Northern Territory scraps law requiring water for rivers and ecosystems
NT plans to delete a legal requirement for water to protect rivers, wetlands and ecosystems.
The NT government is moving to scrap an environmental safeguard. The safeguard requires water plans to set aside water for rivers, springs and wetlands.
The change is part of a larger push to clear the way for fracking, datacentres and agricultural expansion. Environment groups say the move removes the few protections that existed.
They warn it trades the territory's aquifers for short-term profit. The Central Land Council represents Indigenous people in southern NT.
It warns the bill removes the last remaining community protections. Federal environment minister Murray Watt has been called on to block commonwealth water funding if the bill passes.
Why it mattersWithout environmental water rules, the NT's rivers and aquifers could face overuse by industry with no legal limits. This puts water security and ecosystems at risk.
AustraliaIf passed, the bill would let the NT deplete water resources with fewer constraints, potentially affecting downstream users and setting a precedent other states might follow.
