The Northern Territory’s Country Liberal Party on February 11 that it will stop funding the Environment Centre NT and the Arid Lands Environment Centre (ALEC).
As part of its crackdown on “lawfare” and environmental activism, the CLP plans to to seek a merit review on environmental and water resources decisions.
For decades, these non-government organisations have ensured the government and corporate interests do not ride roughshod over the environment and peoples’ livelihoods.
ALEC anti-fracking campaigner Hannah Ekin told 鶹ý: “This is a government that punches down. Cutting our funding will not stop our advocacy, nor will it stop affected communities from protecting their Country and resisting unjust development.
“The CLP wants to bulldoze the community’s ability to have a say on issues that directly affect us.
“It’s vital the community is able to legally scrutinise decisions that, effectively, give fracking companies a blank cheque to cause harm.”
The Territory Coordinator proposal poses an even greater threat. It would have the power to override laws, so that the usual environmental and social approvals processes do not have to be followed. The NT government intends to use the new powers to fast-track “onshore gas developments”.
On another front, the CLP is to privatise prisons by allowing the Corrections Commissioner to “appoint” private contractors.
The Correctional Services Legislative Amendment Bill 2025 could allow untrained staff employed by profit-hungry operators like into a system already at breaking point.
Minister for Corrections Gerard Maley said on February 7 that due to the “sustained increase” in prisoner numbers, the “reforms” are necessary.
The CLP has lowered the age of criminal responsibility from 12 years to 10, among other bail and sentencing changes, which have led to of people being imprisoned.
Yingiya Guyula, Independent Yolngu Member of the Legislative Assembly, recently about the cruel and degrading conditions inside NT prisons to the United Nations.
Mitch Rose, a member of Justice Not Jails, told GL he is alarmed by the CLP’s recklessness. “I was a youth worker in the justice system and I have seen first-hand the detrimental impacts of having untrained and unqualified workers placed in such complex environments.
“Young people in custody often have complex, multi-layered behavioural and developmental issues. This requires skilled and informed intervention to manage, especially if the aim is to rehabilitate and help them re-enter the community.
“The NT CLP’s approach will lead to even more dangerous conditions for young people, workers and, ultimately, the community.”
In line with its attack on First Nations children and families, the CLP to give courts the discretion not to adhere to the .
This directly counters the substantial body of reports and recommendations that stress the need to keep children connected to family, Country and culture to prevent the trauma of a future Stolen Generation.
“The CLP continues to demonstrate it has no interest in a therapeutic model of care for our children, whether in the child protection or youth justice systems,” said Nyikina woman Natalie Hunter who is active in Justice not Jails. “It does not want to support families.”
The CLP also announced it is the minimum floor price for alcohol. Community members, health professionals and Aboriginal-community controlled organisations are this will lead to further alcohol-fuelled harms and violence.