The Finocchiaro CLP Government has doubled down on its commitment to stamp out green lawfare, announcing it will terminate taxpayer funded support for the Environment Centre NT (ECNT) and the Arid Lands Environment Centre (ALEC).
This follows a decision by the CLP Government late last year, terminating a $100,000 per annum taxpayer-funded agreement with the NT Environmental Defenders Office following a shift in policy and priorities. This was also an election commitment of the CLP.
The taxpayer-funded agreements with ECNT and ALEC are worth $100,000 each per year.
“We have been very up front in our agenda that it is game over for publicly funded lawfare that seeks to disrupt and delay economic progress,” said Mr Burgoyne.
“We have shifted the policy agenda, moving away from the former Labor government’s focus on environmental groups and their contribution to reform initiatives, to our focus of growing our economy.
“Today’s announcement shows that we are serious about taking action to provide businesses more certainty in decision making, while protecting our environment under stringent and robust regulations.
“We are reprioritising our resources to ensure timeliness of assessments and approvals.
“In the Territory, an approval will mean an approval once again.”
The CLP Government will redirect the $200,000 per annum in funding towards key environmental initiatives “on the ground,” with a focus on action, not activism.
“We will not spend another dollar on activists and economic vandals and their disruptive agendas,” said Mr Burgoyne.
“Unlike the Labor party, we will spend Territorians’ money wisely to protect our environment and restore trust in the independent authorities who work tirelessly to ensure our stringent regulations are upheld.”
Since 2020, there have been 18 third-party reviews relating to water, with the majority of the original decisions being upheld.
Seven of these requests for review were made by ECNT or ALEC.
There are currently two reviews before the NT Civil Administration Tribunal which challenge the approval of environment management plans for onshore petroleum activities.
Mr Burgoyne said all decisions relating to planning, water extraction licences and petroleum activities are subject to thorough assessment by the relevant independent statutory authorities, the public exhibition process and rigorous assessment by the regulating agency.
