The Greens and Independent, David Pocock call for investigation into $1.5 billion Middle Arm investment
The Greens and independent crossbencher David Pocock have called for an investigation into the federal government's $1.5-billion commitment to the Middle Arm Industrial Precinct on Darwin's harbour. They want the funds to be directed away from supporting fossil fuel projects, after a senate inquiry into the project was tabled in Canberra.
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00:00It's been the focus of protests and slammed as a climate policy gamble.
00:09But the Federal Government won't be withdrawing its $1.5 billion support for the controversial
00:14middle arm development on Darwin Harbour any time soon.
00:18What we know is that $1.5 billion of public money is being spent on a gas project that
00:29the local community and Darwin don't want, that is going to be a danger to our environment,
00:34it's going to be a danger to climate, and is a very serious health concern.
00:39A Senate inquiry into the development handed down its final report yesterday after hearing
00:44from dozens of academics, scientists and traditional owners earlier this year, but it failed to
00:50reach a unanimous decision on the future of the precinct.
00:54The question now is squarely at the feet of the Labor Government here in Canberra,
01:01what will you do?
01:03What will you do?
01:04Because all of the evidence shows this is a bad project and shouldn't go ahead.
01:09The Greens and crossbencher David Pocock are calling for an investigation into the funding
01:13commitment and for the Government to withdraw subsidies for fossil fuel projects at Middle
01:18Arm.
01:19This tourism operator is so worried about his future he attended the inquiry hearings.
01:24I run fishing tours, people want to catch fish and crabs when you go out in the harbour
01:28and the last thing you want to be seeing is big gas ships coming past and also the huge
01:33petrochemical plant.
01:34Also not happy, Darwin's indigenous leaders feel they've been ignored.
01:38The most important thing that we need the NT and federal governments to understand is
01:43that the Larrakia families have not given free prior and informed consent for this
01:48project.
01:49The inquiry is facing opposition from the Liberal National Coalition, who accuse the
01:53Greens and independents of bullying witnesses, and the NT's Chief Minister, who is clearly
01:58unhappy with the process.
02:01That Senate inquiry was probably the worst couple of hours of my political life and a
02:05real farce.
02:06The Chief Minister convinced this major development is the answer to the territory's economic
02:10woes.
02:13For more UN videos visit www.un.org