Northern Territory’s peak environment bodies lodge review of Singleton Station water licence
The NT’s peak environment bodies have lodged a review of the controversial Singleton Station water licence, which would see 40 billion litres of groundwater extracted per annum.
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THE Territory’s peak environment bodies have lodged a review of the controversial Singleton Station water licence, which would see 40 billion litres of groundwater extracted per annum, over fears it would open the flood gates for similar projects.
Arid Lands Environment Centre (ALEC) and the Environment Centre NT (ECNT) have lodged applications for Ministerial review of the Water Controller’s decision to grant Fortune Agribusiness the licence at the station, south of Tennant Creek.
It follows the decision by the Central Land Council (CLC) who is also applying for a review of the decision after they held a meeting in April.
ALEC CEO, Jimmy Cocking, said the fact it was the largest groundwater licence ever granted in the Territory “sets a shocking precedent”.
“It’s a sign that Territorians should be very worried about how the Government is managing our most precious resource,” Mr Cocking said.
“We’re seeing the impacts of climate change first-hand in Central Australia, and the harm it’s causing to our groundwater. In 2020, some Indigenous communities nearly ran out of drinking water altogether.
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“Calls for safe drinking water legislation by Northern Territory land councils and environmental groups have gone unanswered, yet the Water Controller has seen fit to hand out a massive groundwater licence for free to Fortune Agribusiness.
“We know that over-extraction of groundwater can impact drinking water supplies and kill precious ecosystems on the surface that depend on that water.”
ECNT’s Co-Director Kirsty Howey said the licence was handed out for free but
one expert estimated that Fortune’s water licence would be worth $20 million elsewhere in Australia.
“Without income from water licences, the Northern Territory Government simply can’t monitor the impacts of massive licences like these.
“This year’s Territory budget has seen the funding for Water Resources cut, and KPIs for on-site monitoring visits by the Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security slashed from 170, to 100, per year.
“This leaves our water extremely vulnerable, particularly as pressure for industrial-scale irrigation ramps up across the Territory.”
ECNT and ALEC are calling on an overhaul of the Northern Territory’s water laws.
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