The Northern Territory government's management of water could "run rivers dry" and risk the livelihoods of future generations, a traditional owner has said during a major water conference in Darwin this week.
Members of remote Aboriginal communities joined conservationists, environmental groups and pastoralists collectively travelled thousands of kilometres from isolated parts of Australia to attend the Water in the Bush conference, where they voiced concerns about the NT government’s water management practices.
Djingili elder and Director of Nurrdalinji Aboriginal Corporation Elaine Sandy was among those calling for the government to suspend its water allocation plans and introduce a moratorium on water licences.
"Hear our stories, hear our voice, hear our cries … we're talking on behalf of every one of us in the community, all our people," she told the ABC.
"This is where we need to say [to the government], stop what you're doing.
"Is there any other solution that you could come up with?"
A letter of demand co-signed by Protect Big Rivers, Nurrdalinji Aboriginal Corporation, Protect Country Alliance, Arid Lands Environment Centre, and Environment Centre NT was sent to NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles and Environment Minister Lauren Moss on Thursday.
It states the government "failed to appoint water advisory committees" when drafting water allocation plans for the Beetaloo Basin, which it says is "inconsistent with normal Northern Territory government practice and the National Water Initiative's requirements".
The letter claims the plan has been rushed to be finalised by the end of 2022 without adequate research, which it says is an "arbitrary and risky deadline", and condemns the NT Water Controller's issuing of water licences using the Arid Zone rules.
"We've come to defend water in our region," said Sam Phelan, the Katherine region coordinator of Protect Big Rivers, amid what she said were government decisions "that threaten the future of the flows in both the Daly and the Roper River systems".
"Irrigated cotton, fracking, mining, are all chasing water. Now we've got a government that is prepared to water mine for all of those industries, and that risks future generation's water supply, without a doubt."
The annual Water in the Bush Conference, held on Thursday and Friday, heard from the private sector, delegates from the Australian Water Association, Environment Minister Lauren Moss, water experts from the CSIRO and the NT government's gas task force.
It coincided with the release of a draft Territory Water Plan, which the government says is a "long-term strategic plan for water security".
The Beetaloo Water Allocation plan is being developed to set out the rules for managing the use of water resources in the Georgina and Wiso basins, where a fracking industry is in the exploration phase.
The region was earmarked by the previous federal government as key to the so-called "gas-led recovery", and the industry said it would create jobs and substantial revenue for governments over the next 20 years.
Environment Minister Lauren Moss said she had received the letter, but would not be following through on the request for a moratorium.
Addressing concerns about what the group said was a "failure" to appoint a water advisory committee to the Beetaloo water allocation plan, Ms Moss said the Beetaloo Regional Reference Group, formed in 2021, was essentially performing that function.
"No government has consulted on environment issues in the Northern Territory more than this Territory government has," she said.
"The NT government has a very robust framework around how we allocate and manage water in the Territory.
"For the first time we will have a long-term strategic plan around how we use water and how we protect water.
"I'm confident in those that work in my department each and every day that they turn up to work like everybody else does with a view to protect water and a view to provide benefit to all Territorians."
Pastoralist Daniel Tapp, who owns a cattle station outside of Darwin, said he was deeply concerned the push to develop the north, as industries lined up for water, would be unsustainable.
He said he wasn't alone in feeling his concerns were being unheard.
Alawa man Bradley Farrar, who lives in Minyerri, almost 600 kilometres souith-easet Darwin, said that despite fighting for greater water protections for a long time, his voice also hadn't been heard.
"Water, it's been there for so many generations and we want that water to be left alone for the next generation," he said.
"We fish on that area, and there [are] a lot of sacred sites on the river system. We don't want it to be gone."
