Northern Territory Election
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| ECNT's Summary
and Assessment of ALP policies |
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Daly River » Rivers and Wetlands » Environmental Legislation
and Spending
» Weeds » Uranium » Marine
Conservation » Greenhouse
» Environment Protection Authority (EPA) |
Daly River |
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Current moratorium on land clearing and pastoral
subdivisions to remain in place in the Daly Region (roughly 40%
of the total Daly catchment) until further scientific research
is completed and baseline monitoring systems are set up (e.g.
meters on bores). It is estimated that this will take until the
end of 2007. An additional $3.5 million will be spent establishing
monitoring systems. A Daly Regional Advisory Board will be set
up to provide necessary advice and community input.
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The Daly Region Community Reference Group report
has been released for public consultation ('for a few months',
according to the Chief Minister: exact period remains unclear).
The majority of representatives and stakeholders on the Community
Reference Group supported a continuation of the landclearing
moratorium.
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It is still a little unclear what will happen
to existing water licence applications in the Daly Catchment
that have been under a de facto moratorium for the last
year or so. This includes one application for 20,000 Megalitres
(i.e. 20 billion litres per year) of groundwater by Larrakeyah
pastoral station. However, ECNT has been told by the Department
of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment that land clearing
approval would be required before a water license of this magnitude
could be approved, so this should mean there is still a de
facto moratorium on new water licences associated with land
clearing activity. A Government Advisor confirmed that land clearing
and new water licences were 'bundled together' in their thinking.
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The ALP policy does not preclude significant
land clearing or water extraction from occurring after the moratorium
is lifted, though it will provide the Daly River with a ‘'breathing
space'.
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Environment
Centre (ECNT) assessment: Very good (for now)
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Rivers and Wetlands |
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A Living Rivers program is to be implemented
to identify and protect NT river ecosystems (including Living
Rivers legislation). The Daly will be managed within this program.
An attempt will be made more generally to nominate more wetland
areas in the NT for RAMSAR listing.
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ECNT
assessment: Good but lacking detail
and funds
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Environmental Legislation
and Spending
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Rewrite of environmental legislation in the NT,
including the Water Act, Territory Parks and Wildlife Act and
the Environmental Assessment Act. A new Biodiversity Conservation
Act is mooted, along with new natural resource management (NRM)
legislation.
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Increased funding for Indigenous Ranger groups,
with a move to offering core funding as part of the implementation
of the NT Parks and Conservation Masterplan.
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The West MacDonnell Ranges will be nominated
for World Heritage following consultation with Traditional Owners,
the tourism industry and the community.
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Free rent in a Rapid Creek ‘'environment
hub' for environment NGO's from 2006-07. Continuation of government's
environment grants program for community organisations.
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ECNT assessment: Good on
legislative reform promises; disappointing on new funding for environment
generally.
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Weeds
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A new program ‘'Tackling Territory Invaders'
to consolidate and increase the focus on weed and feral animal
control. This will include a scientific summit on weeds affecting
the Territory e.g. buffel grass and gamba grass.
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ECNT assessment: Good but
needs increased funding
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Uranium
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NEWS FLASH: On 17 June, one day before the election,
Chief Minister Clare Martin said on local ABC Radio that a re-elected
Labor Government would not approve any new uranium mines in the
NT. This policy would include the already previously announced
opposition to a uranium mine at Koongarra in Kakadu National
Park –– or indeed any other mine in that particular
location.
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Labor has reiterated its commitment to opposing
a nuclear waste dump in the NT.
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However, the NT Labor Government is still approving
new uranium exploration licences in the NT.
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ECNT assessment: Very good
on Koongarra and waste dump; very good (just in the nick of time)
on uranium mining elsewhere
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Marine Conservation
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More focus on marine conservation and planning
processes, including mangrove protection outside of Darwin Harbour.
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But there is no commitment to protect Glyde
Point (north of Darwin ) from a proposed 40 sq km industrial
estate. Nor is there any commitment to undertaking a strategic
planning process for the gas-related projects that keep popping
up all over the Top End, although there is potential for this
work to be done by the promised new EPA (see below).
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ECNT assessment: increased
focus on marine and coastal conservation is welcome, but lack of
commitment to address big issues to do with industrialisation of
Darwin Harbour and Glyde Point is disappointing.
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Greenhouse
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Increased funding for CoolMob from 2006-07 –– will
become a sustainable living program with a new water efficiency
initiative. CoolMob is a community-based programme hosted by
ECNT.
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Public reporting of emissions by major industries
to be introduced. We have been told that the NT Greenhouse Strategy
will be released within the next year after a long delay (though
this is not a specific election commitment).
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ECNT assessment: slight
improvement, but much more required.
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Environment Protection
Authority (EPA)
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Labor NT has committed to creating an “Environment
Protection Agency”. Initially upon regaining office a three
person EPA board would be created, and the existing Office of
Environment and Heritage (OEH) would be reorganized, over the
next three-four years, into an EPA through a new Act and increased
resourcing. The EPA would, we understand, be independent from
Ministerial direction and have third party (public) rights enshrined.
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ECNT assessment: good,
but slow and funding increase is very small for the scale of the
task confronting EPA.
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ECNT
commentary on EPA: The Environment Centre and
other ENGOs have long called for the establishment of an “'independent,
statutory Environment Protection Authority' with full third party
(public) rights enshrined in the Act ”– similar to
WA and most other states.
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At the moment all we have
in NT is a unit within the mega-Department of Infrastructure, Planning
and Environment (DIPE). This unit is called the “Office of
Environment and Heritage (OEH). It is small; subsumed within the
much larger department; underfunded; does not have any statutory
powers or functions; and is frequently in a conflict of interest
situation with DIPE itself –having to assess projects for
which DIPE is the proponent! It is subject to direction by the Minister...in
fact almost anything it does has to be either initiated or approved
by the Minister.
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Overall ECNT Assessment
on ALP environment policy: Over the past four
years in government Labor has taken some important initiatives on
the environment e.g. the moratorium on large scale development in
the Daly. In this election campaign they have produced some excellent
new policies, including not approving the Koongarra uranium mine
and creating an EPA. We remain very concerned that the level of funding
will seriously limit the ability of Labor to properly implement some
of its policies if re-elected.
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For
ALP policy updates visit their website: www.nt.alp.org.au
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