Other Issues

28 March 2004

Territory budget must address chronic lack of funding for the environment

As the finalisation of the Territory budget approaches, the Environment Centre says the Government is failing to allocate sufficient funds to the protection of the Northern Territory's greatest asset: its environment.

Environment Centre Campaigns coordinator Peter Robertson said, "Successive governments have grossly underspent on the environment, with the environment budget stagnant or getting smaller in real terms every year.

"Pretending to save money by not spending on environmental protection is a classic example of a false economy. Its really just stealing from the future.

"While the government has moved quickly to provide tens of millions of dollars to subsidise private sector ventures like the Darwin harbour redevelopment ($100m) and the Wickham Point gas development ($19 million), urgent environmental programs are going backwards due to a chronic lack of funds.

"For example, weeds are having a huge environmental and economic impact in the NT and yet total government spending on weed control and eradication is about $1 million a year, a tenth of what is needed to make headway against this enormous problem.

"Across the whole of government, lack of funding means environmental impact assessments aren't done properly, little or no environmental monitoring occurs, little or no enforcement of environmental protection laws and regulations occurs, toxic and other wastes continue to mount in the environment, and research that is essential for good decision making on sustainable development is not undertaken.

"ECNT wants this government to commit to an annual increase in environmental spending of at least 5% per annum so we can start going forward instead of continually going backwards.

"Anything else is just shortchanging future generations. On the revenue side, the government should be looking at increased income from increasing pastoral leasehold rents and mining and gas revenue, and from increased charges for pollution and waste generation."

For further information contact ECNT:
Phone: 08 8981 1984
Email: ecnt@octa4.net.au

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