Central Land Council demands Singleton water licence be scrapped in wake of meeting

The Central Land Council said documents obtained through FOI request suggest Fortune Agribusiness may have been given an unfair advantage over Aboriginal landowners and the public.

THE Central Land Council has demanded the NT government scrap the Singleton Station water licence decision following revelations of a meeting between government ministers and licence proponents.

Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show Chief Minister Michael Gunner, Environment Minister Eva Lawler, Resources Minister Paul Kirby and Environment Department chief executive, Jo Townsend, were all present at the meeting to discuss the largest water extraction licence ever granted in the NT.

Representatives of Fortune Agribusiness, the company behind the controversial licence application, were also present at the 2019 meeting.

Singleton Station, located 120km south of Tennant Creek.

CLC chief executive Les Turner said the documents suggest Fortune Agribusiness may have been given an unfair advantage over Aboriginal landowners and the public.

“(The documents) demonstrate that the government puts private profits before the rights and interests of our people and treats sacred site protection with total contempt,” he said.

Mr Turner claimed the meeting showed the government tailored a new policy guideline for the benefit of Fortune Agribusiness that goes against existing water planning done in consultation with the CLC.

“(Ms Townsend) ignored the views of the traditional owners and failed to consider the impact of the water licence on their sites,” he said.

He was also critical of the fact that the licence does not include any conditions for sacred site protection.

CLC chief executive Les Turner said the government has put profits before the rights of Aboriginal people. Picture: John Feder

“If Minister Lawler is a fair and independent umpire in the current review of the licence she would listen to the traditional owners and scrap it rather than roll over for private business,” Mr Turner said.

Following the meeting, the department developed a guideline in consultation with the company, which Ms Townsend approved.

However, a spokesman for Ms Townsend said the meeting was required due to delays experienced by the licence applicants. “Fortune was being delayed in being able to finalise its application because the groundwater dependant ecosystem mapping work across the region had not been completed in 2019,” the spokesman said.

“This work at a regional scale was needed before the more detailed assessment at the property level by the proponent could be done. “It is absolutely appropriate that scientific studies are undertaken by government to inform development opportunities and to make robust decisions. It is also appropriate for government agencies and decision makers to discuss requirements for assessment with applicants.”

A spokesman for Environment Minister Eva Lawler said the NT government had “strict and robust” application processes in place for new water developments. “The Territory Labor Government has, and always will, ensure that any decisions regarding water are informed by science,” she said.