The NT government has announced plans to release more water for agriculture and relax the approval process for onshore gas projects.
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00:00A precious Northern Territory resource, today being divvied up outside Parliament.
00:08The country Liberals reversing a draft water allocation plan for the Western Davenport
00:13region, 150 kilometres south of Tennant Creek.
00:17We are allocating 87,000 megalitres, 87,700.
00:22That's 20,000 megalitres more per year than a draft plan recommended, equivalent to 8,000
00:29Olympic sized swimming pools.
00:31The final allocation for the region, which incorporates the Territory's largest water
00:36licence at Singleton Station, also now applicable for 10 years, not 3.
00:42From an NT Farmer's perspective, we have what's called a guardrail, and that is rely on the
00:47best available science of the day, and that's what this plan relies on.
00:51And this has happened without any scrutiny or engagement with the Water Advisory Committee,
00:56water experts, key stakeholders or the general public.
01:00A first allocation plan for the Mataranka region, also finalised today, with 62,000
01:07litres available for extraction, as per previous plans.
01:11The water allocations weren't the only big announcements from the country Liberals this
01:15morning, just a week out from Christmas, with the government also relaxing environmental
01:21regulation for onshore gas projects.
01:24The requirement for gas companies to refer environmental management plans to the EPA
01:29has been scrapped, as has the need for big emitters to provide greenhouse gas abatement
01:35plans to the NT government.
01:37A new way of doing things for a Territory desperate for an economic boost.