Water security plan ‘does not touch the surface’ of NT’s remote community ‘water crisis’: NLC boss
THE Northern Land Council has criticised the NT government’s water security plan as not “not even touching the surface of this crisis” as members of the remote community of Laramba are taking legal action against the Department of Housing boss over their uranium-contaminated drinking water.
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THE Northern Land Council has criticised the NT government’s water security plan as not “not even touching the surface of this crisis” as members of the remote community of Laramba are taking legal action against the Department of Housing boss over their uranium-contaminated drinking water.
A total of $28m over four years was announced to fund water security projects in 10 selected remote Aboriginal communities, including Laramba, on Thursday.
However, NLC chief executive Marion Scrymgour said the majority of the projects are only proposed for the southern region of the NT, leaving many other communities unprotected.
“I’m disappointed in these ad hoc statements from the NT government. More action should have been taken by now to tackle poor water security in our communities,” she said.
“Water use out bush is mostly unregulated and our mob are very worried. Major towns have legal protections under the NT’s Water Act and other laws but the drinking water in most of our communities is not protected.”
Lawyers for the Laramba community on Thursday argued in the Northern Territory Supreme Court for the Northern Territory government to join the Housing chief executive as a respondent in the action. Chief Justice Michael Grant reserved his decision.
One of the lawyers, Dan Kelly, said the funding announcement is too little too late.
“The community has been waiting almost 18 months since filing their water case in the tribunal for an outcome, and during that time their families have had no choice but to drink the water that they know contains high levels of uranium,” he said.
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