1 Territory slams Water Act recommended amendments

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
 
Sir – This is part of the 1 Territory submission to the Economic Policy Scrutiny Committee.
 
1 Territory is appalled that so little time for scrutiny has been allowed for examination and assessment of the changes to such important legislation as the NT Water Act.
 
To dump 60 pages of complex changes on Territorians with very little advertising of the fact nor very little time to consider appears most deliberate and betrays the trust of Territorians.
 
Given the time and resources that we have had available to us, we note that none of the recommendations (numbering at least 20) of the recent Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing are addressed in these amendments.
 
What was the point of having this expensive inquiry if the recommendations are going to be ignored?
 
Territorians can rightly feel they have been conned by the NT Labor Government – again.
 
It is absolutely unacceptable that the mining and gas industries will now, thanks to these amendments, have unlimited powers to pollute, contaminate and interfere with our precious water resources.
 
1 Territory can advise Territorians that these amendments will be repealed when a 1 Territory Government is elected in 2020.
 
In fact it will be through legislation that fracking will be banned in the Northern Territory – all stakeholders are now advised that this will be done on the election of a 1 Territory Government.
 
Braedon Earley (pictured)
President
1 Territory Party