Territorians have condemned a CLP Finocchiaro Government plan to give unprecedented sweeping powers to a new bureaucrat known as the “Territory Coordinator” that would allow the Chief Minister to override existing environmental regulations and wave through major projects like fracking in the Beetaloo Basin.
Media is this morning reporting accusations from Territory Labor that the CLP was attempting to keep the reforms “secret” from the wider public, after they were quietly released to select stakeholders. The document outlining the reforms is available here.
Under the proposed changes, the Coordinator would be given escalatory powers allowing them to override watchdog agencies and “exempt” projects from certain Acts before referring major projects like fracking to the Chief Minister for a final, subjective decision.
Frack Free NT spokesperson Pete Callender said the CLP was attempting to make it easier for fracking projects to lay waste to the Territory by overriding what little environment legislation existed.
“Fracking is really dangerous, risky business. As we’ve already witnessed in the Territory, fracking has the potential to cause serious contamination incidents. Yet this CLP proposal would totally override the Territory’s already substandard environmental protections.
“Fracking has the potential to poison the Territory’s precious water resources. Giving fracking companies the ability to bypass environmental regulations only increases this risk.
“The powers the Finocchiaro Government wants to hand to this unelected bureaucrat are extremely alarming. They’re profoundly undemocratic and bordering on authoritarian.
“These new laws would provide the government of the day with unprecedented and unwarranted ability to override community and environmental concerns.
“Ordinary Territorians need to follow the rules. We can’t drive a car without a licence, or build a new home without getting the necessary approvals. However this Finocchiaro Government plan gives powers to an unelected bureaucrat to exempt some of the biggest and most polluting developments like fracking from any environmental regulatory oversight. The CLP Government must not be allowed to get away with it.”
ENDS