Native Title holders in Central Australia urge government to scrap proposed water amendments

A key Indigenous group is urging the NT Government to withdraw controversial legislative amendments which they say are “designed to further undermine the already weak protections of the Territory’s water”.

• Central Land Council demands review of controversial Singleton Station water licence

A key indigenous group in Central Australia is calling on the government to withdraw proposed controversial legislative water amendments, which are due to be tabled in August, over fears it will “lower the bar for water licence approvals”.

The Central Land Council (CLC) has urged the NT Government to withdraw the proposed Territory Economic Reconstruction Committee (TERC) Omnibus Bill and the Environmental Law Bills which are due to be tabled at the August sittings of the Legislative Assembly and would amend the NT Water Act 1992.

CLC chief executive Lesley Turner said they wanted the government to “withdraw all water-related amendments until it has released a comprehensive water reform strategy for public scrutiny”.

“We are very concerned that the proposed amendments will further lower the bar for water licence approvals and shift ministerial oversight to unelected public servants,” Mr Turner said.

“The changes will make it easier for developers and speculators to get 30-year groundwater licences for free and for the responsible minister to shift accountability for decisions to the unelected water controller.”

Under the current Water Act the water minister must identify special circumstances, for example that the scientific understanding of a water resource is well established and certain, before granting licences for more than 10 years.

Under the proposed amendment bill the water controller, rather than the responsible minister, would be able to decide whether to grant licences longer than 10 years.

The CLC has written to the Chief Minister to protest about the lack of public consultation about the proposed changes and the inadequate information about the bills it has received since it met with senior government staffers and the water controller in early June.

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“Staff of the Department of Environment assured us that no further legislative reform would proceed without consultation. We are appalled to find more substantive amendments to the Water Act published on the department’s website, without notice, just weeks later,” Mr Turner said.

He said the government failed to inform traditional landowners and invite public comment.

The calls follow the council’s decision earlier this year to apply for a review of the decision to grant a licence to extract 40,000 megalitres of water a year for a produce plant at Singleton Station in Central Australia.

However, Environment and Water Security Minister Eva Lawler said the Territory government has delivered “significant reforms” to improve water allocation and usage.

“We understand that water is crucial for social, cultural, environmental and economic life and that’s why we are delivering plans that make sure Territorians continue to have water for drinking, for growing, and for making valuable products,” she said.

“The Statute Law Amendment (Territory Economic Reconstruction) Bill 2021 before parliament will be debated in the August sittings. No new legislative changes to the Water Act 1992 will be introduced during these sittings and further consultation will be undertaken with stakeholders.

“The amendments contained in the Bill make things simpler, but not more risky to our environment.

“We are also developing a comprehensive, long-term Strategic Water Plan. This work is underway and the community will be asked to have a say on what is important. Water is a critical issue for the Territory’s future and Territorians will have the opportunity to have their views heard.”

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