The Northern Territory news Fri 13 Aug 2021
NT news
The Northern Territory news; NewspaperNT
2021-08-13
English
Community newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin.; Australian newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin.
News Corp Australia
Darwin
application/pdf
Copyright. Made available by the publisher under licence.
News Corp Australia
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/846513
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/846580
FRIDAY AUGUST 13 2021 NEWS 07 V1 - NTNE01Z01MA Environment Minister Eva Lawler and Senator Sam McMahon. Picture: Thomas Morgan SENATOR LASHES OUT ON CLIMATE TARGETS NORTHERN Territory Senator Sam McMahon has gone nuclear on the NT governments call for bigger climate targets from the Commonwealth, saying it was akin to the dole bludger telling the taxpayer that they need to work harder. The outspoken CLP Senator made the call while also renewing her plea for nuclear energy to be opened up to wider use in Australia. It follows the NT Environment Minister Eva Lawler calling for the Morrison government to lock in net zero emissions as a target by 2050. Senator McMahon has lashed the Environment Ministers comments, claiming the federal government is doing all the heavy lifting when it comes to pollution and emissions, she said. The NT government is doing what it always does, absolutely nothing. What she needs to realise is that having a target of zero emissions by 2050 is about as realistic as saying every Territorian will be a billionaire by next year. Senator McMahon said she had introduced amendments to federal parliament to remove a ban on nuclear power in Australia, claiming it was the only way the country could have enough baseload power without nonrenewable energy. Ms Lawler rebuked Senator McMahon, saying the NT had done heavy lifting by implementing fracking regulation, was encouraging uptake of solar and was trialling hydrogen in the Barkley. We are progressive and working towards a target of zero emissions by 2050, she said. THOMAS MORGAN NT PARLIAMENTALL THE LATESTNTNEWS.COM.AU 07 Water concern as TERC passes CHIEF Minister Michael Gunner has given a one-word response as to whether hes being evasive about the Darwin Turf Club saga in parliament. Mr Gunner has come under sustained pressure from the CLP over whether he and his Labor ministry have been dodging important questions about the cabinet process in parliament. Opposition Leader Lia Finocchi aro on Thursday accused Mr Gunner of trying to avoid scrutiny in the parliaments Privileges Committee. We have been calling on the government for two days to start answering questions about the Turf Club, Ms Finocchiaro said. Its very clear to us and theyre happy to stand out in the community, and lie to the faces of Territorians but theyre not going to do that in the parliament. Ms Finocchiaro asked multiple questions about the saga in Ques tion Time on Wednesday, including to Racing Minister Natasha Fyles and Infrastructure Minister Eva Lawler, over the $12m grandstand tender. When government ministers were asked about their involvement in the Turf Club, they stuck to reading very well worded scripts, Ms Finocchiaro said on Thursday. When asked by the NT News whether he was happy to repeat his media statements in parliament, Mr Gunner replied: Yes. Mr Gunners office were unwilling to provide any further statements. His office claimed Mr Gunner had answered every question put to him by the CLP about the Turf Club scandal. Mr Gunner has long insisted the ICAC report has cleared him and his ministry of wrongdoing. The bombshell report found misconduct was committed by Mr Gunners former chief-of-staff, Alf Leonardi. Chief Minister denies being evasive in parliament over Turf Club THOMAS MORGAN Darwin Turf Club grandstand. Picture: Che Chorley A RAFT of reforms recommended by the Territory Economic Reconstruction Commission have passed into law, with the government refusing to back down on controversial changes to water licences. Reforms passed included making the Banned Drinker Register compatible with digital drivers licences on platforms such as Google Pay and Apple Wallet. Bureaucrats will also have to process new food business applications such as upstart restaurants and cafes within 30 days. But an outcry from environmentalists over reforms to the water controller has fallen on deaf ears, with some operators now able to apply for water licences for 30 years. The CLP supported the bill but says more needs to be done to turbocharge the NTs economic recovery. The bill passed through parliament on Thursday after a marathon debate spanning two days of sittings. NT Attorney-General Selena Uibo said the reforms were all about cutting red tape and approval times. These amendments make things simpler but not more risky, Ms Uibo said. We still have robust protections in place for our valuable resources. The legislation will also open the door to new investment opportunities for the private sector, which will help grow our economy. Ms Uibo said the government was trying to encourage investment and economic ex pansion to create jobs in the aftermath of the pandemic. Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said the CLP supported the changes but argued they didnt go far enough. Some of them are seriously underwhelming but some represent a tiny change in the right direction, Ms Finocchiaro said. What we need right now is a Gunner government focused on our economy and tackling crime, and we just dont have that. Environment Centre NT co-director Kirsty Howey said her organisation was worried about rushed changes to the Water Act without consultation. It opens up the Territory for water speculation, where big developers can apply to take all the water, Ms Howey said. She said the NT, which already had among the worst (water laws) in the country, was heading in the direction of situation in the MurrayDarling. What we should be doing is tightening up our water laws, making our allocations stronger. Instead, were just seeing the handing out of even more water for free. THOMAS MORGAN POLITICAL REPORTER Selena Uibo