Minister defends government action on remote water security

THE Territory Government has defended its handling of an ‘impending water security crisis’ in remote communities.

Essential Services Minister Dale Wakefield says the government is working with the NLC to address an ‘impending water security crisis’ in remote communities. Picture GLENN CAMPBELL

THE Territory Government has defended its handling of water supplies in the bush following a warning of an “impending water security crisis”.

The Northern Land Council this week called for “urgent action” to ensure remote communities did not run out of water.

But Essential Services Minister Dale Wakefield said the government was working with the NLC to address the issue, citing projects including the installation of smart metres in Robinson River “to identify and reduce water loss”.

“Water is a precious resource and we need to manage it responsibly to ensure its sustainability,” she said.

“We have a number of projects underway to ensure water sustainability in remote communities across the Territory including Numbulwar, Ngukurr, Minyeri, and Robinson River.

“The Territory Government works closely with the NLC as a statutory body and will continue to do so to ensure water sustainability in remote communities across the Territory.”

The comments come after Mungoorbada Aboriginal Corporation director Freddy Jackson told and NLC regional council meeting the situation in Robinson River was “dire”.

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“We have been told that we are in the top five on the critical list for water supply in the Katherine region,” he said.

“While we are all working hard to bring social and economic development to our community, all our work may be for nothing if we haven’t got any water for community members to drink or to water our community gardens and cattle and horses.”