The CLP Government has refused to listen to serious concerns raised by the Territory community and experts and has pressed ahead with damaging legislation to hand unprecedented power to the Territory Coordinator to override existing laws and fastrack development.
The legislation was introduced today, and can be viewed here.
Frack Free NT spokesperson Pete Callender said, “This Territory Coordinator Bill is a blatant power grab that will allow the CLP to get around thirty-two of our laws when ramming through big projects for big business.
“The CLP Finocchiaro Government has ignored the Territory community’s well-founded concerns, and plans to push this dangerous Bill through the Parliament.
“What’s clear is that the CLP Government is placing unprecedented power into the hands of an unelected bureaucrat.
“The Territory Coordinator will have the power to bulldoze the rights of everyday Territorians at the whim of the CLP Government, and prioritise the demands of big business like fracking companies.
“This will fast track fracking while cutting much needed scrutiny. Fracking has already caused contamination events in the NT.
“This will also make it easier for fracking companies to enter pastoral and freehold land without permission and against the wishes of the landholder.
“Ordinary Territorians need to abide by the rules, but the Territory Coordinator will effectively give multinational companies permission to do what they want, even if it means putting our water and communities at risk.”
ENDS