Protect Lee Point protesters get early start at Ministers office

Dozens of protesters gathered outside Minister for Planning, Infrastructure and Logistics, Joel Bowden’s office, calling for him to scrap the planned housing development at Lee Point.

Dozens of protesters gathered outside Minister for Planning, Infrastructure and Logistics, Joel Bowden’s office, with the group urging him to revoke Defence Housing Australia’s (DHA) permit to clear Lee Point for development.

In a statement released before the Tuesday morning gathering, the protesters said Mr Bowden had the “power to revoke” the permit and “save Lee Point once and for all”.

They claimed to have been refused meetings with Mr Bowden repeatedly due to “other diary commitments”.

On August 4 last year, DHA agreed to pause works at Lee Point after public outcry, led by Traditional Land Owners, but that pause date is set to come to an end on March 31.

Minister for Planning, Infrastructure and Logistics Joel Bowden. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The protest group believe that it is within Mr Bowden’s powers to shut down the works permanently – though as it is a Commonwealth project, it is unknown whether that is true.

Friends of Lee Point member Ian Redmond said that if works went ahead, Darwin was at risk of losing part of its identity.

“Lee Point peninsula is home to approximately 700 old growth trees and the DHA housing project will clear over half of these,” he said.

“If stage 2 of DHA’s Lee Point housing project goes ahead it will irreversibly break the Lee Point Biodiversity Corridor that connects Greater Darwin to Casuarina Coastal Reserve.”

DHA was given permission to begin work on an 800-home, 131 hectare, housing development at Lee Point in June 2023.

Uprising of the People CEO and co-founder Mililma May said Territorians were united in stopping the development going ahead.

Uprising of the People chief executive officer and Kulumbirigin Danggalaba/Tiwi woman Mililma May at her office in Nightcliff. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“Territorians have been unrelenting with a simple message for Minister Bowden: Be a true Territorian and stand up for country. We the local people want elected representatives who reflect us,” Ms May said.

“Use your powers as an elected representative to revoke the DHA’s development permit. We demand you be courageous and be respectful.”

Protesters out the front of Joel Bowdens office. Picture: Supplied

Greens candidate for Fannie Bay Suki Dorras-Walker has also called for all planned works to be scrapped.

“Lee Point means so much to so many people in Darwin,” she said.

“We need our representatives to listen to the community and take time to understand the true value of this place.

“The community has been shut-out of the conversation for far too long.”

Mr Bowden has been reached out to for comment, but at the time of publishing was yet to issue a response.